Nissan GT-R - Review

The sheer scale of the GT-R gives it huge road presence. Even cars costing three times as much will struggle to match the outrageous styling of Nissan’s angular coupe. It’s not pretty, but with four dustbin-lid sized exhaust pipes, matching taillights and huge alloy wheels it looks like a high performance car should. Its evocative badge doesn’t hold the universal appeal of an Italian thoroughbred but to its core audience there’s nothing to rival the appeal of the GT-R logo.

Interior/Practicality

Given the performance available, the big Nissan is pretty practical. Adults won’t find the rear seats very comfortable, but they’re fine for children and extra luggage. There’s even a decent 315-litre boot. Technology lovers will cherish the multi-function display at the centre of the dashboard because it provides information on everything from cornering g-forces to turbo boost pressure! However, the switchgear and cabin plastics are better suited to a supermini than a supercar and the bluff dashboard looks basic. It comes with loads of standard kit but simply lacks the sense of occasion you expect from a 193mph coupe.

Engine/Performance

The GT-R is a genuine technological tour de force. Its 2.8-litre twin turbo V6 engine delivers 473bhp and it blasts from 0-60mph in just 3.5 seconds. Acceleration is brutal thanks to the GT-R’s excellent four-wheel drive transmission and six-speed twin clutch gearbox. The paddleshift set-up provides seamless power delivery and super-smooth gearchanges – it can even be used as a full auto. The advanced Electronic Stability Control system can be configured to suit road and track driving but turning it off completely removes the safety net provided by its incredibly flattering electronics.


Driving experience

On British roads the GT-R feels wide but once you get used to its huge dimensions and firm ride comfort the Nissan is an astonishingly capable road car, with massive reserves of grip in all conditions. The paddle-shift gearbox couldn’t be simpler to operate and with the power directed to the rear wheels most of the time, steering feel is incredible. The big coupe changes direction with razor-sharp reactions and switches on the centre console allow you to tweak the gearbox, ESP and damper settings. Hit the track and the turbine-like power delivery provides dizzying thrust at any speed while the superb brakes serve-up impressive stopping power.

Ownership Costs

On the face of it the GT-R isn’t cheap, but look at the performance available and it’s actually a bit of a bargain. Future costs will be in the supercar category thanks to expensive tyres, sky-high fuel consumption and pricey insurance. But then, you don’t expect family car bills when you buy one of these cars do you?

Safety/Environment

Final CO2 emissions are yet to be confirmed but it’s fair to say the Nissan’s green credentials are poor thanks to its terrible fuel economy. A host of electronic driver aids are designed to keep you on the straight and narrow, and you get six airbags. The GT-R hasn’t been through the Euro NCAP crash test programme, but with such a super stiff chassis the big coupe should be a strong performer if it does all go wrong.

Nissan GT-R

It’s the performance car everyone’s been waiting for – the Nissan GT-R V-Spec has arrived in Europe.As soon as Nissan’s engineers unloaded their priceless high performance flagship, our spies swooped to get these exclusive pictures. Ready to lap the Nurburgring circuit in Germany, the GT-R V-Spec is set to eclipse the performance of all rivals.Visual clues are subtle, but enthusiasts will spot a unique rear spoiler to help to reduce lift at high speeds, while the alloy wheels have six spokes rather than the seven of the regular GT-R.

While the standard model produces 473bhp, the V-Spec range-topper is tipped to deliver up to 550bhp from its twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6. This is matched by a substantial 150kg weight reduction to make the flagship one of the most hardcore supercars on the planet.The standard GT-R is set to cost around £55,000 when it goes on sale in the UK in March 2009, and the V-Spec will add £20,000-plus to that. It will join the range before the end of next year.Source

Nissan Qashqai

Auto Express was first to break the news of plans for a more practical Qashqai – and now Nissan has released the first official pictures of its new Qashqai+2.The cross-over compact-MPV offers seven seat practicality to go with the standard model’s impressive dynamics and distinctive looks. Designed in Europe and built in the UK at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, the new model will be unveiled for the first time at the British Motor Show in July.

While design themes remain the same, the Qashqai's proportions have been changed to allow for the extra space inside. The wheelbase has been extended by 135mm, the overall length has grown by 211mm and the roof height has risen by 38mm. Amazingly, the +2 is unique from the A-pillar backwards.This makes room inside for a third row of flat folding seats as well as under floor storage areas.Set to go on sale in October, the seven-seat model will be available alongside the existing five-seat Qashqai. Buyers of both variants have the choice of two petrol and two diesel engines in either two or four-wheel drive form.Source

Nissan 370Z

Finally, here’s concrete proof that Nissan’s next Z car will be called the 370Z. Our spies spotted a pre-production version – and for the first time ever, they got a glimpse of the badge. It read 370Z, confirming that under the bonnet of the two-seater coupé is a 3.7-litre V6. This is the same unit as used by Nissan luxury offshoot Infiniti. As a result, the 370Z promises to be quicker and more powerful than the 350Z, with around 325bhp on tap – up from 309bhp. We have already spotted test mules for the new model disguised as a 350Z (above), but our spy pictures reveal a distinctive new look – and its shark fin-style headlamps have clearly been inspired by those fitted to the company’s Maxima luxury saloon.

