Shock! Clarkson Hearts the 1mhp Nissan GT-R

by Robert Farago

Published: July 21st, 2008

I watched a video biography of Robert Duval this weekend. And then I caught the western flick Open Range, in which Bobby shares screen time with Kevin Costner. The great thing about Duval is that he always seems to be paying attention, Hell, thinking, whenever Kevin does his laconic integrity dialogue thing (i.e. speaks his lines). Nobody does listening better than Duval– even if he's probably thinking about shagging some young production assistant. Certainly not Top Gear's James May or Richard Hammond. (I mean pretending to think, not getting shagged by Robert Duval). As JC pontificates in front of hundreds of adoring fans, it's like Hammond and May are standing in front of the school principal, waiting for him to shut up so they can say something clever to get into even more trouble, Instead, anything they say can and will be used against them to make Clarkson seem even more bombastic than he already is– and that's saying something. Still, you've got to give The Great One and his production team credit. They really are… …. …. something else. As is, of course, the GT-R.

Robert Farago

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4 of 11 comments

Antone on Jul 21, 2008

Wow. That is a fast car. I still believe it’s under-rated (hp) from the factory. The power to weight ratio doesn’t put it (GTR) in the league of the cars its timing-up too…

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Ret on Jul 21, 2008
"C/D described the GT-R (in a rare moment of candor) as being a lot like the old Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4." I'm pretty sure that they said they THOUGHT it would be like the 3000GT VR4 but that after driving it, they were surprised at how nimble it actually was. But I'll have to check the back-issues...

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John R on Jul 21, 2008
Meanwhile, if you’re beginning to think the GT-R defies easy classification—a new-age Mitsubishi 3000GT was our first dismissive thought—we’re beginning to agree with you. C/D may 2008 @argentla & @ret: Ret is correct. C/D had a preconceived notion that it would be like a VR-4, but after driving it they changed their opinion of it. No, we don't have to love this car, but I do. And I will take it over anything German (especially M3s and 911s) everyday all day. To me its says, "this is what Lockheed Martin would have made...if they made cars."

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Didgeridoouke on Jul 21, 2008

I drove one yesterday in New Zealand. Makes a nice second car. Interesting. Amazing machine. Quite noisy exhaust sound inside. Nice, resonant, exhaust sound audible at all times outside. Incredible torque. Will "idle" at about 1000rpm up a 15 degree incline at 50-70 km/hr. Hard ride in all modes but comfortable, probably because suspension system is excellent. No detectable body flex/roll or tyre scrubbing at any speed on any normally available road surface. This makes the GTR a breeze to drive confidently from the first press on the starter button. Not pretty. But fit for the purpose. 100 km/hr barely moves the speedo. Normal speed cues are absent so GTR owners and drivers must be alert. Otherwise licence loss is inevitable. Very clunky auto transmission in city driving. Better to use manual and stay in gears. Third gear adequate for all city driving and speeds. Otherwise a safe, extreme fun, machine. Only problem is mercedes matrons, aspiring audis, boy racers, curious porsches etc who try to race the GTR. Never mind. Stupendous acceleration available for the price of a little dab on the loud pedal; then the GTR is by itself again.

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