# My Take/Rant on Jeremy Clarkson's latest GT-R Review.



## KingOfTheGT-R (May 21, 2011)

I'll start by posting a link to the thread that contain's the review.
http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/153248-jeremy-clarkson-likes-new-gtr.html
Props to AndyE14 for pasting the review in which he paid £1 to read.:thumbsup:

Ok where to start.....

I am a GT-R R35 owner and have always been a huge fan of Nissan who i feel are of the better car manufacturer's around today.

In Jeremy Clarkson's latest review he had some nice words to say about the GT-R... he praised it's speed and power also it's acceleration and handling.... Hmmm well no offence but he couldn't have said it didn't have any of them things could he? I mean a 17 year old school girl could tell you it's speed and power is sickening. So i don't care if he pointed out the obvious, but that's not what annoyed me about the review.

It was the way he described the look of the car and the inteior:chairshot
I'll start with the look... here are some of the quote's


> Does it look good? No.





> Will it turn heads? No.





> No style. Just engineering.





> There are, however, some problems. First of all, it is extremely ugly.





> Yes, it***8217;s an ugly son of a bitch


Right ok... this pisses me off, how in god's name can you call this car ugly? photo's do this car no justice, when you see it in the flesh it is nothing short of *GORGEOUS!!!* the shape and curves it is so beautifully yet masculinally demanding. It demands respect on the road and claims itself as king... the manliest car money can buy!

And his take on the interior? again with the quote's....


> Inside, it***8217;s worse. I can see what Nissan has tried to do. Keep it simple. But the slab of carbon fibre on the centre console is embarrassing, and the central command unit, which shows you the state of all the components and how many g you generated in the last bend? No. It***8217;s all a bit too fast and furious for my taste. A bit too Jason Statham.


Hmmmm...... ok. The inside of a GT-R look's and feels like a NASA rocket ship! just waiting to propel at 0-60 in 3.2 and blast past all the small dick business men in there 911's and Bentley's. The seat's are comfortable and have a race feel and that slab of carbon fibre on the centre console? And what has Jason Statham gotta do with the GT-R?

I like many other's do like JC and respect his opinion but when a man comes on public television and says that Alfa Romeo made the best looking cars and a GT-R R35 is "dog ugly" i start to lose respect.

ALL HAIL THE R35!!!:bowdown1:





























































































































:chuckle: ................. uke:


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## MidLifeCrisis (Apr 29, 2011)

I like JC a lot most of the time, being a similar age we do agree on a _lot_ of things. But when it comes to the R35 GT-R, I feel he does rather miss the point entirely.

The car is extremely beautiful and also menacing at the same time. Sure, there's more _beautiful_ cars, but they are slower and the styling is compromised by the desire for looks over all else. If the shape of a garden shed was aerodynamic perfection, the R35 would look like a garden shed, and rightly so.

Interior? Almost anyone can get _very_ comfortable indeed in the GT-R. Try it in some _super cars_, pedals offset from the seat, seat looks like a 1960's design icon, but you can't actually sit in it for more than 30 minutes. Large car outside, but zero interior space, cough DB9 cough.

No, sorry JC, occasionally you do miss the point _entirely_ :runaway:

ALL HAIL THE R35. The completely focused super car you CAN drive to work every day, then annihilate almost anything else on 4 wheels, for _relatively_ tiny money. Thank you Nissan.


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## sidepipe (Jan 27, 2010)

Chill out people . As someone already said in another thread - beauty, eye, beholder 

There are many many people who agree with JC on the looks... Even Nissan call it "beautiful in a masculine way!" Got to say that I really don't like to look at blokes myself.

I happen to be one of those who really likes the look of the machine, but had I have wanted a car for how it looks I'd have probably bought an Aston! I also like the interior and think that it has the best seats and driving position of anything I've driven but that doesn't mean it will appeal to the pipe and slippers brigade. I howl with laughter every time I see a Saxo with a built in picnic table but the owner must like it


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I agree with the above.

It's not dog ugly but it's no oil painting. It looks aggressive and purposeful, but there's no getting away from the fact that it was designed with function rather than form in mind.

This makes it very individual.

Certain design aspects are great such as the crease in the c-pillar, but the front is a little lacking in the style department.

Yes I find porsches boring, and prefer to own the GTR, but it's madness to think it will visually appeal to the masses in the same way that an aston, or an alfa romeo does.

