IN THIS FEATURE The 'oh-my-god' threshold Almost comically aggressive The speedy and sensational S-Tune "Somebody's nicked the gear knob" Back to reality

My chance to drive the S-Tune came sooner than expected. Ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan invited us to try an S-Tune S2. And that 'S2' badge denotes an even more powerful 325bhp prototype engine than the UK S-Tune. So, even madder than the car Frankel was so moved by.

Lovely. But the offer of a unique car to try out in Japan can be a bit of a mixed blessing. It's always nice to drive something special, but if you're anywhere near Tokyo, that usually means a traffic-crawl rarely involving full engagement of clutch, much less getting the thing out of first.

Engine's output is 350+bhp

Here's a tip, then. If you've got the wheels to justify it, go to the Hakone area outside Tokyo. Nissan sent us there, where we discovered absolutely sensational roads; very fast sweepers combined with tight, technical hairpins and breathtaking elevations of all sorts.