What is it?
The GT-R is one of the most eagerly anticipated performance cars for a long time. We've known officially that it's been coming since 2005, and it was regularly spotted lapping the Nurburgring during its development, but when Nissan finally announced details on its new car there were a few disbelievers. The GT-R is capable of lapping the famous Nurburgring in 7 minutes 38 seconds. That's two seconds quicker than Porsche's 911 Turbo, and only six behind the Porsche Carrera GT. And the Nissan's time was set when a few corners were slightly damp, its engineers reckoning there's as much as 4-5 seconds to be gained in perfect conditions.
That's in a car that costs from £52,900. It's hardly surprising then that Nissan has taken over 700 orders for the GT-R since the dealers started taking deposits. It's the archetypal Japanese performance car, held in the same iconic reverence in its home market as the Porsche 911 is in Europe. It's hardly surprising then that when developing the GT-R Nissan was keen to ensure it looked Japanese. A technical looking design, there's more than a nod to stealth fighters around its cockpit-like roof, its styling officially taking cues from its Skyline GT-R relatives and even Gundam - a cult comic book robot character in Japan.
In the latest incarnation it has dropped the Skyline badge, as it's no longer merely a mega performance model based on a regular coupe but a unique model riding on its own platform. Like its predecessors though, it's absolutely laden with technology. It has got an impossibly complex four-wheel drive system, more electronic sensors and systems than the average NASA rocket and huge power from its twin turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine.
Is it any good?
It's sensational. With its 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds it's clear that the GT-R is no respecter of reputations. That's Mercedes McLaren SLR quick, and makes other far more expensive rivals look pedestrian in comparison. What's so remarkable is how accessible the GT-R's performance is. With a twin-clutch two-pedal paddle-shift transmission all you need to do is pull the right hand paddle to engage first and pin the accelerator. You'll be pulling that right hand paddle again soon, it selecting the next gear almost seamlessly as the GT-R thrusts forward with quite spectacular force. There's no drama, just an efficient, relentless increase in speed.
One of Nissan's many aims for the GT-R was 'total traction' and it has achieved it, the GT-R's four-wheel drive transmission managing to distribute the twin-turbo V6's power with ease. The GT-R is essentially rear driven most of the time, unless one of its countless sensors suggests some motive force to the front wheels is required. It all makes the GT-R quite amazingly capable point-to-point, feeling ridiculously competent through the bends. The massive Brembo brakes offer huge, repeatable stopping power, the steering is nicely weighted, and there's some feel at the rim too, allowing you to place it with millimetric precision.
Yet despite its amazing ability the GT-R is a remarkably civilised driving experience. You can choose various settings for the stability systems, transmission and dampers, all of the latter being pretty unforgiving - something that'll be resolved when UK deliveries begin. Those neat creases in the roof pillars not only look fantastic but help channel air around the passenger space as efficiently and quietly as possible. The result is an eerily silent cabin, wind-noise only obvious in its absence, even at licence melting speeds. The gearbox is a cinch to operate, and if you're bored in traffic the central screen has information on everything - some useful and some info you could quite easily live without; does anyone really need to know the transmission oil temperature? Space is good for the driver and passenger, but the +2 in the rear had better be diminutive, as it's very cramped - especially for headroom.
Should I call the bank manager?
You might not need to, as with those 700 already ordered you'll be in for a long wait if you've not got your name down already. Plenty time to save then, unless you've not got the necessary £3,500 deposit that is. Seriously though, if you're after a serious giant-killing supercar then the GT-R is just the thing. It blends day-to-day usability with spectacular performance in a way that only Porsche's 911 Turbo can rival - hardly surprising then that the GT-R was spotted during its development with its arch-rival along for benchmarking.
Three GT-Rs will be offered in the UK. There's the 'basic' GT-R at £52,900, the Premium, which adds automatic headlamps and a bespoke Bose digital audio system for £54,900 and a Black Edition that gets black paint (naturally), gunmetal grey alloy wheels and a black - with red highlights - interior for £55,500. Options are few, those cars arriving at one of the UK's ten Nissan High Performance Centres after September 2009 able to be ordered with a 30Gb hard drive GPS navigation system with integrated Bluetooth telephony. And that's it.
Summary
The GT-R was always going to be a spectacular performance car, but Nissan really has produced something really extraordinary. All those people who grew up driving its successors on Gran Turismo on their games consoles with the means to buy one aren't going to be disappointed. If anything that's perhaps its one shortfall; for all its insane pace and ability, it's not quite as communicative or intimate to drive as some of its rivals, and there's just not enough noise from the engine. Small complaints, on what's otherwise one of the most accomplished performance cars ever built. At under £60,000 it's hardly surprising people are so keen to get one.
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