Think "supercars" and what pops into your mind? McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche or Pagani? Those marquee names are about to get some serious competition on top of the mount Olympus of sports cars from the unlikeliest of competitors. Think Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Chevy. Each of these "bargain brands" will unveil some of the most potent and meanest supercars around, which should immediately send the European exotics scrambling for answers.
NSX vs. LF-A
The rivalry between Toyota and Honda -- and their luxury brands Lexus and Acura, respectively -- has been steaming as of late, but with the arrival of two new high-powered racers coming from each camp for the 2010 model year that anomocity is about to boil over. Consider how similar the LF-A from Lexus will be to the NSX from Honda in raw numbers. Both will be front-engine. The Lexus will be real-wheel drive, while the Honda will be clearly rear-biased super handling all-wheel drive. Lexus promises a high-tech V-10 producing somewhere north of 500 horsepower. Honda promises a high-tech V-10 with power ranging from 500-550 horsepower. Both cars will top out with a max speed of more than 200 mph, and both will come with sophisticated six-speed transmissions. The major difference is that Honda seems to have a singular vision to create a performance-focused machine, while the Lexus supercar will do its best to hold form by delivering some really sophisticted luxury features. Expect both cars to bow in at a price point slightly on the rich side of $100,000. The automobile equivalent of the Hatfields and McCoys are about to go at it!
SS vs. GT-R
Another major battle is brewing just south of the $100,000 price range between America and Japan, the likes of which not seen since World War II. Chevy will bow the Corvette SS at some point during the 2009 model year cycle, while the spiritual successor to the legendary Skyline, the Nissan GT-R, will arrive around that same time frame. Conceptually, these two cars are very different, but if you've got $90,000 burning a hole in your back pocket then either car could make your dreams come true. Both cars will pack enough punch to make the Porsche 911 (perhaps not the Turbo, but certainly the 4S model) consider throwing in the proverbial towel. Rumors have the new Corvette producing a red hot 650 horsepower via a standard V-8 "vette" engine with a stapped on supercharger. Better yet, the SS will use more carbon-fiber body panels than the current Corvette Z06, which should produce some "unbelievable for the price" acceleration times. The new Nissan GT-R, or R36, will use Nissan's FM platform, which is shared by everything from the Infiniti G35 to the FX35 SUV. The car will have a front-mid engine chassis and will feature a sophisticated all-wheel drive system. The GT-R should pump out somewhere in the vicinity of 450 horsepower and exhibit handling characteristics in line with previous cars in its "skyline" family tree.
