JAPAN. NO OTHER NATION EXPRESSES ITS PASSION for engineering through such esoteric cars or pursues its individual ideas of perfection with such fanatical dedication. With the values of Japanese modern classics now rising to meet those of European counterparts, these once-obscure cult icons are finally getting the wider attention they deserve.
So what better way to celebrate than by bringing together three of the greatest Japanese performance cars of the last 25 years? Not for a fleeting afternoon, but for several days on some of our favourite roads. Ample time to dig deep into their characters, explore their capabilities and remind ourselves what makes each of them so special.
You know you're dealing with an elite level of car when two commend themselves for inclusion without the need for debate. I'm talking about the Lexus LFA and Subaru Impreza 22B STI. One a bona fide exotic, the other true rallying royalty, each occupies a unique place in the pantheon of Japanese modern classics and is held in the highest possible esteem by this magazine.
Somewhere in between those contrasting extremes sits Nissan's formidable and inimitable GT-R. The legend formerly known as Skyline, the GT-R is another shoo-in for our test, but with four generations from which to choose (I know there are more, but this is a modern icons test) the selection process wasn't so straightforward.
In the end we skip the older, RB26DETT-powered R32, 33 and 34 and instead opt for the 2020 R35 GT-R Nismo. Partly because this was the final Nismo version to be officially imported to the UK, but mostly because it was also the last iteration to introduce extensive chassis, powertrain, aerodynamic and lightweighting upgrades. As such it is the apogee of Nissan's determined, obsessive and relentless evolution of a truly extraordinary car.
Bu hikaye Evo UK dergisinin November 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
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Bu hikaye Evo UK dergisinin November 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
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A liberal sprinkling of Honda Type R fairy dust on the late-'90s Accord produced an unlikely evo icon and a genuine performance bargain
TOY STORY
Where best to store some of Toyota’s most prized and valuable racing superstars? Under the wind tunnel at its Cologne HO, of course...
POWER PLAY
It develops 819bhp. It has no turbochargers, no hybrid assistance. Ferrari describes it as the most complete GT it's ever made. And it’s so proud of its mighty V12 engine it’s named the whole car after it. This is the 12 Cilindri
THE FIRST SAMURAIS
Japan has been responsible for many of our favourite driver's cars of recent decades, but their ancestors are often much less well known. We take a look at where the big manufacturers began their performance car journeys
DEFINITELY. NO MAYBE
Three Japanese performance icons - Lexus LFA, Subaru Impreza 22B and Nissan GT-R. Over three days on some of our favourite roads we explore what makes each uniquely thrilling, but also the car culture that unites them
1V3.0
F1, P1... and now W1. The next chapter in McLaren's Ultimate Series is the British firm's challenger to the forthcoming new Ferrari hypercar and a £2million, 1257bhp, hybrid-powered, technical tour de force
Thornley Kelham European RS
One man’s dream to build the perfect Porsche 911 has resulted inthis aaticMously restored and enhanced classic. We delve into the details and take it for a drive
Bentley Continental GT Speed
The new Continental GT is the most powerful Bentley ever, and the beginning of anew plug-in hybrid era for Crewe. But is it still a benchmark grand tourer?
