Godzilla 2.0 – The 2012 Nissan GT-R
This blog written in honor of the newest edition to our stable of exotics, the 2012 Nissan GT-R. Currently en route from the East Coast, we expect the GT-R to arrive at the Clubhouse within the week!
When the Japanese legacy that is the Nissan Skyline series crept out of the shadows and caught a boat to the States in the form of the GT-R, excitement was fervent. Not only did the car represent an American homecoming for Nissan’s most advanced performance capabilities but it had killer aggressive looks with all the turbo rush you could ask for. A few years have passed and while the GT-R is still the poster child of Japanese high performance (calm down Lexus LFA), some of the unabashed excitement has subsided. All you really need to do to bring back this Godzilla fever (“Godzilla” is the GT-R’s widespread nickname), is pit it against the industry’s most ferocious, well established (and more expensive) competitors and you’re reminded that this is one powerful machine that is superior in many ways.
One of the most notable features of the GT-R is its amazing all-wheel drive system. Called ATTESA E-TS, for Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All Electronic Torque Split (say that five times fast), the GT-R’s AWD keeps all of its 3,900 pounds firmly planted to the pavement during its astonishing 2.8 second launch to 60 and . Sure, wheel spin is only natural and the common high-pitched swirl and plume of smoke that accompanies a pedal to the metal launch is highly satisfactory, but without that the ease of reaching lightning fast speeds is raised exponentially. Just watching the GT-R takeoff is a feat in itself, with all four wheels set in hyper motion simultaneously and its burly tailpipes spewing off a sort of vacuum cleaner from hell tone that instantly reminds you of its forced induction under hood. This sub-three second 0-60 time was not always the case until 2012 rung in a highly revised Godzilla. Not only did it become more powerful with 530 horsepower available at 6400 rpm and 448 pound-feet of torque coming at 5200 rpm (the result of a raised turbo boost pressure to 13 psi from 11 psi, among other revisions), but it is more refined thanks to a healthy roster of suspension, driveline, and exterior improvements.
Nips and tucks also took place to give the GT-R a wider, more dominating presence on the tarmac. In front, the lower chin spoiler extends slightly to improve downforce. To either side of the gaping lower air intake is a trio of canards (with LED daytime running lights) that better deflect passing air around the car and improve downforce. Rear elements have been improved as well. Spats directly behind the rear wheels are ventilated to dispel passing air and cool the Brembo brakes. A pronounced carbon fiber diffuser directs airflow under and away from the car. With the new exterior components in place, downforce improves by 10% while drag coefficient slides to a slim 0.26 Cd.
Both cars come in around 500 ponies with the Porsche at an exact 5 bucks and Godzilla with now pushing 530. We will note that Porsche has recently introduced us to the Turbo S which matches the GT-R’s 530 hp and sub-three second 0-60 time, but at nearly $80k more, price alone is pushing how comparable these two cars are. The way that these exotics deal with that power is very different. It’s hard not to be biased toward the Porsche here – how can you remove yourself from the rich history of the Porsche Turbo? – but the GT-R puts up a fight that you may even find yourself preferring. Both cars give the driver supreme control over their environment, the Porsche providing immense road feel and connectedness to the driving experience and the GT-R allowing the driver to fine tune the specs of his car in seconds. The result? When tuned appropriately, the GT-R carves the road with alarmingly quick steering and throttle response, exceptional precision and gear changes in 0.15 seconds, woohoo! Pair that with a 3.8 liter twin-turbo V6 with barely any turbo lag and you have yourself a supercar that provides scary fast performance but that won’t bite back or induce an “Oh S***” lack of control moment. With that said, our incoming 2012 GT-R is perfect for a novice that wants to experience blisteringly fast supercar performance or an experienced driver that just feels like an experience that is a bit less labor intensive. Either way, our incoming 2012 GT-R is a highly sought after new model that will stand proudly among the automotive elite in our paddock and challenge your decision process. Godzilla 2.0; can you really resist?
