A privilege to drive the GT-R
YOU do not see many examples of the Nissan GT-R on the roads, largely because, a) they cost the thick end of £60,000 and b) order one now and you will have to wait a year for it.
So to have driven it all is a privilege, but I was lucky enough to enjoy the opportunity to do so at the recent SMMT test day at Millbrook Proving Ground.
Millbrook is where the industry tests its new models before unleashing them on the paying public, and facilities include a mountain circuit, which replicates the twisty gradients of alpine driving, and a high-speed bowl – a banked two-mile
circuit.
Unfortunately, the speed limits in force on test day were 55mph on the twisties and 100mph on the bowl, so a car with a 194mph top speed didn't really get much of a work-out, but it was enough to get a flavour.
In stark performance terms, 62 mph from a standing start appears in 3.5 seconds. But it is the GT-R’s astonishing ground covering capabilities that mark out the new Nissan flagship, ably demonstrated by a 7m 26.7sec lap (achieved at the Nürburgring), one of the fastest times ever recorded by a production car around the German circuit.
Behind the statistics lies a technologically advanced specification, and the Nissan GT-R’s unique driveline
comprises a 485 PS, 588Nm-rated twin turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine, a world-first rear transaxle with a sequential dual-clutch, paddle shift six-speed transmission and full time four-wheel drive.
You can drive it in fully automatic mode, but the people from Nissan said that I would be missing out on the full driving experience doing that. And I always do as I'm told.
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.
Despite delivering race car thrills, every 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.
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.
It's very much aimed at the computer game generation, although I am not sure how much the average driver really needs to know the level of lateral g-forces or oil temperature.
There are also 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 brand new VR38DETT 3.8-litre V6 engine has been specially developed for the GT-R and is equipped with twin IHI turbochargers. Its maximum power in upgraded European specification is 485 PS at 6400rpm making the Nissan GT-R one of the most powerful Japanese road cars and the most powerful production car ever built by Nissan. “More important than absolute power is the manner in which it is delivered,” said chief vehicle engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno. “The engine’s very tractable and that means it’s very easy to drive, a key quality of the Nissan GT-R.” Peak torque of 588Nm is delivered seamlessly from 3200 to 5200rpm.
However, even when driving on moderate throttle openings the GT-R typically generates about 390Nm of torque, ensuring excellent pick-up and acceleration.
At the heart of the GT-R is one of the most advanced four-wheel drive systems ever developed in a production car, offering unmatched traction and handling security. In a world-first, the ATTESA ET-S features a rear mounted independent transaxle which packages the transmission, transfer case and limited slip rear differential in one compact assembly independently mounted on rubber
bushes. Moving the transmission to the rear in this way gives the GT-R a superb weight balance, while enhancing front seat leg room.
The Nissan GT-R has huge, 380mm (15 inch) diameter front and rear Brembo fully ventilated steel disc brakes that give superb pedal feel as well as immense stopping power. The GT-R can be hauled from 62mph to standstill in a distance of just 36.9m. The fully floating rotors with diamond-shaped ventilated ribs and cross drilling stabilise braking while also preventing heat distortion.
Super-rigid Brembo monoblock callipers, six pot at the front and four pot at the rear, feature racecar-inspired three-point mountings that help generate strong braking force and prevent calliper distortion, while their double tie-rod structure similarly resists distortion and helps to maintain braking stability under all conditions. Nissan has succeeded in building a high-performance car that is at home under normal driving conditions.
06/07/2009 12:30:00
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