Bear in mind that JC reports to the masses, it's why he's paid what he is. I'd be more concerned that he slated the non enhanced gtr for being boring. Does he criticise in the 2011 in the same way? Fair enough if he did.


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## steve_gts4 (Nov 30, 2009)

jeremy clarkson is a troll.. controversy sells papers... nothing new to see here.. move along.


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## alloy (Apr 29, 2005)

Opinions-like arseholes, everyone has got one!

Get over it and just enjoy your own motoring as opposed to being concerned about someone elses opinion of it.....


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## sidepipe (Jan 27, 2010)

alloy said:


> Opinions-like arseholes, everyone has got one!
> 
> Get over it and just enjoy your own motoring as opposed to being concerned about someone elses opinion of it.....


Well said. Interesting that the forum accepts "arseholes" but not "f-o-o-k" though


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## alloy (Apr 29, 2005)

sidepipe said:


> Well said. Interesting that the forum accepts "arseholes" ......


Yeh Mook has been on here for some time i believe.......:runaway:


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## Chubby (Mar 13, 2008)

I believe someone said 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' if everyone thought the same, the world would be a very dull place..

However, JC and I as well share the same age and once I had the same name, however his idea of a good car is one that looses traction on corners and give off a lot of smoke from the rear tyres whilst going sideways.... better know as 'Drifting' which as far as I concerned is the slowest, most stupid way of ever driving a car....

The GT-R is a benchmark, and his comments from the first time he saw the car to now has changed 100%... the car is built for a purpose and it does that very very well...

I don't think the space shuttle was good looking but it did what they wanted it to do..

Clarkson needs to remember what he has said in previous episodes as he can get caught out..

My favourite is his attack on the Porsche Boxster, which he claims is a poor man's 911 - however in another breath he says that you should never buy a convertible which started life as a coupe......

Well in that case if you want a Porsche convertible by JC's standards you can only have one car, the Boxster and as we all know it is a proper mid engine car, with two boots (one at the front as well as the rear)...

Explain that one Jeremy....

Rich.


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## Radical1 (Feb 8, 2011)

He is only talking about the 2011, don't remember him calling the 2009 ugly when it almost snapped his neck on Top Gear, haha !!! In all seriousness, I actually prefer the wheels on the 2009/10's and I am not sure the massive grille on the 2011 does it any favours. 
Just my opinion of course (I do prefer the seats in the 2011 though so all you 2011 drivers, you can have that one!!)
Lastly, their "cool wall" proves they really have got some weird taste on what is cool and not cool (unfortunately my wife is very much in the JC camp when it comes to GTR's, she HATES it, which is great cos she never wants to drive it......the perfect "man's" car then !!)


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## Steveline (Oct 6, 2010)

Have you guys actually seen the front though!!!!....

Now, if they could make it look half as beautiful as the new gen Alfa's, i'd probably not have spent 50+ on a 34!!! lol 

The grill and bumper are just all wrong!


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## Chubby (Mar 13, 2008)

If you could make a Alfa drive half as well as a GT-R I'd buy one...

But come on the Alfa's may look good but the drive and reliability is shite!!!!

I can't see the GT-R when I'm driving, I just drive...

Rich.


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## Steveline (Oct 6, 2010)

Chubby said:


> If you could make a Alfa drive half as well as a GT-R I'd buy one...
> 
> But come on the Alfa's may look good but the drive and reliability is shite!!!!
> 
> ...


thats my point, we have to compromise, but why cant we have both?! i cant think of a single brand new car that i like from every angle, looks, performance, etc.etc...


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## Cris (Sep 17, 2007)

Hmmm so somebody in a newspaper article said something you disagree with.

And that person is known for making over the top provocative statements.

Back in the real world he does have a point in his usual fashion. Whilst the R35 has the performance to match cars like 458s, and R8s etc it certainly doesn't look as good (not to the masses anyway).

Now given we're on the GTR Register Forum that might suggest that people here will have a somewhat biased view. Likewise people are generally interested in the R35 for what it does rather than how it looks.

For example I think that the 205 T16 is stunning and could spend a dog's age looking at one. To the average person it's an old French car with a bodykit on it. However I also think that 288GTOs are equally gorgeous and I think that the man on the street would also like the GTO. Now both are excellent cars but only one is a looker to the masses. I think that the same is true of GTRs.


