2009 Nissan GT-R
A 21st-century supercar, at a $120,000 discount
The 2009 Nissan GT-R is the sports-car value of the year, if not the decade—a car under 80 grand whose performance matches that of a $200,000 supercar. Engineers scrutinized every component to squeeze out more performance while saving weight and money. Inside the twin-turbo, 3.8-liter V6’s aluminum engine block, the walls surrounding the pistons receive a coating that dissipates heat better than the typical, heavier cast-iron linings. The engine produces 480 horsepower and hurls the GT-R from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds—quicker than a Lamborghini Gallardo. The GT-R tops out at 193 mph, making it one of the fastest cars on the road, and you don’t have to be a professional driver to tap its potential. A twin-clutch system, rare in a car at this price, handles gearshifts, and an adjustable shock-absorber system can stiffen up so that the GT-R feels like a Ferrari F430. Finally, the videogame-inspired control panel displays arcana like steering angle and brake-pedal pressure, giving the driver more detailed information and more control than any other car. Now that Nissan has proven that it can be done, expect more accessible, technology-rich supercars in the years ahead. $77,000; nissanusa.com
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this article fails to mention a very important con about this car. what this article doesn't mention is that the nissan skyline gt-r can only do it's amazing 3.5 0-60 if it is put into launch mode. the catch is, you can only use launch mode twice, until the foolproof computer contacts nissan and then they void your warranty. you mine as well use it as a track car since that'll void the warranty anyway, but forhaving fun on the streets there are better options. without the launch mode the skyline will do about 4.5 0-60 i think. oh yeah, it costs 90 grand. go to an actual dealership not a website and you'll find out. there are better opth=ions such as the loutus exige s240 which can do 3.8 0-60 and has unbelievable handling because of its design, all for about 70 - 80 grand.
value of the year? more like the EPIC failure of the year. as stated above the only way to reach the amazing 0-60 times is to turn off the traction control which also voids the warranty.. only Nissan would put in a void button on their car.
And the tyranny WILL break after a few hard launches...
guess what! because you wanted that $80,000 super car feel you now have to pay $20,000 out of pocket to repair the broken tyranny that Nissan will not cover.. when a dealer makes you sign a waver not to turn off the traction control or else it voids the warranty, that should be a red flag..
ha ha..the videogame-inspired control panel displays, The red ring of death.
hear is one of many forums dedicated to the failure known as the GTR
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=25361&st=0
Who cares about 0-60? I would never subject one of my cars to a full blown standing start because I don't want to fork out for a new clutch every time I do. Nissan voiding the warranty if you persistently do standing starts is perfectly logical, other manufacturers just haven't implemented the technology to do it.
The GTR is an incredible technological achievement. To make such a (comparitively) heavy and underpowered car perform as well as more powerful/lighter cars for a fraction of the price is a massive achievement.
It may not be everyone's cup of tea (including my own) but to deny the success of this car is futile.
actually you are wrong... THE GTR does not perform like they say.
AND!! Porsche caught the Nissan gtr cheating..
"Porsche has accused Nissan of cheating in the GT-R's record bid at the Nurburgring racetrack.
Porsche has just run its own back-to-back tests with the Japanese company's GT-R supercar and says it could not get within 25 seconds of Nissan's claimed record time of seven minutes 29 seconds in April.
It also found its 911 Turbo and GT2 were both quicker than the GT-R.
"This wonder car with 7:29 could not have been a regular series production car," says August Achleitner, the 911 product chief for Porsche, speaking to the CARSguide at the Australian press preview of the latest 911 Cabrio.
"For us, it's not clear how this time is possible. What we can imagine with this Nissan is they used other tyres."
He believes the time achieved by Nissan with ex-Formula One driver Toshio Suzuki would only be possible with a semi-slick race-style tyre.
Achleitner says Porsche took a standard GT-R, running on regular road tyres, and ran it around the Nurburgring within two hours of its own cars, on the same day with exactly the same weather conditions.
He says there was no tweaking of any kind and the GT2 and Turbo both ran on regular Porsche road tyres, the Michelin Sport Cup.
"We bought the car in the US. We drove a GT-R with new tyres," he says.
Achleitner was initially protective of the exact lap times, which were run during a program when Porsche also compared its upcoming four-door Panamera with a range of potential rivals.
But he eventually revealed his team clocked the GT-R at 7 minutes 54 seconds, with the 911 Turbo managing 7:38 and the GT2 getting down to 7:34.
The laps were not run by Porsche's usual hot-lap specialist, former world rally champion and race winner Walter Rohrl, but one of the company's chassis development engineers who is an expert on the Nurburgring.
Achleitner says the back-to-back comparison was run because Porsche was concerned by Nissan's claims for the GT-R, which is heavier than the 911 with similar power.
"The Nissan is a good car. I don't want to make anything bad with my words," he says.
"It's a very consistent car. But this car is about 20 kilos heavier than the Turbo . . ."
