The Only Two Japanese Cars That Can Outrun A 2025 Corvette C8

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Wednesday, 2 Sep 2026 11:00 0 4 autotech

The Only Two Japanese Cars That Can Outrun A 2025 Corvette C8

The mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8 remains one of the most disruptive performance bargains on the planet. When it arrived, it didn’t just raise the bar for American sports cars — it obliterated it. The base C8 Stingray proved so capable that it rendered direct comparisons to the outgoing C7 almost meaningless, matching the acceleration and top speed of far more expensive machinery despite a significant horsepower gap. Yet for all its brilliance, a pair of Japanese rivals have managed to outpace it straight from the factory. Read on to find out which two Japanese cars can take on the C8 with ease.

The Acura NSX Is A Tough Match For The Corvette

3/4 front view of a yellow 2022 Acura NSX

Acura (Honda’s luxury arm) was one of the brands that started the trend of reviving legendary classic car nameplates and modernizing them for the current market. In 2016, it released its modern take on the legendary NSX, which gained notoriety in the ’90s as Honda’s first supercar. It was famously developed with the help of Yamaha and F1 champion Ayrton Senna, who drove for McLaren’s F1 team — which Honda supplied engines for at the time. Yamaha also contributed acoustic tuning for the engine and exhaust, sharpening the car’s auditory experience behind the wheel.

The new NSX was a significant departure from its predecessor. It debuted with an all-new mid-engined hybrid V6 that sent power to all four wheels for maximum acceleration and grip. Honda calls it the Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD). While some debate whether the original NSX qualifies as a true supercar, there’s no question the new one was a supercar killer.

3/4 rear view of a yellow 2022 Acura NSX

Despite its JDM roots, the NSX was engineered and hand-assembled entirely in Marysville, Ohio. It comes standard with adaptive dampers that complement the lightweight aluminum and carbon-fiber chassis, allowing the NSX to take on corners with ease. One key advantage of its hybrid system is electrified torque vectoring — the motors can deliver power to individual wheels as needed to further sharpen cornering response.

The NSX also utilizes active aerodynamics, with front air intake flaps that open and close depending on speed and an active rear spoiler that adjusts its height and angle based on speed and driving mode.

Acura NSX Specs

Engine	3.5-liter hybrid V6 + 3 electric motors
Power	573 hp
Torque	472 lb-ft
Drive	AWD
0-60	2.7 seconds
Top Speed	191 mph

According to Fastest Laps, the NSX posted a Nürburgring lap time of 7 minutes and 36 seconds, which is slower than the C8 Corvette — but not by much. Where the NSX really shines, however, is its brisk acceleration. Its 9-speed dual-clutch transmission paired with an advanced AWD system allows it to reach 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds, though some sources cite 2.9 seconds. Either way, the NSX is capable of outrunning the C8 in a straight line, and its 191-mph top speed comes remarkably close to the Vette’s 194 mph.

But if you’re still not convinced an Acura NSX can take on a base Corvette C8, 350 lucky buyers got their hands on an even faster and more capable NSX that definitely can.

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The Acura NSX Type S Is The Ultimate Mid-Engined Japanese Sports Car

Acura discontinued the NSX in 2022 and, as a final sendoff, gave it an even more powerful and track-focused Type S trim. Limited to only 350 units globally (300 for the U.S.), the 2022 NSX Type S bumps power up to 600 hp and 492 lb-ft and adds new track-focused throttle mapping and dampening, stiffer springs, and carbon-ceramic brakes. It also received a fully revamped and more luxurious interior — all at a steep asking price.

Grey 2022 Honda NSX Type S rear on grass

In this case, more power does not translate to better 0-60 times, likely due to added weight and different throttle mapping. However, the Type S is undoubtedly the fastest NSX around a track and would most likely post a quicker lap than a base C8. There’s no official record to confirm it, but it can confidently be said it would easily keep up.

The Nissan GT-R NISMO Leaves The C8 In The Dust

A front, left hand-side perspective shot of a 2023 Nissan GT-R NISMO

Ever since the R35-generation Nissan GT-R made its debut in 2008, it has been wreaking havoc on the supercar market. Carrying nicknames such as “Godzilla” and “supercar killer,” the GT-R remains one of the fastest and most capable Japanese supercars sold globally. It owes this reputation largely to its advanced AWD system that distributes power between the front and rear wheels, and to the formidable VR38DETT V6 — an engine that tuners can push well beyond 1,000 hp. Some builds have been known to reach 3,000 hp using the stock block and aftermarket bolt-ons.

R35 Nissan GT-R Specs

Engine	3.8-liter twin-turbo V6
Power	600 hp
Torque	481 lb-ft
Drive	AWD
0-60	2.5 seconds
Top Speed	205 mph

Nissan

Given that a base GT-R launched to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 29 seconds back in 2008 — matching the C8’s current record time — Nissan didn’t need to make major changes to the model for well over a decade. It did, however, release a new NISMO variant with each facelift, transforming the GT-R into an even more formidable track weapon.

The NISMO perfects the Godzilla formula, upping the power to 600 hp and 481 lb-ft over the base car’s 565 hp and 467 lb-ft, courtesy of larger GT3 race-spec turbochargers. Carbon fiber aero, body components, and a lightweight titanium exhaust help shed mass. A stiffened chassis and upgraded Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes make it a menace in the corners, while a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission routes power to all four wheels. The result is a 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds — Corvette-beating and among the quickest of any Japanese production car ever built. It’s about as quick as a 1,000-hp Bugatti Veyron and even slightly faster than a C8 Z06 Corvette, which launches to 60 in 2.6 seconds.

So how quick is the NISMO around a track? According to Nissan, very quick indeed — it lapped the Nürburgring in a stunning 7:08.679. That makes it more than 20 seconds faster around the same circuit than the C8, based on current data. The kicker? Nissan set this record back in 2013 and, as far as we know, never bothered returning to the ‘Ring to better it.

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Nissan GT-R Pricing

A front-end shot of a 2023 Nissan GT-R NISMO

All those performance upgrades come at a price, of course. The NISMO GT-R has historically cost nearly twice as much as the base GT-R, and current pricing continues that trend. That puts it significantly above the C8 Corvette’s starting price and roughly in line with the C8 Z06 — though the NISMO’s track credentials arguably justify the premium on performance alone.

Sources: Chevrolet, Acura, Nissan.