New 2009 Nissan GT-R

Grace At High Speed

Like a hand in glove, if there’s a sports car that can hug the road while taking hairpin turns smooth as silk, then the 2009 Nissan GT-R is it.

Even street-legal versions of Mitsubishi's Lancer Evolution, the Subaru WRX STi and other World Rally Champions are left in the dust when pitted against the GT-R.

Nissan says its twin-turbo, rear-biased driver runs 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, neck and neck with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and venomous Dodge Viper.

Built to handle precisely with Earth’s natural forces – gravity, inertial force, and aerodynamics - Nissan pinpointed basic vehicle dynamics and integration with the driver. The result? New components like a Human-Machine Interface never before seen in the marketplace.

A beauty to behold, the GT-R’s curvaceous shape (aero blades on the fenders, an aero blade canopy roofline and curved C-pillar sword edge) gives this four-seater coupe its sophisticated style. Equally important is that airflow for power and cooling moves undisturbed.

The Japanese automaker chose carbon fiber (the material of space satellites) combined with steel and aluminum for a chassis that keeps weight down. By distributing the car’s total mass evenly over the front and rear wheels, the driver has absolute road control.
 
Under the hood, the Nissan GT-R features a hand-built 3.8-liter V-6, producing 480 horsepower. What’s more, the engine sports plasma-sprayed bores with a special twin-turbo exhaust manifold system. Put power to the ground with a six-plate dual clutch transmission; one clutch for the odd gears and one for the even allows for the gearbox to shift almost instantly.

Steering-wheel mounted shift paddles are a Nissan first. A world’s first is the independent rear transaxle all-wheel drive system. This means the transmission, transfer case and final drive are located in the vehicle’s rear. Combined with the optional Dunlop all-season tires, it’s conceivable your GT-R could be driven in the winter in ways its competitors can’t – just watch the low ground clearance.

Adjust the computerized shock absorbers to Comfort, Normal or “R” (for maximum handling with faster shifts) by the touch of a dashboard switch. Enforce more control over the stability system and the transmission’s shift characteristics when in Automatic mode.

An oversized tachometer gives its cockpit the look you’d expect in a performance car. Only this “stiff but light” Nissan is constantly metering mechanical information for uncommonly safe high-performance driving.

Complimentary support for the GT-R driver is offered for the first three years of ownership.

Toss two golf bags in the luggage space, and you’ve got one more reason the multi-dimensional 2009 Nissan GT-R is a perfect fit for precision drivers on fast roads everywhere.