Specs:
Engine: 3.8 liter twin-turbo V6
Output: 545 hp, 463 lb ft of torque
0-60: 2.9s
Starting Price: $99,590
MPG: 16 city, 23 hwy
Review (A MilesPerHr Exclusive):
If you’re a car guy or gal, you’ve surely read some sort of review on the R35 Nissan GT-R. These reviews have invariably said one of two things about the sportscar: “it’s supercar performance (Godzilla) at 1/3 the price” OR, “it’s extremely quick but lacks the emotion of a genuine sports car”. I’ll save you a few minutes of your time if you hate the latter reviews, because that’s the category this one will fall into
….ok for those of you still reading, let’s get into my impressions.
Though Nissan has added power since the R35 was first introduced in 2009, the performance dynamics have largely remained the same. This car will put brash, expensive supercars from the Ferrari 458 Italia to the Mercedes SLS AMG to shame on the track. You must respect the magnitude of that fact, but it doesn’t make the GT-R a great drivers car.
In a similar way that a BMW has been so well-engineered that you can cruise at 90mph without even being aware, the 2014 Nissan GT-R can go from 20 to 140 without the slightest indication that you’ve entered jail-time territory. My best metaphor would be a silent spaceship. The brute force of power-turned-momentum is there, but you may as well be traveling without gravity, because you don’t feel speed; you don’t feel control.
The cabin is marginally better than a well-equipped Nissan Altima, and that’s a bit sad, because this car is not so much of a bargain anymore- it carries a $100-grand base price. The seats aren’t as nice as the new C7 Corvette’s and the touch points don’t feel up to the price point.
Handling is very, very precise, but without reward. When you drive a Mazda Miata/Mx-5 well, you won’t come anywhere near the surgical efficiency with which the GT-R gets around a bend, but you will find satisfaction from the driver feedback. The Nissan GT-R knows better than 99% of drivers, so it can be driven by 99% of drivers without putting them in danger. The outliers are folks who don’t want to lay down the best lap times because they happened to be in the drivers seat while their car made them look good.
The GT-R is numb, unattractive (to my eyes), and a masterpiece of engineering. I won’t ever judge people who choose to buy a GT-R, because it’s damn impressive at ANY price. However, I couldn’t recommend this car to anyone who is an enthusiast, because it kills the enthusiasm.
Verdict: Brutal performance, sub-par cabin, effortless and unemotional precision
*Read this review on FastLaneDaily*
