VOTE for Best Japanese Car

[niky]

You people really have no idea the impact that the Skyline range had in early Japanese racing, nice to see everybody keeping their left eye closed and then complaining about those with their right eye closed

See, the problem is, I'm not the typical Skyline basher. I've been defending the Skyline in the GT4 forum for months. Truth to tell, it pisses me off whenever I see a post that says Skylines are useless pieces of crap or somesuch nonsense. (Which is why it took me so long to get into the "Most Useless things in GT4" thread, because you just have to know that that's all people are going to talk about).

I love the Skyline. Like I said, I'm a Nissan fanboy.

But thinking, realistically, you must see that the Skyline's impact on the world stage is minimal, at best. Sure, everyone went green with envy over this supercar, which, near its end, outidd even the iconic Porsche 911 on the Nurburgring. But the Skyline did squat for Nissan's financial state or market presence, and reflected in almost no way on the rest of their cars.

Whereas the Miata and RX7 built a mythos (at times undeserved) around Mazda, whereas they feel the need to stress that everything they sell handles like a sportscar. In most cases, Mazdas handle well, and much better than comparable vehicles, but equating the Tribute with a sportscar? Come on... Still, the Miata has kept the torch of sporting cars alive through even the darkest times, and like I said in the previous thread, the Miata and the old BMW 3-series provide a great entry-point into motorsports for the masses.

The Scooby, likewise, has that blanket effect on Subarus. To the point where people think even a standard Subaru Forrester (non-turbo) is a credible "sportscar". It also paved the way for the Evolution to penetrate other markets.

What did the Skyline do for Nissan? Like the R390, it proved Nissan could build a terrific supercar when they wanted to... so... why didn't this filter down to the rest of the brand?

As a cultural phenomenon, the Skyline, its sporting heritage, and the GTR mythos stand in isolation from the rest of the Japanese auto-industry. That's why our votes are pitted against it. Not because we hate the car, but merely because fan-boyism can't change the fact that, aside from being a shtonkingly fast car, it wasn't all that important to the world in general.

Same reason we didn't vote for the Veyron. It's that simple. I do expect the Skyline to win or place, though.

 

[Jay]

As a cultural phenomenon, the Skyline, its sporting heritage, and the GTR mythos stand in isolation from the rest of the Japanese auto-industry. That's why our votes are pitted against it. Not because we hate the car, but merely because fan-boyism can't change the fact that, aside from being a shtonkingly fast car, it wasn't all that important to the world in general.

I agree, Like I said at the end of my previous post if I were to vote for the Japanese car that was important to the to the world in general. Now thinking about it would probably be the Honda Civic.

The car that was there when the world drove large gas guzzlers and the 'fuel crisis' came along, that made the car industry think twice about what cars to build.

If that is the way we all should be voting then we could start asking questions about why the 300ZX, Supra etc was voted for, but really I don't care what people are voting for.

 

[Pink_the_Floyd]

Supra 👍

If the Skylines take the vote, then this thread sucks

 

[1X83Z]

it would be a choice like M5power did the Accord or more probably the Toyota Corolla like Taurine voted.

Sadly no, the Accord is indeed my favorite Japanese car. I'm really that pathetic. By the way I strongly respect everything you said in your post and you've changed my views about the Skyline and voting in this thread in general, actually (as this is the first time one of my noms won't make round two I'll have to pick something else).

 

[Master_Yoda]

Yes, and outright saying that the Civic, S2000, or NSX would make us eat our words? Please...

I was talking about the people that call them ricers and ****. That IS why i pointed that out....

 

[Danny]

Come on people!

The Cuore is the way to go!

 

[G.T]

Danny - I've never heard of the friggin' thing...

 

[Master_Yoda]

Neither have But it looks fun

 

[Famine]

Come on people!

The Cuore is the way to go!

Only if you want to go there very slowly.

 

[Danny]

Only if you want to go there very slowly.

I have no arguement against this.

I'm only nominating it to be an utter git.

 

[Time_Attack]

It's funny you mention the boost problem with evo's since it brings up my first and only sighting of an FQ-400. Thing sounded awesome and had huge presence, but when it went to overtake some small car it had to pull back in because of the lack of low down torque. Made me laugh as just for a few seconds it looked like a loooooud exhaust, badly modded cheap car

I also felt odd that it had no go below boost. Its a 2 liter dohc engine you'd think it would have enough to at least get the car moving...

I've heard of those torque issues on older Evos, not sure if its the same with the current MIVEC-equipped ones, though.

I don't know either as I have not driven one of the MIVEC cars. The car I drove was a 2003 evo 8 GSR.

 

[Jay]

I don't know either as I have not driven one of the MIVEC cars. The car I drove was a 2003 evo 8 GSR.

Evo VIII's (8) are not MIVEC no, Evo IX (9) are.

I have seen off idle/off boost low rev acceleration tests between the Evo VIII and MIVEC equiped Evo IX and there was quite an improvement.

 

[Time_Attack]

Thats what I said. I drove an 8, not a 9.

How much is quite an improvement?

 

[Jay]

Thats what I said. I drove an 8, not a 9.

How much is quite an improvement?

Ah yeah, read your post wrong.

Well it was better, pulled away from the Evo VIII fairly easy from just off idle but nothing amazing (From memory a car length ahead or so), I'll try to find the video later when I have more time.