In the end, Porsche believes its testing has achieved the right lap times for the Skyline GT-R and benchmarked it against its own 911 heroes in the right context.
"For us it has been clearly the result. This technical puzzle now fits together. With the other numbers we had problems to understand it," he says.
Related articles:
Nissan hits back at Porsche cheat claim
link
http://carsguide.news.com.au/site/motoring-news/story/porsche_accuses_nissan_of_cheating_at_nurburgring/
LINK 2
http://www.fquick.com/blog/Porsche_accuses_Nissan_GT-R_of_cheating_the__Ring/2279
also from NEED2SPEED.com
"0-60 magazine just did a test between this(gtr) and the new 135i.they took the gtr to the 8th mile and with them launching it they only ran a 8.1 at something like 89 mph.that right there come out to like a 12.70 1/4 mile thats a full second off of what nissan was claiming the gtr could do.the car basically drives itself so it wasn't a driver mod, it showed that nissan is basically full of sh@t about what this car can do."
Huh? Jay Leno likes it. Porsche claiming foul on Nurburing? A base 911 turbo is $126K sounds like they are picking on a "low budget" guy. The price for the premium AWD was $85K and the 2WD 83K. carsdirect.com
The tranny issue does not seem to be an issue a Nissan GTR club.com. Car clubs are, usually, brutal perfectionist snobs. (I enjoyed my look around there)
The criticisms seem a bit premature. I have heard that the computer is glitchy and there are some concerns about Nissan rushing it to market.
With all the negative pub, I still find this car to be a gem, not a diamond in the rough. There will be fixes to the minor bugs.
If the economy was better and green getting big, Toyota/ Lexus could put out a new Supra that would a helluva competitor this the GT-R. The aftermarket has really put some beef in these bad boys. This kind of performance cred is something US builders should be imitating. (Imitation is OK, Japan based their entire biz on making cars for Americans) I know about the Lingenfelter, Rousch, and Saleen cars. The premium is too high. A used Supra can be had for cheap and built over time. That is what grease monkey gearheads do. Then, as money and career improve, the car lover becomes brand loyal.
This GT-R is a bone stock awesome, will have great resale value, and the computer platform is going to make upgrades plug and play. This car has a lot going for it. Don't drink the Hater Aid just yet. Channel the positive and see the possiblities :) I don't know, this car seems love it or hate it; and there isn't much to hate.
I love how everyone comes and finds some minor fault -- usually a questionably true fault -- and goes with it.
Here's how it is: Nissan built a super-car that is cheaper, faster, better and more technologically advanced. It's half the price of a car it beats. Who cares if it needs a launch control system? The fact that it DOES it is ALL that matters. If you pull up to a stoplight and there is a guy in a Porsche 911, and you are in a Nissan GTR, and you use the launch control system and beat him out of the light, who cares? You won, thats it. End of discussion.
Im sure all the people who hate it are the ones who own cars that are inferior for much more money and they are reasonably irritated. These people do have good news though: cars as impactful as this don't come along very often.
It's great to be able to raise criticism, especially when you have no first-hand knowledge of the object of your criticism. Be able to buy and drive and feel a GTR before open your can of criticism. Those of you still out collecting tears for Porsche... Go to work, earn the money and then be able to do your monthly payments responsibly, then criticize!
Porsches are great cars. I own one and have been driving one once every dry weekend. GTRs... I picked one up a month ago; I have driven it alternately with the Porsche. They are great cars.. I am so willing to bet that those of you having raised criticism of either without having either are just pathetically ridiculous. Let Popular Science do their good work.. And you.. whatever you've been doing to earn a living.
well...ive heard good and bad things about this car. now i know that every car has its ups and downs but in my opinion the guys at Nissan did fudge the truth a little. for example,the gtr has its famous launch mode. as ive heard the warranty is voided if you use it more than twice i think it is. that to me seems weird. also,the 0-60 was achieved by using the launch mode in conjunction with some special Japanese fuel. probably extra high octane im guessing.i dont know if that accusation is true but i think it is. the price i must admit is very good.but what surprised me was the fact that the 2010 gtr wont have the launch mode. if the launch mode is what makes the car so good why would they take it off? the car itself looks really cool tho.all in all i think it wouldnt be a bad deal if you want to have a car just to show off.
I've seen this car at a dealership and spoke with the mechanics. Yes...the dealer price on this car averages 90k. You have to watch an hour long video prior to purchase and sign a maintenance disclosure form on service costs. When you put the car into race mode/track mode you have to bring the car back to the dealership for "$4,000 fluid changes". Need rotors/brakes replaced? That's almost $10,000! Well actually $8,000. But good grief!
It is a super car. It's definitely for the rich though. It's not like you can just save 90k to buy your dream car. The maintenance on this will break you. :-) Well... that's if you are the average Joe. :-)
Anyone know maintenance costs on other super cars?
It might a good car to have.If you are Chuck Yeager
Full description was very detailed, the first appearance of the car is very beautiful, and then it's the right price, I like it very much!
www.ebayclothingshop.com/Affliction-class.htm