Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2011 Audi R8 VS 2011 Nissan GT-R Near Phoenix, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi R8 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Nissan GT-R doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The R8 has a standard Audi Backguard System, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Audi Backguard System moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The GT-R doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Audi R8 has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The GT-R doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The R8 offers optional parking sensors to help warn drivers about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The R8 also offers an optional backup monitor to help drivers see any and all obstacles behind their vehicle. The GT-R doesn’t offer any parking assist system.

Both the R8 and the GT-R have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The R8 comes with a full 4 year/50,000 mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The GT-R’s 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty expires 1 year and 14,000 miles sooner.

The R8 comes with free roadside assistance for 4 years unlimited miles. Audi will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road. Nissan doesn’t give free roadside assistance for the GT-R.

The R8’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GT-R’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Audi pays for scheduled maintenance on the R8 for 1 year and 5000 miles. Audi will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GT-R.

The R8 5.2 FSI’s standard 5.2 DOHC V10 produces 40 more horsepower (525 vs. 485) than the GT-R’s 3.8 turbo V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the R8 5.2 FSI manual is faster than the Nissan GT-R:

The R8 has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GT-R (23.8 vs. 19.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The R8 stops shorter than the GT-R:

For better traction and acceleration, the R8 has larger standard rear tires than the GT-R (295/30R19 vs. 285/35R20). The R8’s optional rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the GT-R (305/30R19 vs. 285/35R20).

The R8’s 235/35R19 front and 295/30R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GT-R’s standard 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the R8 is 1.9 inches wider in the front than on the GT-R.

The R8 4.2 FSI handles at 1.02 G’s, while the GT-R pulls only .97 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The R8 5.2 FSI executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the GT-R (23.7 seconds @ .82 average G’s vs. 24.4 seconds @ .81 average G’s).

The Audi R8 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 100 to 200 pounds less than the Nissan GT-R.

The R8 is 8.5 inches shorter than the GT-R, making the R8 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Road & Track, the interior of the R8 4.2 FSI is quieter than the GT-R:

The R8 has .4 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more front shoulder room than the GT-R.

The R8’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The GT-R’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The R8’s standard power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The GT-R’s standard power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

The R8 offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The GT-R has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.