30 Nov 07
Fresh from its hugely hyped launch at October's Tokyo Motor Show, the GT-R is, in the metal, spectacular to behold: big and bold, with those sharp body creases, curious C-pillar kink and trademark four round tail lights giving it a powerful, uniquely Japanese sporting stance.
The GT-R is a 2+2. The rear seats look stylish but headroom is severely limited. The boot is usefully deep, though. Slide behind the GT-R's thick, three-spoke wheel and the bucket seat gives you a great driving position. This is a serious, no-nonsense cabin, but it also feels tight and claustrophobic and ahead of you is what I believe to be the GT-R's biggest weakness: the plain, geeky dashboard with its high cowl, mass of cheap-looking buttons, awful air vents and plain vanilla instruments. It's a million miles away from the classy look and feel of an Audi or Porsche.
Press the button and the GT-R's hand-built 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 fires into life. This is the first ever V6 in the GT-R's history and boy, does it deliver. Once upon a time the GT-R had to live with a pathetic 280bhp power cap in Japan. No longer: this new engine bangs out an eye-widening 480bhp at 6,400rpm and generates 433lb-ft of torque between 3,200 and 5,200rpm, yet it's impressively clean for a car of this type.
It emits a menacingly deep rumble that Skyline GT-R owners would immediately recognise and hooks up a clever six-speed GR6 dual-clutch sequential transmission, complete with steering wheel paddleshift controls. To give the GT-R perfect front/rear weight distribution, the 'box sits at the back of the car as part of that independent, soft-mounted transaxle. Drive from engine to transaxle is via a carbon-fibre propshaft. Then a steel shaft takes the power to the front wheels.
