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Silent assassin
Sitting next to a Japanese engineer at dinner a few years back and chatting about the GT-R I mentioned that it needs to be a 911-killer to succeed. He laughed heartily, then stony faced he turned to me and said, "911 Turbo". As goals go, that's a pretty lofty one, but on paper Nissan's GT-R is more than a match. Indeed, taking just 3.5 seconds to 62mph it's quicker than Porsche's loony GT2, and even than the Mercedes-McLaren SLR. All from a car that will start at just £52,900 when it arrives officially in the UK next March.
In the Metal
Seeing the Nissan GT-R for the first time in natural light is remarkable. It's a riot of detail lines, some sharp and technical, others more organic and flowing. Not conventionally pretty, but hugely alluring in its functionality, Nissan says it wanted the car to look Japanese. To achieve this it took inspiration from obvious sources, like its predecessors, to some rather more bizarre ones, such as a cult Japanese cartoon robot called 'Gundam'. To me there's more than a hint of stealth fighter in its lines, particularly around the roof where the cockpit-aping glass and neat creases on the rear pillars make it look quite unlike any other car on the road. These details are more than just styling flair though, as they channel air to the rear wing and also ensure that normal conversation isn't hampered by wind noise. Even at speeds of above 180mph...
Air flow plays a hugely important role in how the GT-R looks, the intakes in the bonnet funnelling air down through the engine bay and along a channel underneath the car to the transmission. The vents on the bold front wings are functional too, drawing hot air from both the engine bay and the huge Brembo brakes, which nestle purposefully behind the 20-inch alloys. On UK cars those wheels will be finished in bright silver, only the Black Edition coming with the menacing Gunmetal Grey finish. The body itself is made up of a combination of die-cast aluminium, steel and carbon-fibre, the signature circular rear lights leaving you in no doubt as to what's just passed you - as it inevitably will.
What you get for your Money
Hypercar-rivalling performance in a genuine daily-driving package. The GT-R is a phenomenal value proposition, even at the UK's inflated prices. Under that stealthy-looking exterior is some of the most advanced driving hardware outside motorsport. Indeed, the GT-R lives up to its technological flagship icon role with a hideously complex four-wheel drive system mated to a six-speed twin-clutch paddle shift transmission. It has got more sensors on it than a Mars probe, with every conceivable thing that can be measured being monitored to ensure the GT-R is as effective as possible at getting you where you want to be, quickly. Inside, you can browse all that data on the centrally-mounted touch screen, Nissan using the expertise of the PlayStation GranTurismo programmers to hone its interface.
For all its techno wizardry it's the engine that remains the most important facet in the GT-R's remarkable ability. It's a 4.8-litre twin-turbo V6 that punches out a very impressive 473bhp - and if you believe the rumours, significantly more - giving it that extraordinary 3.5 second 0-62mph capability. It'll reach 195mph too, if you've the space to do so. Just about everything comes as standard, so you'll not really want for anything on the 'basic' GT-R at £52,900, but pay £1,300 more for the Premium Edition and automatic headlamps and a digital Bose audio system are added to the comprehensive list. Add another £1,300 to that for the Black Edition, which is the only GT-R you can have in black and with those cool smoked alloys. The only options offered are a hard disc based navigation system and Bluetooth phone integration, which are not available for delivery until September 2009 onwards. If you can't wait that long, buy a map and switch off your phone.
Driving it
Pressing the bright red starter button on the transmission tunnel isn't the most intoxicating experience I've ever had starting an engine. There's no real drama, no exotic-sounding whir, clatter or fanfare, just the noise of an engine starting. If anything, Nissan's own 350Z sounds better turning over. But the first time I press the accelerator sees me forgiving the engine its lack of vocal character. The rush forward, even on around a third of the accelerator pedal's travel, is pretty extraordinary. The V6 has two intercoolers and the turbochargers are integrated into the exhaust manifold for the quickest response possible. Even so, the twin-turbo V6 charges hardest when there's more than 3,000rpm on the rev-counter.
It's very deceptive just how fast the GT-R is, that wind-noise-cheating shape and relatively quiet engine mean there's few aural references to measure your speed, the GT-R always travelling 20-30% faster than you think. This is exacerbated by the ease in which it maintains momentum through even the tightest of bends, the GT-R's nicely weighted and feelsome steering wheel being incredibly accurate, allowing you to position it with absolute confidence. At track speeds there's some understeer, which, even playing about with the three buttons that change the parameters of the transmission, suspension and traction and stability systems, is pretty difficult to dial out. If you're really committed, oversteer is among the GT-R's dynamic repertoire, but it's unlikely you'll ever encounter it on a road, unless you're particularly unruly exciting a junction.
The twin-clutch paddle-shift system is fast, if not as mind-bogglingly quick as Ferrari's F1 transmission. It struggles a bit in automatic mode though, hunting around for the right gear at town speeds. It's difficult to pull away smoothly too, the transmission pretty jerky from take-off and when changing between first and second. We're told that, by the time the UK cars arrive, this will have been sorted, while the very firm suspension will also have been tuned specifically for the unique challenges UK tarmac presents any sporting car. Given the searing performance on offer, it's heartening that the brakes are so effective. The six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo callipers grab massive 15-inch discs, which even after punishing repeated use on track never felt anything less than 100% effective at removing the enormous speeds the GT-R is so easily capable of.
Worth Noting
The impressive braking performance, and indeed the GT-R's sensational acceleration, is even more remarkable when you consider just how much it weighs. The GT-R's kerb weight is a rather portly 1,740kg. Nissan claims that the GT-R will return 23.2mpg on the combined cycle, but you'll never see anything like that - the addictive nature of its acceleration meaning fuel consumption will be the last thing on your mind.
There are two rear seats, but forget about using them for all but the shortest passengers, the headroom very tight indeed. The boot's a useful size though; apparently it'll take two golf bags - you can be sure with a GT-R you'd never miss your tee-time.
Summary
Over 700 buyers put a deposit down for Nissan's GT-R within a few days of the order books opening here in the UK. Although there's a bit of a wait until it arrives, they'll not be disappointed when it does. Nissan has built one of the most capable performance cars that you can buy. It's a phenomenal demonstration of Nissan's engineers' pursuit and success in creating a giant-killing car. The GT-R is not just capable of monstering Porsche's 911 Turbo, but just about everything this side of a Bugatti Veyron. And if that's not worth waiting for, I don't know what is. Anyone got £53k they want to lend me?
The Car Enthusiast | Reviews | Nissan GT-R road test
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