WHEN WE WERE KINGS
MOTOR Magazine Australia|March 2022
THE NISSAN R35 GT-R AND THE AUDI R8 SCORED THE ONLY DEAD HEAT IN MOTOR’S PCOTY HISTORY. NOW THEY’RE BOWING OUT OF THE AUSSIE MARKET TOGETHER
ANDY ENRIGHT
WHEN WE WERE KINGS
IN THE END, they couldn't be separated. Three judges plumped for the Nissan GT-R and three cast their votes for the Audi R8 V10. That was MOTOR's Performance Car of the Year 2009, the first and only occasion that two cars tied for the PCOTY crown. While we might well question the wisdom of an even number of judges, even prior to that event, the Nissan GT-R and the Audi R8 had always been inextricably wedded. Now, as they disappear from sale in Australia, we couldn't miss the opportunity to take these two performance icons for one final sortie into the high country in order to put an end stop on our own history with them and attempt to place their respective legacies into some sort of context.

I had an unxpectedly early acquaintance with the GT-R. Back in May 2005, somewhere near the Nürburgring, ex-Wheels editor Bill Thomas and I were looking for a place to clean a Nissan 350Z when we chanced upon a country servo with a functioning jetwash. That's not always easy to find in Rheinland-Pfalz on a Sunday morning due to local noise regulations, so we were a little annoyed to be shooed away by a horde of Nissan employees clearly anxious to hide what was inside the cleaning bay. A glimpse of the headlight unit confirmed that the silver and black mule inside was the new GT-R, months prior to its appearance in Proto Concept guise at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. It was like finding a unicorn.

This story is from the March 2022 edition of MOTOR Magazine Australia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2022 edition of MOTOR Magazine Australia.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MOTOR MAGAZINE AUSTRALIAView All
Ged Bulmer
MOTOR Magazine Australia

Ged Bulmer

THE ACCOMPANYING YARN WAS A RIB TICKLER, BUT THE SUITS AT PORSCHE DIDN'T SEE IT THAT WAY

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2022
Dylan Campbell
MOTOR Magazine Australia

Dylan Campbell

WE WERE LIVING THE DREAM. WE ALL WANTED TO WORK FOR MOTOR AS TEENAGERS

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2022
HONDA NSX
MOTOR Magazine Australia

HONDA NSX

Honda's alloy missile - a friendly firecracker

time-read
8 mins  |
July 2022
TESLA MODEL S
MOTOR Magazine Australia

TESLA MODEL S

Looking back on the automobile's iPhone moment | TESLA AIMS TO ELEVATE THE ELECTRIC CAR FROM INTRIGUING CURIOUSITY TO A VIABLE MEANS OF EVERYDAY TRANSPORT

time-read
5 mins  |
July 2022
PORSCHE 959
MOTOR Magazine Australia

PORSCHE 959

Weissach rethinks the supercar

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2022
PCOTY LEGENDS - 1996-2022
MOTOR Magazine Australia

PCOTY LEGENDS - 1996-2022

HOW THE ANNUAL QUEST FOR AUSTRALIA'S BEST PERFORMANCE CARS HAS DELIVERED A ROLL CALL OF EXCELLENCE

time-read
10+ mins  |
July 2022
THE UNDEFEATED
MOTOR Magazine Australia

THE UNDEFEATED

HONDA'S FK8 CIVIC TYPE R IS OUR LINEAL CHAMP, WINNING EVERY MOTOR COMPARISON AS WELL AS BOTH PERFORMANCE CAR OF THE YEAR AND BANG FOR YOUR BUCKS. WE PAY OUR RESPECTS WITH A FINAL DRIVE IN THE END-OF-THE-LINE LE SPECIAL

time-read
6 mins  |
July 2022
THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE
MOTOR Magazine Australia

THESE ARE OUR PEOPLE

IN A CULTURE OVERFLOWING WITH POSERS AND TRY-HARDS, WE FIND A HAVEN FOR THOSE THAT LOVE DRIVING ABOVE ALL ELSE

time-read
8 mins  |
June 2022
OPEN WIDE, SAY R
MOTOR Magazine Australia

OPEN WIDE, SAY R

VOLKSWAGEN'S GOLF R LANDS IN AUSTRALIA AND IT ALREADY HAS THE SWAGGER OF A GIANTKILLER ABOUT IT. WE LINE UP SOME ASYMMETRIC ALTERNATIVES TO SEE IF THE GOLF HAS THEIR RESPECTIVE TALENTS COVERED

time-read
10+ mins  |
June 2022
SING FOR YOUR DINNER
MOTOR Magazine Australia

SING FOR YOUR DINNER

As the motoring world undergoes seismic shifts in focus, Rob Dickinson's vision for Singer remains clear

time-read
3 mins  |
June 2022