Nissan GT-R: Passenger Test Drive

Well here it goes:


Summary
Well, for whatever arcane reason, I was told by my dealer that I couldn't actually drive the GT-R so I took a "passenger" test-drive.

The car had about 3,500km on it and was of the basic trim (there are three trims) and in silver. The lady dealer doing the driving was no Schumacher but she did try to give me a glimpse of the car performance despite the fact that due to the visit by the Chinese Prime Minister or whatnot, there were cops aplenty everywhere - my usual luck


Here are my impressions:

Exteriors
Not the car's forte. Clearly designed to be very "Japanese" and looks all the more so in the flesh.

The car looks and feels big and it won't turn heads because of the way it looks but because people know of its performance.

Interiors
Nice for a Japanese car. The seats offer excellent lateral support and there is leather in even the basic trim though you still know you are in a Japanese car.

The trick computer system is pretty neat as you can see pretty much tons of statistics on the car (braking, acceleration, speed, lateral g's, you name it!).

The steering wheel is loaded with buttons (the car has a stop/start button on the wheel and on the tunnel) and overall the interior is a decent place to be in.

The rear seats offer practically no usability for anyone older than 12, given the very low headroom, despite the fact legroom is decent.

The engine noise is limited and the cabin fairly quiet.

The boot is surprisingly big for a car of this type


Engine
This is the peach of the car. We couldn't try the launch mode but when the dealer put her foot down, the car literally catapulted itself forward, progressively and so smoothly you'd not know the car has turbos.

Yet, beside the scenery around you quickly disappearing and the fact your eyes are pushed to the back of your head, there is nothing really making you feel you're going fast. The engine is rather quiet and gear changes flawless (and I mean flawless!) and there is no feeling of impeding warp speed as when I test drove the Gallardo (nor in my GranSport I have to say!).

The exhaust noise is also somewhat disappointing.


Handling
Hard to say anything on this given I haven't actually driven the car, but by all means, the car sticks to the road quite well. The three suspension settings do offer the flexibility you need to use the car in various ways and with an optional rear view camera, it's not too difficult to park this rather big car.

The car's software allows it to vary the amount of drive that goes to the rear wheels (from 100% to 50%) and I think that's part of the car's ability to out-acellerate pretty much anything this side of an Enzo.


Gearbox
The car has both paddles for manual mode and auto. Auto works so well, it's perfect. No reason to use the paddles really.

The changes are seamless and incredibly fast (thanks to the double clutch - and clever software - I suppose).


Conclusion
Can't say too much about the car overall given I wasn't able to be behind the wheel but if it's good enough for the hacks at Car, Car & Driver, etc to say it's the bees' knees, who am I to argue with them?

Is it stylish car? No
Is it a car that blows your mind with performance? Yes.
Is it fun? Not sure about that. I'd need a proper drive in it to let you know.


That's all folks

How do they expect to sell a car if they won't let the prospective buyer drive it? Or did they know you weren't interested?

I get slightly annoyed at dealers who won't let you take an unaccompanied test-drive. A dealer who wouldn't let me drive the car at all would be guaranteed no sale.

Originally Posted by bazza

How do they expect to sell a car if they won't let the prospective buyer drive it?

What He Asked !!

You seem fairly underwhelmed mate, I suppose it depends on what you want in a car, the ability to beat all comers at the lights or the ability to grin like a fool everytime you get in the car.

Originally Posted by bazza

How do they expect to sell a car if they won't let the prospective buyer drive it? Or did they know you weren't interested?

I get slightly annoyed at dealers who won't let you take an unaccompanied test-drive. A dealer who wouldn't let me drive the car at all would be guaranteed no sale.

Nissan is being very (probably overly) defensive of this car and given it was the only car of the dealership, somehow I couldn't test it.

I already got a quote for the car from the dealer. Will respond saying "interested but won't commit till I actually drive it". Fair enough, innit?

Originally Posted by GhostyDog

You seem fairly underwhelmed mate, I suppose it depends on what you want in a car, the ability to beat all comers at the lights or the ability to grin like a fool everytime you get in the car.

Well, partly disappointed that I couldn't actually drive it. But beyond that is the fact that what the hacks wrote in their review is really true: this is a car anyone can drive very, very fast.

I mean, when I put my foot down on the Gallardo a few weeks ago, and it took off , I actually had a "happy man at Croft"* moment. When the dealer dropped the hammer, it was impressive but in a perhaps sterile sort of way.

I need to get myself behind the wheel to really figure this out.

*aka: brown trousers

I think that sterility is the bigger threat with cars like these. Hugely, massively competent at all manner of high speeds but somehow uninvolving and soul-less which makes you wonder "why bother?"

You do sound unconvinced as Ghosty observed.

Originally Posted by BigFoot

*aka: brown trousers

The T350 I took out was a bit like that, went up a long straight bit of road on an industrial estate and just booted it and in no time at all was doing ludicrous speeds. I have no idea how fast I was going because I daren't look at the speedo.

Is there no Nissan MegaWeb equivalent then BF.

Don't think so. The main dealer is in Ginza but the dealer I got the Murano from is near where I live and there is the very helpful English speaking saleslady.

Will fix a test drive somehow, otherwise they can keep it.

I love Skylines. New York, Tokyo, London, they all have fantastic ones. As for the car? Yer I love those too but would never own one. Like the Evo they are ridiculously weak and need servicing every other mile. I would like to drive one though, other than in GT5, to see if the back end really is that twitchy! They apparently got the handling from driving it round a test track. I've seen the video and the driver survived so I know they didnt. I reckon they made it up. The buggers.

The R32 GTR is the best of them all has the best engine block, better chassis is light and is mad quick and the best styled it's not trying to be anything it isn't or something else. The rest are meh.

Oh