Showing posts with label nissan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nissan. Show all posts

Friday, March 8, 2024

My FH5 Log: Summit Assault

Let's face it. The world's gone mad these days and so has the motoring world, where three superpowers clash for supremacy. America, Europe, and Asia are all locked in for a motoring world war.


Like I said in the past, the Chevrolet Corvette, the Porsche 911, and the Nissan GT-R are the most dominant names in the world of sports cars because of their heritage, performance, and racing pedigree that made them the global superpowers feared and respected the world over. 





Here in Forza Horizon 5, I am already familiar with the motoring superpowers in their current state; the C8 Corvette Z06, the GT-R NISMO, and the 992 911 GT3.

The 911 GT3, in its 992 spec, is known for its race-inspired aerodynamics, performance, and the naturally-aspirated 4.0L flat-six engine that begs to be revved. The C8 Corvette Z06, meanwhile, is the Republican's answer to the 911 GT3 because of its naturally aspirated V8 engine, C8.R-inspired dynamics, and sleek aerodynamics. Lastly, the GT-R NISMO is no doubt the king of GT-Rs. Enough said.




To unleash their true worth in performance and dynamics, the three motoring superpowers have been gathered for a summit, a Summit Assault to the top of the caldera. Let's find out which of them is the real superpower here. Roll the tape.


And now the results...

C8 Z06 - 3m.04.101s
GT-R NISMO - 3m06.386s
992 GT3 - 3m03.333s


So, the Germans have won the battle, but the war continues because the motoring superpowers will keep improving and fighting until the endgame. The more you know.


EPILOGUE


Having satisfied with the motoring superpower trio, it's time to reward themselves for all the hard work they've done.




Our 992 911 GT3 had its tensions MAXED with Little Miss Dorothy West plastered over it. I still had the old 911 992 GT3 with Sala in it but for my Dorothy-fied 911 GT3, I've tinkered it to be mated with a 6-speed gearbox. Did you know that the 992 911 GT3 is offered with the choice of either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed PDK?




For the C8 Z06, well, you can't go wrong with it with a dash of Red Flash and Sophy Hojo in it. Fast and sexy, just like the car itself.




The Nissan GT-R NISMO is no doubt one of the most formidable 4WD supercars in ages but for now, it's got Sion Todo's name all over in the spirit of Let's ¡Go! Get it? Let's i-Go! That's Sion's line.




With their respective makeovers done, the legendary trio is setting off to EventLab re-enactments of fictional racetracks from famous racing games in history. Let's roll the tapes.




What a WonderPri World, they said.




Global superpowers are forever known for changing world history with influence, be it for better or worse, and it's the same thing for the world's best sportscars. The Corvette, the 911, and the GT-R fought themselves for true world domination but in the end, it was a stalemate because other global superpowers were trying to prove their worth just like them.

Yes, the United Nations of speed and power ain't really united just like the United Nations itself, and as long as the sources of power remain, the clash for world domination will continue.

GET READY FOR THE NEXT BATTLE!

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

My GT7 Log: Reiwa no Super GT fighters

The Super GT 2024 season will see a matchup like no other in the Reiwa era. It's a clash between the Toyota GR Supra, the Nissan Fairlady Z RZ34, and the Honda Civic Type R FL5. Here in GT7, I'm driving their road car equivalents predicting which car will win the 2024 season.


But first, let's get to know about these Reiwa-era JDM sports cars.


With the design borrows inspiration from the FT-1 Concept, the GR Supra shares most of the engines from the BMW Z4 G29 such as the 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine and the 3.0L BMW TwinPower Turbo engine for the range-topping RZ variant producing 340PS of power and 500Nm of torque. All of the engines are mated to an 8-speed Steptronic gearbox.

In the spring of 2020, the GR Supra's 3.0L BMW-derived TwinPower Turbo engine on the flagship RZ variant was boosted by 47PS, resulting in a 387PS power output. In addition, the updated GR Supra features a revised chassis consisting of lightweight aluminum braces, front and rear bump stops, and new damper tuning.


The Nissan Fairlady Z RZ34 features an eclectic mix of design cues inspired by past models as well as a cutting-edge interior featuring a GT-R-derived steering wheel, the signature triple pod cluster, and race-inspired gauges. Under the hood, the previous model's 3.7L VVEL engine was replaced by the VR30DDTT 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine derived from the Skyline 400R. It produces nearly 400HP of power and 475Nm of torque while mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed AT. It features optional launch control for the first time in a Z car and a mechanical LSD.

Apart from the performance it delivers, the RZ34 Fairlady Z features new monotube shocks, new front geometry, rear suspension tuning, and another first for the Z car, electric power steering. It even features increased rigidity and available sports brakes.


Based on the 11th generation Honda Civic hatchback, the FL5 Civic Type R eschews the obvious styling from its predecessor in favor of a more subtle approach while retaining the triple exhaust setup from the FK8. For the first time since the FD2, the FL5 Civic Type R is back to being a Japan-made hot hatchback.

