I have thought about the turbo, its actually also on the short list but since Im already a porsche owner I was just looking for opinions outside of the turbo. Its looking like the gallardo will be out of the question, I dont want to 'half ***' purchase a car, If I get a gallardo it should be a proper one and im not ready to spend ~120-130

Your post, I like it.

 

"To each their own" is exactly it. Some people only care about performance, while others care about asthetics a lot too. I wouldn't have as much of a bias against the GTR or an $80k Nissan if it looked as good as a 911 Turbo, Gallardo, or R8. But it's not in the same league at all in terms of sexiness. Performance is by far my primary concern, but asthetics are important too.

I've owned two STI's which aren't very sexy cars compared to an M5, E63 AMG or such because the STI's performance is just that great and the price is less than half of the other two (just like the GTR versus a 911, Gallardo, or R8). But the OP is looking for a weekend/fun car versus a daily driver, so sexiness to me weighs in more.

No you can't, but then again, it's a lot to spend on a car and have regrets! I wasn't thinking of your price range enough though and had the R8 V10 in my head when I wrote that. Personally I couldn't live with spending that much on a car to have an NA V8 that's going to be difficult and expensive to mod to get a significant power increase. But I drive a 600 HP/TQ Turbo so you can guess my feelings on power.....

Personally I'm a Porsche guy so I'd get a 997 Turbo over any of the cars on your list, but I'm a single sportscar household, use my car as a daily driver, and have two little kids I couldn't fit in a Gallardo or R8, so it would only be a GTR or 911 on my list. The 911 is the obvious winner for me in that case just as it was 5 years ago when I bought my Turbo after considering a GTR too.

 

The question is, what do you want out of the car? What are your hopes and expectations?

So the Gallardo is out, thats fine.

I've lapped the '13 GT-R Black Series, the R8 V8 & V10 at MRLS, both were 6-speed manuals. I've driven a GT-R and R8 V8 on the street and reviewed both.

I was able to get more acclimated much more quickly in the R8, it is more of a "driver's car", neutral, forgiving, easy to go fast immediately. It is more exotic, much lower seating position, superior interior and better soundtrack.

That said, the GT-R is amazing, capable and puts up outstanding numbers. Still has a big feel and "big car" outward visibility.

Its really what you want out of the car and what you're looking for.

 

My experience does not vary. It is practically identical. And my perspective/advice is the same.

The difference is the priorities I place on each feature, for example - the ability to actually see while driving. The GT-R is normal, maybe a fraction lower than a Chrysler 300, being able to see over the Miata in front of you. The R8 was more fun to drive, though, but I couldn't see as well in traffic.

Like Deuce mentioned - what are your intended uses (DD, occasional spirited drive, auto-x, or the ultimate - road courses),what are your priorities (interior, comfort, performance, exterior, etc...)?

The R8 and GT-R, while similar on paper (decent power, AWD), are vastly different when driven.

 

ok, i didnt see a requested price range. But that makes it a little bit harder. The GT-R is obviously alot faster compared to a R8 V8. Feels more like a "racecar". But the R8 V8 is a better dailydriver and looks much better (in my opinion), better interior etc. And you can get a good 6speed gearbox if thats what you want. It all depends on what you want with the car. This is my expereince of the two cars

 

That could be the deciding factor with some. If you prefer dual clutch - the older R8's didn't have one.

If you prefer gated shifter - the GT-R never had one.

 

Im impartial now to whether or not the car is a true 6speed or not. However I will say Ive always wanted a gated shifter. My true intentions with my weekend cars is simply just to put a smile on my face and to make me appreciate that hard work can pay off. I want it to look good, sound good and feel good all around. I think with all those factors considered the R8, imo, might edge out the larger,less exotic looking Gtr. Not saying the Gtr isnt a beautiful car but the Audi interior along with the sleek, wide look of the R8 I dont think is compareable.

I wont be tracking the at all, there is no tracks near me besides a 1/4mile but that doesnt really entice me anymore.

Me and my dad built up a 67 chevelle with a 468ci (~650hp/tq) So if im really fiending for a blast of solid power I can always take that for a spin. This would be ofcourse if the v8 R8 doesnt provide me with the power fix.

 

I've heard that bias about the GT-R over the years more times than I can remember. Yeah, I guess it is, "just a Nissan", but one that was (and still is) a real game changer. I guess for some people the pedigree, cachet, and badge are more important criteria than overall performance. But I will tell you that as a former GT-R owner, I had people all over the vehicle EVERY single time I drove it. Yeah, a lot of them were fan boys, but I also had, for example, middle aged women without any interest in cars come up and tell me how much they liked the look of my GT-R. Of course, something like a Lambo is going to get oohs and ahhs from a lot of people. It's an exotic car. But I wouldn't discount the looks of the GT-R and relegate it to the middle of the pack by Nissan name alone.

 

I went 911 C2S to 997 TT to 997 TTS to R8 V10 Spyder.

The Porsches are awe inspiring cars and performance. OTOH, every time I drive the R8 spyder, it's freaking theater. I love the performance of my previous Porsches. I love the performance and drama of my R8. My 2 cents...

 

What are/have been the maintenance costs of your Porsches and Audi R8?

 

It's really not a game changer as there have been previous examples of everyday marques who put out an outstanding car rivalling cars for twice the price such as the Dodge Stealth/Mitsubishi 3000GT, Subaru STI, Mitsubishi EVO, Dodge Viper, Ford GT, and too many more to list. It's not even a game changer for Nissan since they put out the Datsun ZX cars 40 years ago. The GTR is basically the same as those in that it's a cheaper car than its competition that can keep up with or beat cars twice its price or more. Don't get me wrong, I think it's an awesome car, but it's just not for me. The looks are definitely very flashy for an everyday marque, but an R8, Lambo, Ferrari, 911 Turbo, Aston Martin and any of the similar competitors in terms of performance are all better looking and "flashier" cars that will always attract more attention.

I'm first and foremost about the performance, but if I can afford a car that has both the performance and flashy looks, that's what I'm going to get every time. Honestly for me, my biggest knock against the GTR is how disconnected you feel versus its competitors. I don't want a car that's easy to get in and drive fast. One of the reasons I love the 911 is the rear engine and how that makes it drive differently than any other car on the road, and the challenges and different driving dynamics it brings to the table.

I would think for the OP, since this is a weekend car that won't see a ton of use, these things are going to be important. A car that you only drive occasionally should really excite all of your senses IMHO so it really feels like a special occasion every time you drive it!

 

Opinions obviously differ, and I'll respect yours, even if I don't agree with your logic and reasoning. You're definitely a Porsche guy, and I'm a GT-R guy, so we'll leave it at that.

 

The Audi is way lower due to AudiCare which pays for maintenance through 45k. OTOH, fuel costs are significantly higher with the V10 than the turbocharged flat 6.

 

Good point, although I'd be more worried about parts and service for the Germans.

 

OP: Have you considered a new F-Type?

Disclaimer: I like the car, I think its a great choice for specific reasons. But I find this statement a little surprising. It's styling isn't classic or particularly artistic and it looks "big". If you had an Aston, Ferrari, 997/991, F-Type or Maserati, I could totally see it. My 45yr old Sicilian wife would concur.