Lewis Shaw
The perception surrounding Porsche and their infamous 911 has all changed over the years, from its unforgiving early days to its most recent reputation as a ‘tour de force’ in its respective class.
However, with all of the new rivals hot on its heals such as the 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray, Audi R8 V10 Plus and Nissan GT-R, is it still the first choice sports car? Can it compete with other great models that are further down the £90,000 price spectrum?
Matt Farah’s recent ‘Drive Review’ of the Porsche 911 Carrera S says it all. He had the privilege of testing the luxury model recently, when he drove the very yellow Porsche around the famous Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, in California. Boy, he had been missing out, as this car blew him away.
Watch the Matt Farah high praise review below:
The 911 demonstrated amazing grip, steering feel and agility, and the acceleration was staggering. The exquisitely built 400 horsepower engine can do 0-60 in under three seconds. As Matt said, “you’re paying for the precision that you really don’t get anywhere else”.
As for the build quality, Matt hits the nail on the head, “it’s nicer than a three hundred thousand dollar supercar” both in the exterior build and a touch of class from the inside. Now that is exceptional praise indeed.
The Porsche is the ultimate dream. As Matt Farah claimed, “In the next two years I’m going to find a way to buy a Porsche because when you buy one everything else seems a bit sh**y”. If you’re lucky enough for that dream to become a reality, then you will require specialised insurance, to cover your pride and joy. That’s where Express Insurance comes in handy – it will take care of all of your sportscar coverage needs.
But, what about it’s rivals? We look at three sports cars to see if they can give the Porsche a run for its money: the 2014 Corvette C7 Stingray, Audi R8 V10 Plus and the Nissan GT-R.
2014 Corvette C7 Stingray
Price is a big standout for the Corvette. In fact, the recent ‘Chris Harris On Cars’ review put it in the same league as the Porsche 911, to prove money is not always the best indicator of what a car can do. The Corvette costs around £40,000, a big contrast to the 911 Carrera S’s hefty starting price of approximately £90,000, with an additional £40,000 worth of options! Yes, the options package costs the same as the Corvette. Crazy!
Performance wise, the C7 is exceptional and the only real let down is the “slow and cubersome automatic gearbox”, which means it lacks the overall incisiveness of a Porsche.
>> Chris Harris Thinks The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Is “Fucking Brilliant Fun” (VIDEO)
Audi R8 V10 Plus
Audi’s R8 has evolved and improved with the recent V10 plus, giving it the power to rival the Porsche. With its dynamic dual-clutch gearbox and revised styling, it’s the best it has ever been. The V10 plus has a great engine and is packed with character.
What it lacks is the Porsche’s razor-sharp edge, but it’s definitely a desirable sports car that will be at the top of anyone’s list.
>> A Closer Look At The Audi R8 V10 Exterior and Interior From The Detroit Auto Show
The Nissan GT-R
This model really is a technological marvel and its performance will give some of the world’s fastest supercars a run for their money. It comes with an impressive 543bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6, giving it unmeasurable performance. On the looks front it sadly can’t compete with the Porsche – the exterior is clunky with lots of square lines and the bland looking interior leaves a lot to be desired.
>> The Nissan GT-R Radzilla is an LED Monster! (VIDEO)
All of these sports cars are clearly impressive, but the Porsche really does win the race as the ultimate exciting ride.
