Long Term Arrival: 2010 Nissan GT-R
About six months after it annihilated a field of 17 vehicles and won our 2009 Car of the Year, the Nissan GT-R has finally landed in our long-term fleet. As you may know, it is COTY protocol for a winner to return to us in factory-fresh form for a year-long test, to see firsthand if our love wanes or grows and if our judgment was sound or — gasp! — flawed.
And if you’re wondering why it took half a year for us to get our hands on one, well, the answer is threefold: Low volume (about 2000 per year), high demand (the 2009s sold out about as quickly as the Nissan GT-R hits 60), and the fact that Nissan wasn’t exactly clamoring to lend a supercar to a bunch of lead foots for 12 months all were factors. So we waited. And waited. And waited. Our patience paid off, though, and a few months ago we received one of the first $84,040 2010 models. Representing a $2950 price hike over the 2009, the ‘10 GT-R has five more horsepower, a new control module for the six-speed dual-clutch auto, a reworked suspension with retuned springs and Bilstein dampers, darker wheel finishes, and standard side and curtain airbags.
Our tester came in Premium form ($2250: Bose audio, Bridgestone RE070Rs, heated front seats) with two additional options-a hand-polished Super Silver paint job ($3000) and carpeted floormats ($280). Total ticket: $87,320.
One feature not present on the 2010 is launch control, electronic trickery that not only made the 2009 blindingly quick (we’ve seen 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds), but also tempted too many overzealous owners to abuse it while saying, “Hey, watch this!” As a result, Nissan was burdened with warranty issues and pulled it for the second model year.
Not that it really matters. Our long-termer needed just 3.5 seconds to hit 60 and 11.9 seconds at 120.1 mph to eclipse the quarter mile. The GT-R’s handling and braking did not disappoint, either, registering 0.98 of maximum lateral grip, 24.4 seconds at 0.81 g through the figure eight, and a scant 103 feet halt from 60 to 0. Perhaps most impressive, the GT-R puts up these astonishing numbers while delivering 16/21 mpg city/highway fuel economy, thus avoiding the gas-guzzler tax (a claim an M3 can’t even make).
Speaking of the M3, we’ve just welcomed an M3 sedan into our fleet with open arms. Will the GT-R induce more hugs than the vaunted Bimmer? It’s our duty to find out.
[source:MotorTrend]
More Excellent Nissan Cars’ Articles In www Auto Com:
+ Nissan announces 2010 Armada pricing and new Murano 360 value package
+ Nissan Skyline Crossover Announced For Japan Launch this Summer
+ First Look: 2009 Nissan Nismo 370Z
+ First Drive: Nissan GT-R SpecV
+ First Test: 2009 Nissan Cube 1.8S
+ Nissan Japan offering “stylish package” for 370Z
+ Nissan 370Z S-Tune begins to get official with new images, info and website
+ 2009 AuoFans Car of the Year Winner: Nissan GT-R
+ Nissan’s plan for electric cars: buy the vehicle, lease the battery
+ Nissan 370Z gets 332hp, rev-matched manual transmission
+ Test Drive:2009 Nissan Murano SL AWD
+ Seeing the 2010 Nissan 370Z
+ Wald International preparing Nissan GT-R kit
+ First Look: 2009 Nissan Frontier
+ GT-RR.com: Bringing GT-R performance parts to the people”>GT-RR.com: Bringing GT-R performance parts to the people
+ Nissan lying about GT-R horsepower?
+ Renault launches new Laguna coupe with 3.0L diesel
+ First Drive: 2009 Nissan Maxima
+ The Frugal Five: Compact Crossover Comparison
+ Rendered Speculation: Nissan 370Z previewed in presentation
+ The Frugal Five: Compact Crossover Comparison
More Excellent Articles like
Long Term Arrival: 2010 Nissan GT-R
Pay Attention to Auto Fans
Recent Auto Articles
- One-off SR-71 Mustang sells for $375,000 at EAA AirVenture
- First Test Experience: 2011 Nissan Juke SV
- Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 announced - world’s first diesel full hybrid vehicle
- Nissan Xterra not long for this world
- 2011 Ford Mondeo facelift unveiled in Moscow
- 2011 Nissan Murano unveiled with mild refresh, new SV trim
- Mercedes-Benz unveils 2011 S63 AMG with twin-turbo 5.5L V8
- Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe Shaheen and Baynunah bespoke editions
- Officially Official: Updated 2011 Jeep Wrangler now in production
- Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black Series by MKB packs over 1000hp
