Review: 2010 Nissan GT-R Take Two

A call on Sunday to a lawyer’s office (mine) normally carries with it a tale of woe and unwanted police involvement. This time was different. A journalist neighbor called and asked if I wanted to drive the Nissan GT-R that had just been dropped in his driveway. The Skyline has been an unobtanium special for the last 15 or so years. I recall seeing one at International Rally New York, and even that battered right hand drive special attracted a crowd. So, with full knowledge of what was on offer, I ventured forth.

I was surprised to find the GTR’s headlights were only xenon on the low beam. Otherwise the exterior and styling was spot-on: butch without being too boy-racer, save for the hideous spoiler. The car conveyed a sense of authority, regardless of the mechanicals or the silly wing on the back.

The GT-R’s interior is not very impressive. The inside is midline Japanese sedan, with full electronics and decent bucket seats. The ergonomics are spot on; the knob for seat adjustment is intuitive and the padded steering wheel is perfectly positioned for max track attack. There are back seats, but only in the sense of “back.” Still, obviously, the GT-R is all about the driving…

Some cars are rapiers, others a broadsword. The GT-R is a battleax. The GT-R rides hard, like a track ready Viper. There’s a switchable suspension, with “normal” and “comfort.” Translation: “track” and “smooth streets only.” The Nissan’s four wheel-drive system works to put all the power to the ground… sort like a lightning bolt. The turboed engine has minimal lag, so unlike a big eight, there isn’t huge torque upon tip-in. But as soon as the manumatic hooks up and boost appears, nearasdammit five hundred horsepower makes itself known.

This thing is fast. Not fast like your “chipped” turbo car. Not fast like a jet taking off. Fast like a liter-class superbike. Highway on ramps are slingshots. The go-deal is like Star Trek’s transporter, only a lot faster. You imagine your spot on the road, and ZAP! You’re there. A ride like this can seriously scare civilians, if only as you recede away from them.

Unlike many cars, the four wheel-drive system in the GT-R does not dampen the fun. With the huge resources on tap, it makes the car civilized. Often “fun to drive” is really just fighting the chassis, but not here. This is so well sorted that “tuner car” cannot be spoken anywhere near the driveline without insulting a legion of Nissan engineers.

To wit: my trip was slightly dinged by the fact the car was on summer tires, the temperature was near freezing, and the roads were wet in places. The GT-R’s four wheel drive system was given more of a workout than a probable garage queen has any right to surmount. Even in this worst case scenario, the GT-R’s engineering integrity reigned supreme. Within the limits imposed by the outside world, this car’s capability was far beyond anything even a skilled driver could/should fully exploit on a public road.

Changing roads to a little traveled twisty near a reservoir, I put the man-u-matic into manual, making sure I had plenty of boost on tap. The car tracked predictably, up until the low (frozen tire) limits of adhesion. The traction control system stepped in a femtosecond after the car reached its limits of adhesion. Between 25 and 60 mph, the GT-R was heavy, with a more Germanic feel than a Japanese one. Still, it managed to be ‘tossable’ despite the weight, with excellent feedback through the wheel, something missing from many all wheel-drive cars.

The GT-R’s transmission and driveline had a steady whine, and the front airdam was adventurous (read low) for a production car. The GT-R’s rumbling exhaust note projects the same uber-tuner car feel. Of course, the Nissan’s sonic signature is entirely in keeping with the car’s character. As the Brits would say, the GT-R is a hard man: a take-no-prisoners extreme machine that’s fully capable of leaving high-priced exotica for dead. As advertised.

As a daily driver or a long-distance cruiser, no. you’d be much happier in one of Nissan’s less expensive alternatives. You have to wonder if sporting drivers would be better off with a no-compromise track car AND a more luxurious whip, or a Porsche, rather than the GT-R.

I know: great landing, wrong carport. The market for the Nissan GT-R knows what they are getting. The noise, the hard ride, the lack of interior space. All part of the experience. Think of the GT-R as a Japanese Viper without the death. Or a Z06 Corvette without the price tag or (dare I say it) pedigree.

Nissan’s decision to make this a limited production halo car is completely correct. The cognescenti will swoon, the dealers will tack on “additional profit” sticker and everyone will be happy. It’s Unobtanium, unlike a Porsche GT3 or AMG Black Series. Any flaws simply don’t matter.