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New Nissan GT-R WhatCar? Review

What Car? Says

For It's got all the power and acceleration you can handle. First-class grip, lightning-quick handling, edgy styling and a super-quick twin-clutch gearbox.

Against The rear bench is better suited to golf bags than people. The running costs, fuel bills and CO2 emissions are all high. A Nissan badge will never carry the same punch as Porsche’s.

Verdict In terms of metal-for-your-money the GT-R is hard to beat, and although tearing up Tarmac is what this seriously impressive piece of machinery does best, it's also a practical, everyday-supercar.

Performance	5	Can transform the landscape into a blur
Ride & Handling	4	Immense traction, grip and composure
Refinement	3	Too busy catching your breath to notice noise
Buying & Owning	4	How can Nissan do it for the money?
Quality & Reliability	4	Hand-built so it should last well
Safety & Security	5	More electronics than NASA
Behind the Wheel	4	Plethora of digital read-outs
Quality & Reliability	4	Even the kids can enjoy the thrills
Equipment	4	Luxury car levels of standard kit

On the Road
Performance	5	Can transform the landscape into a blur
Hang on tight! The GT-R's incredible 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 serves up 542bhp and 466lb ft of torque, so the GT-R accelerates with the sort of fury that many supercars will struggle to match. Should you find yourself entering a corner too hot, simply stand on the carbon composite brakes and the scenery slows like you’ve run into a concrete bunker.
Ride & Handling	4	Immense traction, grip and composure
The steering has some useful feel, but because it’s on the light side, there’s no need to muscle the GT-R into corners. Instead, all you need to do is point the nose at the apex of a bend, vaguely imagine what the exit looks like and give it as much throttle as you dare. Shuffling power between the front and rear wheels, the GT-R delivers as much grip and traction as its tyres and your neck muscles can withstand.
Refinement	3	Too busy catching your breath to notice noise
There’s plenty of road noise at speed from the GT-R's mammoth tyres, and the thundering twin-turbo engine bellows as the revs climb. Of course, none of this will manage to drown out the thumping of your heart as the GT-R unleashes its outrageous performance.

Ownership
Buying & Owning	4	How can Nissan do it for the money?
Considering its outstanding capabilities, Nissan is positively giving the GT-R away. Huge demand should keep residual values strong, although running costs aren’t for the faint-hearted. Carbon dioxide emissions place it in the highest company car tax bracket, while its average fuel economy is just 24mpg. Insurance premiums and tyre wear will also be high.
Quality & Reliability	4	Hand-built so it should last well
Although the GT-R bristles with electronics, if you were to put your money on any company getting it right, it would be Nissan. The engine is hand-built, the chassis is precision aligned and the reliability of previous GT-Rs has been proven in the red-hot fire of race conditions.
Safety & Security	5	More electronics than NASA
To prevent accidents occurring, the GT-R’s electronics play a massive part in keeping it on the road - no matter how slippery the surface is. Should the worst happen, though, there are twin front, side and curtain airbags to protect passengers. Deadlocks and an alarm are fitted as standard, so the GT-R should do well at deterring thieves.

In the Cabin
Behind the Wheel	4	Plethora of digital read-outs
The GT-R's dashboard bristles with banks of switches and more digital read-outs than a cyber-geek's bedroom, and they’re not just for show, either. Okay, so 11 separate read-outs, including everything from steering input degrees to cornering G-forces may hint at overkill, but the driving position is first-rate and the visibility is also surprisingly good for a supercar.
Quality & Reliability	4	Even the kids can enjoy the thrills
Don’t go thinking that, because the GT-R is a race-car for the road, its cabin is a stripped-out carbon-fibre and aluminium bean can. On the contrary, a leather-trimmed dashboard and seats, cushy trim, high-quality plastics and enough room for four at a push, plus a decent-sized boot mean you can easily use your GT-R on a daily basis.
Equipment	4	Luxury car levels of standard kit
The GT-R features almost every bit of kit you can think of: alloy wheels, climate control, cruise control, xenon headlamps, remote central locking, a pumping stereo system, and electrically adjustable and heated leather-trimmed seats are all included as standard.

Technical Specification

Equipment
Running Cost
Performance
Manufacture Figures
N Cap

Security

Leather Seats	Available
Satellite navigation	Standard
Bluetooth	Standard

Safety

Hard Drive	Standard
MP3/iPod Connection	Standard

Exterior

A	A
S	S

Comfort

C	C
S	S

Interior

Entertainment

Engine & Transmission

Running Costs

Town MPG
Out of Town MPG
Average MPG	23.5
Tank Capacity (ltr)
CO2 Rating (g/km)	279
Carbon Offset Cost	40
Green Rating	M
Insurance Group
Typical Insurance
% Value retained (3yrs/36000 miles)	52
Typical Contract Hire	0
Pence per Mile	0
Servicing Cost	0
Warranty	+ Paint + Perforation + Breakdown

Company Car Tax

% Charge	35
Benefit in Kind	24130
Tax Payable 20%	4826
Tax Payable 40%	9652

Performance

Body type	Coupe
Number of doors	2
Number of seats	2
Engine (cc/type)	3799/V6
Fuel type	Unleaded
Max power (bhp/rpm)	523/6400
Pulling power (lb/ft)	451
Engine position	F
Driven wheels	Four
Length (mm)
Width (mm)
Height (mm)
Boot space (max ltr)
Turning circle (m)
Towing weight (kg)
Kerb weight (kg)