The handsome four-door made its debut at last month’s New York Motor Show (Newsweek, Issue 1,005), and the Z car will share its smart projector-style headlamps, with a row of fashionable LED lights included, too.Our shots show Nissan’s designers have taken an evolutionary approach elsewhere, and you can clearly make out the diffuser-style bumper at the rear, complete with twin tailpipes and flush-fitting light clusters. The front end of the car was partially disguised, but expect a characteristically smooth nose, incorporating a large lower air intake. Inside, there’s improved trim and a trio of alloy-trimmed instrument dials ahead of the driver. The 370Z is set to be revealed officially at November’s Los Angeles expo, before hitting UK dealers in 2009. It could also benefit from upgrades from Nissan’s Nismo performance division. The tuning outfit will be familiar to Japanese buyers and enthusiasts around the world, yet is little known in the UK. According to insiders, the firm is planning to widen its reach – but only if it can engineer performance improvements rather than cosmetic enhancements alone.Source

Nissan Cube goes electric

At the moment, it's just a spark of an idea... But Nissan is promising this very special electric engined Cube offers a big clue to the future of the maker's small car line up.Developed in 2007 as part of an effort to accelerate the development of the company's electric car line-up, the cute city car offers a powerful engine capable of driving both front and rear wheels.

This working prototype is the first to feature new battery technology that the maker says could debut as early as 2010 in the Cube's Mixim based replacement. Nissan has committed to building an all electric vehicle for the Japanese market by this date using this concept's laminated battery technology.This sees the car's plug-in power pack shaped like a suitcase, and pound for pound offers twice the energy and 1.5 times the power of a similarly sized, conventional cylindrical unit.Source

Infiniti 4dr GT-R

NEW-to-the-UK Infiniti is planning a performance saloon based on the GT-R supercar from parent firm Nissan. And it looks set to be named the R50.The model has been championed by enthusiasts at Infiniti’s new European division, who had hoped that the GT-R would wear the luxury badge.

A source told us, “Launching new cars these days is all about recouping investment costs. Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn wouldn’t have approved the GT-R if its hi-tech chassis and transmission were not going to be used in some way in other models – including products from Infiniti and [sister firm] Renault. It’s the only way of making it pay. So building a performance Infi-niti saloon is perfect business sense.”
Our spies have revealed that the newcomer will be underpinned by a stretched version of the GT-R platform. Engineers currently have a choice of two powerplants. Most obvious is the GT-R’s 473bhp twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 – although they may be forced to use the 5.0-litre V8 unit recently unveiled in Infiniti’s all-new FX50 SUV. That’s because Nissan produces the GT-R’s engine by hand – output is only 50 a day, which would be nowhere near enough to supply Infiniti, too.
Plans for new models don’t stop there, however. Another source says Nissan hopes to build a US-market, GT-R-based SUV – a car even bigger and bolder than the 385bhp FX50. It will be aimed squarely at the Range Rover’s replacement, due in 2010.Source

Nissan Infiniti at Geneva Motor Show 2008

Set to launch in Europe later this year, Infiniti is the luxury marque everyone is talking about in Geneva this week.Not only does the firm have on display its three core models, but it has also revealed a brand new sporting SUV to take on Porsche’s Cayenne and the Range Rover Sport. Called the FX50, the Japanese model’s striking looks and V8 performance are sure to appeal to fans of fast 4x4s.Power comes from a 385bhp 5.0-litre V8 petrol, which will be joined in 2010 by a new V6 diesel engine that has been co-developed with Renault. The key to the FX50’s pace and efficiency is its relatively light weight. Aluminium bodywork and a plastic tailgate help it to be the lightest model in its class.When Infiniti goes on sale in the UK in April next year, the line-up will also include the G37 saloon and coupe and the EX37 cross-over SUV.The G37 is powered by a 306bhp 3.7-litre V6. It mixes muscle with chic styling, an impressive standard specification and lots of technical innovation.Meanwhile the EX37, which blends coupé looks with four-wheel-drive versatility, and is being billed by Infiniti as the “world’s first compact coupé crossover”. It has a luxury interior, commanding driving position and all-wheel traction.Source

2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid

Hot on the heels of the redesigned Altima comes Nissan's first foray into the hybrid market. The greenie version of the Altima uses Nissan's 158-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder connected to a planetary type CVT and two electric motors—technology licensed from Toyota—for a combined output of 198 hp. That's up 11 hp on Toyota's own Camry hybrid.Nissan estimates EPA fuel economy numbers of 41 city and 36 highway (Camry hybrid gets 40 city/38 highway) for the Altima hybrid when it goes on sale in early 2007. Nissan's hybrid will initially only be sold in California and the seven Northeastern states that have adopted California emissions regulations. No official word on price yet, but it will likely be significantly more than a base Altima, which starts around $20,000. Close to the $26,520 starting point on the Camry hybrid is probably a good guess.Source