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## Chubby (Mar 13, 2008)

I never bought the GT-R for it's looks, although I do not think it's ugly, I bought it for what it can and would be able to achieve...

However, I agree with many points on Clarkson bias views, but its a car not a girlfriend....

You wouldn't hear a guy saying 'I know she looks a minger, but she's fantastic in bed' now would you....

Or perhaps you would.... lol

R.


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## Chubby (Mar 13, 2008)

I have a 911 GT3 gen 2, in red - I think it's a work of art, my friend thinks it's ugly... opinions always vary...

R.


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## fourtoes (Feb 27, 2003)

It's like the somewhat 'interesting' looking child, that only it's mother could truly love and think was beautiful to me.
But as said so many times each to there own!  That's what makes this world a far more interesting a colourful place to be!

Bob


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## Chubby (Mar 13, 2008)

fourtoes said:


> It's like the somewhat 'interesting' looking child, that only it's mother could truly love and think was beautiful to me.
> But as said so many times each to there own!  That's what makes this world a far more interesting a colourful place to be!
> 
> Bob


LOL


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## ROG350Z (Jun 15, 2008)

sidepipe said:


> Chill out people . As someone already said in another thread - beauty, eye, beholder


That would be me and I thank you ;-)


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## TAZZMAXX (Mar 9, 2010)

Radical1 said:


> He is only talking about the 2011, don't remember him calling the 2009 ugly when it almost snapped his neck on Top Gear, haha !!!


No, but he did call it a "discordant mess" or something like that, so not over complimentary. He's a Merc fanboi anyway so why take any notice of him?


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## GTRSTAR (Nov 26, 2009)

Top Gear is unquestionably unorthodox and JC arguably politically incorrect. For that, I love to watch the program. :bowdown1: opcorn:

So I have just one question;

Since when did everyone start taking Jeremy Clarksons opinion on cars seriously?

He frequently steps over the line, like with the Mexican comments and what he says about having to have owned an alfa before you're a true petrol head  :blahblah: 

Someone could have invested their entire livelihood in to building that car and he condemned it before he had even driven it! Flippant Idiot :chairshot

As for the Alfa thing I just don't get it, yes they're stunning looking cars but that's the last reason I buy a car so how does that not make me a petrol head? From what I've read they're not even drivers cars...

JC is entertaining to watch, no doubt about it, but his opinion counts for shit, unles you're one of his many minions like the lot in the front row of the TG audience


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## MidLifeCrisis (Apr 29, 2011)

sidepipe said:


> Chill out people . As someone already said in another thread - beauty, eye, beholder
> 
> There are many many people who agree with JC on the looks... Even Nissan call it "beautiful in a masculine way!" Got to say that I really don't like to look at blokes myself.
> 
> I happen to be one of those who really likes the look of the machine, but had I have wanted a car for how it looks I'd have probably bought an Aston! I also like the interior and think that it has the best seats and driving position of anything I've driven but that doesn't mean it will appeal to the pipe and slippers brigade. I howl with laughter every time I see a Saxo with a built in picnic table but the owner must like it


I am super chilled out  Just wish that once in a while JC would really get the point of some cars. That said, I'd be just as bad, if not worse. If I reviewed a 911 I'd probably be sued


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## sidepipe (Jan 27, 2010)

MidLifeCrisis said:


> I am super chilled out  Just wish that once in a while JC would really get the point of some cars. That said, I'd be just as bad, if not worse. If I reviewed a 911 I'd probably be sued


Oh, I think in the GTRs case he _does_ get the point - he does mention the fact that it will eat most cars for breakfast. After all, the point of the GTR really isn't to "look good" ( which is a good thing IMHO. ) I'd personally never buy a B&O product for example :flame:


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## Marky_GTSt (Dec 31, 2005)

GTRSTAR said:


> JC is entertaining to watch, no doubt about it, but his opinion counts for shit


I couldnt agree more... The sooner everyone realises that the better.


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## Adamantium (Jun 24, 2002)

I don't think it does count for shit.

He's driven more cars than all of us I am sure, and he is paid to give his opinion on them. he's been doing it a long time too.

Sure he's realised it helps to be contraversial, but I'm sure that just means he takes his opinions to extremes to either make them funny or make sure they are noticed.

I am absolutely certain than when not writing a review or appearing on tv he'd have a lot of value to contribute to any car conversation because he knows his stuff from experience rather than dreams and conjecture.

