C8 Takes on Pricey Nissan GT-R and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S in Drag Race

New C8 is capable of taking out everything in its price range, but what about more expensive competition?

Since C8 Corvettes began landing in private hands months ago, we’ve seen all sorts of people drag race them against all sorts of competition. This includes some logical comparisons, like the Mustang Shelby GT500 and even the Dodge Demon. But since the latest Corvette is also a machine capable of punching far above its price weight, it’s only fair to also see how it fares against much more expensive competition. And that’s exactly what’s happening in this video from Throttle House.

This time around, the guys behind the channel, Thomas and James, pit the C8 against both a Nissan GT-R and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S. Which, on paper, seems like a somewhat fair comparison. The latest GT-R uses a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 to produce 565 horsepower, and does 0-60 in 2.9 seconds. However, it also enjoys the superior traction of all-wheel-drive, and costs an astounding $115,000.

On the other side, we have the GT 63 S, essentially a wolf of a supercar in sheepish four-door sedan clothing. Its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces 630 horsepower, and also does 0-60 in 2.9 seconds thanks to an all-wheel-drive system. But it also costs an eye-watering $160k. Considering the fact that the Z51 C8 does 0-60 in 2.8 seconds, this seems like a very interesting drag race, at least on paper.

This time around, the paper comparison actually translates to the real world, too. The first race, from a dig, is extremely close. Regardless, the GT-R leaps out to a slight early lead over the C8 and holds onto it through the end. The 4,800 pound Mercedes, meanwhile, lags behind in third. “Everything went absolutely perfectly in this car,” Thomas, the Mercedes driver said. “Still, no matter what, I couldn’t catch up to them. I just weigh too much.”

Next up, the trio tries a roll race to see if that will change the end result. And it most certainly does, as the Mercedes goes from worst to first. The GT-R finishes second, and the Corvette comes in third. Regardless, it’s still a very, very close race. The roll mostly mitigates the C8’s advantages, but as James notes “it’s still unbelievable, even from a roll.”

“What a race,” the crew concludes. “We knew these cars would be closely matched, but it doesn’t get much closer than that. The new Corvette has shown us that clever engineering and good launch control can win races.”

When you throw in the fact that the C8 costs considerably less than the GT-R and half as much as the GT 63 S, there’s really not much of a comparison.