It runs on the same K20C1 2.0L VTEC Turbo engine as the previous FK8 but it's been boosted to produce 330PS of power and 420Nm of torque while mated exclusively to a 6-speed MT.

From the improved suspension setup, electronically controlled dampers, improved braking performance, and new Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires built exclusively for this car, it smashed the Suzuka Circuit's FF lap record in 2:23.120 and recently, the Nurburgring Nordschleife's FF lap record in 7:44.881.

The FL5 Civic Type R became the 2022-2023 Japan Performance Car of the Year winner.


Taking the idea from both Best Motoring and Hot Version, I decided to compare these three Reiwa-era JDM sportscars around Tsukuba Circuit and engage the one-lap time attack rite of passage, predicting which of these three has the potential to win the 2024 Super GT season.




In their road car guises, the RZ34 is the most powerful of the three but the FL5 is the dark horse because although it's the least powerful, boasting 325hp power output, it's the lightest of the three, making this comparison truly one-sided. Anyway, no time for jibber-jabbers. It's time to find out which of the three has the potential to win the 2024 Super GT season. Roll the tape.


And here are the results...

GR Supra - 1m05.227s

Z RZ34 - 1m05.767s

Civic Type R FL5 - 1m05.706s

The FL5 Civic Type R truly is the dark horse of the three. It barely defeated the Nissan Fairlady Z RZ34 by a crust but it's razor-thin slower than the GR Supra. The result is too close to call.


Based on my experiment, my prediction for the 2024 Super GT season will be a close call with the GR Supra expected to win the 2024 season. I'm not sure which GR Supra Super GT car will be but it's everyone's game. The Civic Type R FL5 is proven to be the dark horse of the three and I expect its Super GT equivalent to deliver razor-thin results compared to the other two. Both the GR Supra and the Fairlady Z RZ34 nailed titles but with the arrival of the Super GT Civic, will it be the first to win a Super GT title for the Honda Civic?

Expect the 2024 Super GT season to be as close as the elections, if you catch my drift. With the GR Supra expected to dominate the 2024 season as well as the Honda Civic's wild-card performance, it's going to be the tightest season ever. Get your popcorn ready because it's going to be a long fight.

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

My FM Log: Global Guts

The Chevrolet Corvette, the Porsche 911, and the Nissan GT-R are the most dominant names in the world of sports cars because of their heritage, performance, and racing pedigree that made them the global superpowers feared and respected the world over.


Here in Forza Motorsport, let's get to know the three kings of the sports car realm starting with America's finest, the Corvette C8 Z06.


By using most of its know-how from the C8.R racing machine, the Corvette C8 Z06 is a track weapon capable of slithering through the road and track with its race-inspired dynamics, available Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, and the Z07 Performance Package.

Powering the C8 Z06 is a smaller but more powerful 5.5L V8 naturally aspirated engine that produces 670HP of power and while mated to a standard 8-speed AT, it does 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds.

With its naturally aspirated V8 engine, C8.R-inspired dynamics, and sleek aerodynamics, the C8 Z06 has evolved from a typical Corvette into a proper purist's sports car.


Now, let's get to know the Nissan GT-R NISMO, the ultimate version of the soon-to-be-legendary Japanese sports car that was known to be the best Heisei-era JDM sports car. 

The result of Nissan's trial and error struggle to create a supercar that can compete against the world's best supercars, the GT-R NISMO, first launched in 2014, features track-honed aerodynamics akin to its GT3 racer and an improved 3.8L V6 Twin Turbo engine producing 600PS of power output, capable of lapping the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7:08.679. 

This is the 2020 Model Year GT-R and for this update, the GT-R NISMO features front fenders from the GT3 racecar, a new carbon-fiber roof, and improved dynamics. 

It is said that the improved GT-R NISMO lapped Tsukuba in less than a minute.


Lastly, the Porsche 911 GT3 (992), which is the better version of the 992-spec Porsche 911.

The 992 911 GT3 is a real, no-nonsense sports car with real, no-nonsense performance drivers who can get hooked for more. Race-inspired aerodynamics aside, the 911 GT3 is powered by a 4.0L flat-6 engine that produces 510PS of power and 470Nm of torque while mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed PDK, which lets the GT3 accelerate from 0-100kph in 3.4 seconds, which is slightly quicker than the previous model. 

It's got a double-wishbone front axle for the first time in a 911, a five-link rear axle, larger brakes, and extensive use of lightweight materials, among many others.

With such improvements, the new model lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6:59.927 minutes, which is an improvement from the previous GT3.


Now that we get to know about the three sports car kings, it's time to take them to the ideal playground to flex their muscles; the Yas Marina Circuit. It's been recently added to Forza Motorsport and I got the chance to bring them there, which is good timing for me because this weekend, the F1 23 season finale will be held there.




