Just a few days earlier, I had been reporting on the Ulster Rally and the chat with marshals was about power and the fact that the World Rally Cars pumped out about 300PS; but how about 485PS in a road car?
Yes, I was behind the wheel of a real muscle car - the Nissan GT-R, which is acknowledged as one of the best handling and most powerful supercars ever, the mighty GT-R is designed to be driven fast and skilfully by just about anybody, over a variety of road conditions and with total confidence.
Offering four seats (but still pretty restricted in the rear of the cabin) and reasonable luggage space, this winning combination is available from just £56,800.
Performance; 62 mph from a standing start appears in 3.5 seconds, while its top speed is 194mph; so you had better have access to a race track, if you want to explore this aspect.
The GT-R‘s unique driveline comprises a 485PS, 588Nm-rated twin turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine, and a world-first rear transaxle with a sequential dual-clutch, paddle shift six-speed transmission and full time four-wheel drive.
Underpinning them are sophisticated electronic controls designed to make best use of engine output in all conditions without diluting either driver enjoyment or involvement.
The GT-R is one the world’s easiest and most secure high-speed car to drive fast, with the added safety of four-wheel drive. The GT-R has a clear advantage over most rival supercars on a racing circuit or at high-speed on the public roads, its superiority in difficult conditions, ice, rain, slush, snow – is far more noticeable.
Adaptability is central to the everyday nature of the GTR. Set-up switches in the centre panel allow gear shift characteristics, damper settings and stability control settings to be adjusted to suit the driver’s mood and driving conditions. Believe me, the GT-R can be turned instantly into a supple, comfortable coupe, with the choice of fully automated gear-changing for an even more relaxing experience.
The outstanding efficiency of the engine and the car’s excellent aerodynamic qualities mean that the GT-R is also one of the world’s most effective supercars in balancing performance and fuel consumption, recording 22.8mpg on the combined cycle, and a CO2 emissions figure of 298g/km. The automatic gear shift mode is also programmed to offer optimal fuel economy, so the car cruises in as high a gear as possible, helped by the flexibility of the engine.
The GT-R comes laden with luxuries, including power adjustable front seats (eight way on the driver’s, four-way on the front passenger’s) trimmed in leather and perforated suede inserts, dual zone automatic climate control and cruise control reflecting the GT-R’s softer side.
The standard AM/FM/CD audio system comes with six speakers, RDS and MP3/WMA CD playback capability, and features an HDD Music Box system capable of storing 9.4 GB of your favourite sounds.
A unique multi-function LCD screen developed with the designers of Sony PlayStation’s Gran Turismo game provides an instant indication of a range of vehicle dynamics such as lateral g-forces which, if you prefer, can be stored for later analysis.
There are even more, special wide-beam xenon headlamps, a tyre pressure monitoring system, Intelligent Key, 20-inch RAYS forged alloy wheels finished in gun metal and a Thatcham-approved anti-theft system.
The GT-R Premium Edition and you get automatic headlamps and wipers, auto dimming mirror and a specially designed digital Bose® audio package (optional on the standard model), perfectly matched to the acoustic requirements of the cabin.
The 11-speaker system features two tweeters, two squawkers and four woofers including two in the rear centre armrest directed forward. These plus the door speakers are mounted in rigid aluminium die cast panels, which improve sound quality, especially with tight bass sounds.
A DC-DC converter enables voltage to be amplified from the ordinary 12 to 52 volts, realising a higher output.
Top of the line is the GT-R Black Edition with an exclusive Kuro black paint job, a striking black leather interior with red highlights and black RAYS alloys.
The GT-R has a specialist build process, with engines and transmissions individually assembled by 14 craftsmen in a special clean room area in Nissan’s Yokohama plant. Output is therefore currently restricted to around 1000 units per month.
There are 11 specialist dealers in the UK, with Hursts GT-R located in Belfast.
It would be so easy as to just say that the GT-R is another fast car, it offers much more and when you take everything into account, and it is quite a set of wheels at the price.
My chance to get behind the wheel came at the new SMMT Test Day, which was based at Wetherby Racecourse and which offered some excellent road routes in the surrounding area.
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