 

[Poverty]

Can I transfer my vote from the evo to the supra?

 

[benzoboy]

I would have voted for the Mitsubishi Eclipse if it was up there, but it wasn't so I voted for the 300ZX

 

[Famine]

Can I transfer my vote from the evo to the supra?

It takes too many clicks. Give me a good enough reason and I'll think about it.

 

[YSSMAN]

@ VIPERGTSR01: I probably should clarify my statement, and say that I was argueing with the kids over the GTR, not the regular Skyline, as to being the "best car in the world." Mind you, these are simple-minded know-nothings who get all of their car information from Sport Compact Car and belive only what happens in Gran Turismo 3 or 4. I can't help that their parents dropped them on their heads several times as children, nor the fact they have been held back many times in elementary school... Thats just the way God works things out.

I don't absolutely hate the GTR, I just think it gets way too much credit for not doing a whole lot (in particular in the US), and has way too much of a mis-guided fanbase that really knows little of the car and it's performance.

And if you like it, thats awesome. I'm a Corvette and Camaro guy, so I get plenty of flack from the import kids, so I know how it feels to have your car picked on constantly... Especially when it comes from the Skyline and Supra kids...

 

[Jay]

By the way I strongly respect everything you said in your post and you've changed my views about the Skyline and voting in this thread in general, actually (as this is the first time one of my noms won't make round two I'll have to pick something else).

Thanks a lot Doug.

And if you like it, thats awesome. I'm a Corvette and Camaro guy, so I get plenty of flack from the import kids, so I know how it feels to have your car picked on constantly... Especially when it comes from the Skyline and Supra kids...

Thats fine, thank you for clarifying.

Over here (Australia) we don't seem to have such rivalry between 'imports' and 'domestics', there is rivalry (naturally) but overall we all get along quite well. Many Import clubs have friends joining in with V8 Commodores for example and vice versa, its all fun. Judging by all the heated rivalry on Streetfire (I can't stand the awful biased comments on both sides of the argument) it seems it can get pretty bad in the US?


Saying that I will admit back in my young driving years (15-18) I was part of the problem ragging on anything that wasn't V8. Now I enjoy it all.

 

[ROAD_DOGG33J]

Can I transfer my vote from the evo to the supra?

Transfer it to the Subaru Impreza, we need 3 more votes now.

 

[IMADreamer]

Thanks a lot Doug.



Thats fine, thank you for clarifying.

Over here (Australia) we don't seem to have such rivalry between 'imports' and 'domestics', there is rivalry (naturally) but overall we all get along quite well. Many Import clubs have friends joining in with V8 Commodores for example and vice versa, its all fun. Judging by all the heated rivalry on Streetfire (I can't stand the awful biased comments on both sides of the argument) it seems it can get pretty bad in the US?


Saying that I will admit back in my young driving years (15-18) I was part of the problem ragging on anything that wasn't V8. Now I enjoy it all.

The rivalry in the US is insane. There are actually very few people on either side who respects the other and that's really sad because both imports and domestics have a lot to offer. Then of course there are people like me who bought a domestic sport compact and I get accepted by no one. lol I am the bastard child of the domestics and too domestic for the imports.

I think the real problem in America is that everyone wants to be a car guy but most are too stupid to educate themselves outside of what car they actually have. So they bash on everything not their own.

 

[Flame-returns]

MX-5, it reinvented the convertable and made it affordable.

 

[RICHARDO]

Ok, what I meant about the Skyline (most notably the GT-R) being "historically significant" was kinda false. (atleast outside of Japan)

I know it wasn't as well-known as say, a Ford Mustang or Mini Cooper, but it was the car to beat in the racing series' that it was entered in. I guess it wasn't internationally known, but it was certainly legendary in Japan.

And the RX-7 is historically significant in a way, it was used as the first car to show how reliable the Wankel Rotary engine could be (Which was kind of tarnished by the FD RX-7 of the early 90's to 2002, atleast the early versions.)

 

[Danny]

The Daihatsu Cuore is a sporty yet frugal supermini (or Kei, whatever) which has a long list of famous owners, including Pierce Brosnan, John Lennon, Inspector Gadget and allegedly Jesus.

A vote for the Cuore is a vote for a better tomorrow!

 

[KSaiyu]

MX-5, it reinvented the convertable and made it affordable.

If only the Elan was cheaper, then it might have got more than two votes

Also surprised (well not really) to see the Skyline beating the Impreza by so much - I would have thought the Scooby did more as a Japanese car.

omigawd the poor 2000GT is getting beat by an RX-7....

 

[YSSMAN]

Quite frankly, I'm surprised by the lack of Scooby votes as well. Given how quickly the car took off in the US and how well it sells in Europe and Asia, you would think more of it, no?

...The final voting round might get a bit bitter, we will see what happens...

 

[KSaiyu]

DEFINETLY from a UK perspective, the thing created "hot Japanese motor" before Gran Turismo was made.

 

[Time_Attack]

To many kids that don't know what makes a real car must have voted. If you hadnt placed so many cars on the list parhaps it could be a closer race...

 

[KSaiyu]

ahhhh to be fair, it was to be expected from the Japanese thread. YSSMAN couldn't just change the rules and drop some nominated cars.

 

[Master_Yoda]

Can a mod actually put my vote in all of them?