Plus I am also sure that most people do think it is ugly but very fast and would rather have a 911 or an R8 because looks and badge snobbery are more important to most of his audience than performance.


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## mickv (May 27, 2009)

JC thrives on being controversial - that's what's made him so successful (well that and his abilty to write well). Do I care if he calls the GTR ugly? Not really - aesthetics is a subjective matter after all. I actually half agree with him - I love the look of most of the GTR, especially front and rear wings, rear pillars and back end. But the front doesn't quite do it for me. However, who buys a car like this for the looks? If you want looks you buy a Vantage or possibly an R8 (but not that new overpriced GT version with that utterly shite looking rear wing). You buy a GTR for function above all else surely? So I'd expect most owners to have loved reading that article because one thing it does conclusively is confirm the cars beast status.:thumbsup:


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## David.Yu (Jun 28, 2001)

Adamantium said:


> I don't think it does count for shit.
> 
> He's driven more cars than all of us I am sure, and he is paid to give his opinion on them. he's been doing it a long time too.
> 
> ...


+1. He is actually a very intelligent, opinionated car nut. He possesses a virtually unique skill, to make car reviews that are more often than not, spot on, but also entertaining.

Is too much weight given to his opinion? Probably, but that's hardly his fault!
I for one, am glad he makes a programme that pulls in massive worldwide audiences and keeps them at least vaguely interested in interesting cars.


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## Marky_GTSt (Dec 31, 2005)

Adamantium said:


> he'd have a lot of value to contribute to any car conversation


I cant really agree with that, All he does is give his own personal opinion on how cars look and drive, nothing more... As a rough guide that might be useful but the best thing to do when buying a car is to drive it and form your own opinion.

If the conversation goes beyond stating personal opinion of looks and drive then he would be totally out of his depth, He even admits himself that he knows pratically nothing about how a car works, he only knows what he likes. 

We all have an opinion on any cars looks or drive, none is any more valid than any other. Thats the whole point of personal opinions, its molded by your own personality and we each have a unique one of those.


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## Turbotwo (Jan 28, 2011)

sidepipe said:


> Oh, I think in the GTRs case he _does_ get the point - :


Couldn`t agree more,i think he really gets it to,to quite a surprising extent.Knowing just how scathing and critical he can be he posotively bloody loved it.


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## MidLifeCrisis (Apr 29, 2011)

David.Yu said:


> +1. He is actually a very intelligent, opinionated car nut. He possesses a virtually unique skill, to make car reviews that are more often than not, spot on, but also entertaining.
> 
> Is too much weight given to his opinion? Probably, but that's hardly his fault!
> I for one, am glad he makes a programme that pulls in massive worldwide audiences and keeps them at least vaguely interested in interesting cars.


That I agree with completely. Whatever JC says, Top Gear kind of keeps the _silly_ cars alive in a way. And he does make me laugh out loud frequently


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## David.Yu (Jun 28, 2001)

Marky_GTSt said:


> I cant really agree with that, All he does is give his own personal opinion on how cars look and drive, nothing more... As a rough guide that might be useful but the best thing to do when buying a car is to drive it and form your own opinion.
> 
> If the conversation goes beyond stating personal opinion of looks and drive then he would be totally out of his depth, He even admits himself that he knows pratically nothing about how a car works, he only knows what he likes.
> 
> We all have an opinion on any cars looks or drive, none is any more valid than any other. Thats the whole point of personal opinions, its molded by your own personality and we each have a unique one of those.


You may as well say that about any journalist/film reviewer whatever.
The point is, most people do not have the time or access to drive every car they are vaguely interested in (and by the way, who said anything about buying a car?)

Oh and don't fall for his "I don't know anything about how cars work" facade. He only says that so that people don't endlessly bore him about questions about which type of limited slip diff he prefers. You don't work for 20+ years in a profession without knowing about it!


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## Marky_GTSt (Dec 31, 2005)

David.Yu said:


> You may as well say that about any journalist/film reviewer whatever.


Correct. The very best thing to do is have a go yourself. I personally would never limit my choices or alter what I want to watch/wear/eat/drive based on anyone elses opinion, regardless of what they do for a day job. 

I will add though, That I know people who have spent years and years in the car trade and really dont know anything beyond which cars will sell or which ones are fast etc, You dont need to know a high level of technical knowledge to do that job, nor do you need one to be a journalist.