Yas Marina's changed since I let their predecessors loose in FM7 a couple of years ago. Although some of the familiar bits got changed, it's still the Yas Marina the world knows and enjoys. It's still the ideal playground for speedo boys to let their sports cars rip through the most technical corners in style.

Anyway, with the C8 Z06, GT-R NISMO, and the 992 911 GT3 gathered at what's known to be the final venue of the F1 season, it's time to settle which side of the globe is the best.




America, Europe, and Asia. Which one is the best? Let's find out with a one-lap time attack around the recently-added Yas Marina track in Forza Motorsport. Let battle commence.




And now the results...

C8 Corvette Z06 - 2m14.234s

GT-R (R35) NISMO - 2m19.394s

911 (992) GT3 - 2m20.282s

It looks like the Americans were the superior ones this time as the C8 Z06 trumps the GT-R NISMO and the 911 GT3 by a long shot in the revised Yas Marina track.


I guess the engineers behind the C8 Corvette were wise about transitioning to a mid-engine layout at the beginning and with the Z06, it's capable of tackling down the world's best, even though this isn't really its final form, if you catch my drift.

This Vette's got guts and it managed to show the world it's capable of taking all comers in the same way its C8.R equivalent crushed the final LMGTE AM Class title in style. GT3, here we go.

Welcome to the new world order.

Monday, November 6, 2023

My GT7 Log: Know Your Legends - NISMO 400R

Let's get to know about the legendary cars that are hard to get in Gran Turismo 7's Legend Cars not only because of their extreme rarity that appears once in a blue moon but also their outrageous price tag that takes almost forever to save one. Today, let's get to know about the NISMO 400R, an R33 Skyline GT-R with extreme performance, an outrageous price tag, and a legendary rarity to sum it up.


Based on the Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 model, the NISMO 400R is the extreme R33 built at the time Japanese carmakers limited their production sports cars to the 280PS power output limit. Built by NISMO in the hopes of producing the most extreme version of the Skyline GT-R, the 400R is powered by a 2.8L RBX-GT2 turbocharged engine, a more potent version of the legendary RB26DETT engine, producing a titular 400PS of power output. It even comes with a twin-plate clutch, carbon fiber propeller shaft, Bilstein dampers, front and rear stabilizers, and reinforced bushings for improved dynamics compared to the normal R33 Skyline GT-R. With only 44 of these made, each costing an ultra-expensive 12 million Yen, it is no doubt the most expensive Japanese car of its time.


Let's drive the NISMO 400R around the Goodwood track to see if this extreme R33 is the stuff of legends.



It did it in 1m27.738s.

For an R33 Skyline GT-R with extreme performance, an outrageous price tag, and a legendary rarity to sum it up, the 400R is no doubt the legendary Japanese sports car worth hunting for.

What other hard-to-get legendary cars should I drive next? Stay tuned for more.

Friday, October 13, 2023

My FH5 Log: Sunny with a Chance

If memory serves me right, it appears that the "most requested car" in Forza Horizon 5 is none other than the ancient Nissan Sunny B13. Why?


You can request whatever car you want to see in the Forza game via the official forums but of all the cars that deserve to be featured in the game, why the B13 Sunny? It's not as fast and as loud as the best cars offered in the game but there's a fairly good reason. But first, some little introduction.


The Nissan Sunny B13 made its debut in 1990, making it the first Nissan Sunny of the Heisei era. While retaining the styling from its B12 predecessor, the B13 features a more rounded look to keep it clean and simple. All petrol engines are equipped with the DOHC with the introduction of the 1.6L VVT engine and the first for the Sunny, a 1.8L petrol engine. Although production ended in 1994, it managed to live longer in Mexico, where it was sold as the Nissan Tsuru, which is in fact, the best-selling car in its class until it was discontinued in 2017.


The reason why the Mexican-spec Nissan Sunny B13 is the best-seller in Mexico in its class is because of its size and cheaper maintenance cost. It also became a popular car of choice for taxi drivers across Mexico because of its reliability and low maintenance costs. It's no wonder why this car became the most requested car with over 4000 votes garnered in the forums.


Driving the B13 Nissan Sunny in Forza Horizon 5 kinda reminded me of the one my brother-in-law drove in the real world. Driving from our relative's home in Quezon City to Resorts World Manila (now Newport World Resorts), that B13 Sunny showcased the charm point only 90s kids truly understand and I'm starting to get sentimental now.



No time to get sentimental, it's time to give Forza Horizon 5's most requested car a leisurely drive in the woods in the middle of nightfall, the kind of experience that my brother-in-law has done a long time ago when he, my big sister, and their kids are going home from the mall. Roll the tape.


Are we there yet? Is this Soldiers Hills? Whatever, but the important thing is, we're home.


Although out-of-context in this game chock full of fast and loud cars, the Nissan Sunny B13 is all about stirring nostalgia to anyone who experienced it. For Mexicans who are enjoying this game, it's a dream come true to experience the car that became a staple in Mexican motoring culture.

Welcome home.