If you wish to read articles by Journalists who do have technical insight then its best to read Car Mechanics magazine, But you will find their articles somewhat less entertaining and a lot less controversial.

I agree with you that his whole claim of knowing nothing may be a facade, but then again he may go out of his way to avoid knowing in order to do what he does in the style he does it.


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## sidepipe (Jan 27, 2010)

Well, I'm going to annoy 50% of people on this board by saying that I think JC is a top bloke - he's one of very few people who are very good at what they do.... after all, he's managed to generate two three page threads ( and counting? ) on here and that's for a car that he _likes_ :runaway:

He's on the very short list of celebrities that I'd like to meet - not in a "wow I've met JC" kind of way, but in the pub over a few beers.


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## Marky_GTSt (Dec 31, 2005)

Well, I never said I dont like him, I do in fact find him funny (more so in other shows than top gear) and I do sometimes agree with his opinions, But not always. You will never agree 100% with anyone.

Like you Sidepipe, I suspect I would get on rather well with him if I met him in real life, But that doesnt mean I have to hang on his every word as gospel


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## Dr Evilest (Jun 29, 2011)

New member here, thinking long & hard about the GTR plunge. Obviously the performance is a huge attraction but I have to say the looks are nearly as important to me.

There's something really special about the GTR & I'd take one over any of the current German offerings, R8 included. I admit most Ferraris & Astons take some beating in the looks department but life would be boring if everyone drove round in sleek, low slung exotica.
I'm obviously more of a big exhaust man myself.

BTW, anyone else seen Clarkson's wife?:nervous:


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## DanR35 (Apr 19, 2011)

I know I'll write a review of a car that no-one will be offended by or disagree with....

"I mean, how hard can it be..." (to quote JC) :thumbsup:

:flame: suit on


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## sidepipe (Jan 27, 2010)

DanR35 said:


> I know I'll write a review of a car that no-one will be offended by or disagree with....
> 
> "I mean, how hard can it be..." (to quote JC) :thumbsup:
> 
> :flame: suit on


Here you go then: "The Nissan R35 GTR has 4 wheels and two doors. Well, unless it's had an accident, in which case either of those statements might not be true. Actually, it could be in the garage having something done to its wheels.... at which point it might not have 4, at least not attached. I suppose it could be having something done to the doors, in which case it wouldn't necessarily have two of them either. Some people might class the boot as a door, but by the general definition of a door it probably isn't - unless of course you climb in to the boot and shut the lid, which then becomes a door, but not in the traditional sense...." :blahblah:


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## enshiu (Aug 20, 2010)

sidepipe said:


> Here you go then: "The Nissan R35 GTR has 4 wheels and two doors. Well, unless it's had an accident, in which case either of those statements might not be true. Actually, it could be in the garage having something done to its wheels.... at which point it might not have 4, at least not attached. I suppose it could be having something done to the doors, in which case it wouldn't necessarily have two of them either. Some people might class the boot as a door, but by the general definition of a door it probably isn't - unless of course you climb in to the boot and shut the lid, which then becomes a door, but not in the traditional sense...." :blahblah:


lol! nice one +1,000,000 :runaway::clap::chairshot:thumbsup: :runaway: :chairshot


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## anilj (Jan 30, 2010)

The article was a blinding piece of GT-R promotion, how much would Audi, Merc and BMW love to have two pages written about the car, as opposed to having 2/3rds about lunch, mates, parties and then a small caption on the car.....

Any publicity is good publicity and the public do hang on JC opinions to purchase so his write up should be framed to remind all on the merits of what Nissan achieved....:clap:


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## de wonderful (Apr 28, 2011)

LOL - it's no e-type that is for sure, but neither were the Skyline GTR's.


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## de wonderful (Apr 28, 2011)

David.Yu said:


> You may as well say that about any journalist/film reviewer whatever.
> The point is, most people do not have the time or access to drive every car they are vaguely interested in (and by the way, who said anything about buying a car?)
> 
> Oh and don't fall for his "I don't know anything about how cars work" facade. He only says that so that people don't endlessly bore him about questions about which type of limited slip diff he prefers. You don't work for 20+ years in a profession without knowing about it!


He doesn't (or didn't) understand what turbo lag is based on him talking about the Evo FQ400 and Ferrari F40.


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