588 Nm = Volcanic Eruption !!! The Nissan GTR

[DKG]

In the days when I lived in Dubai I used to read about the legendary GTR's and the cult status this car had achieved. If I remember then the car was available only in Japan. Making it ever more elusive being only RHD's. To finally get to drool over a GTR in your home is something I never bargained for. It simply blew me away. Muscular to the core the car oozes confidence. Its very wide and quite a large car for a coupe.

Some of things that struck me instantly were the awesome 20inchers. Look at those alloys. Stunning. With ultra low profiles the only thought passing my mind as I ran my fingers over the alloy spokes was ...can it handle the brutal forces of cornering and acceleration? And boy do they do an awesome job

My friend Harish who owns the monster kept telling me the brakes were simply mindblowing. For me too the brakes of a car are sometimes more important that its outright take-off ability. This remains one reason why I love Porsches. The disc on the GTR is a humongous 16 incher the size of your Safari's rim!!! And those Brembo calipers say one thing...Dead Stop!!





Visually one word succinctly sums up the GTR's appeal - ARRESTING !!

The details were drool city all the way









The interior was smart and very well finished. There were half a million switches and meters and frankly I simply couldn't bother with them. Harish said he'd need his manual in English before he figures it out himself (his car came from Japan direct with Jap manuals) We both agreed " Who needs to fiddle with all those switches when your right foot is what will deliver more thrill"

One feature I liked especially was that the instrument binacle moves along with the steering when you tilt adjust. So the meters are always looking at you direct and not at angles.



I don't know why but I have to see the engines of cars I drive. To me engines are an exotic work of art themselves and often functionality lends a raw appeal to their form. The GTR's twin turbo V6 didn't disappoint. The engine bay was packed with metal and it sure looked like there was a lot of beef in there.





Everything about this car is aggressive and muscular.



Liked the way the door handle sits flush with the body unless you pop it out to use it



After burners of a fighter jet? Well the GTR is no less a mean machine

[himanshugoswami]

This must have been the GTR that I saw on the road next to Taj Krishna on Saturday evening around 7 PM. I immediately called up avi (mobike008) to share this with him and while on the phone, was passed by a black RR Phantom .

Many, Hyd sure is rocking these days!

[greenhorn]

Harish said he'd need his manual in English before he figures it out himself (his car came from Japan direct with Jap manuals) We both agreed " Who needs to fiddle with all those switches when your right foot is what will deliver more thrill"

Given a choice between reading a 300 page manual and the world's fastest production car (claimed) , it might be hard to resist . might want to brush up on the launch control though
It's available as a free download from Nissan Publications

[DKG]

It was a cool crisp Sunday morning as I anxiously waited for the monster to arrive. It was 8 am when the GTR ambled up our driveway and I was ready for the ride of a lifetime. I almost forgot my camera but suddenly remembered there were all of you I had to record this event for. After all what are friends for?

I was delighted that Harish so kindly offered to bring the car over twice (the previous evening we couldn't go for a drive as planned as some more pals showed up). I was prepared to be treated to the GTR experience from a passenger's perspective.

I hopped into the passenger seat and we gently eased out of my driveway (some care required as, if not done at an angle you risk the bumper scraping the driveway)

We decided we'll take the GTR to the new highway connecting the Gachibowli junction to the airport. One reason I wanted to go there is pesky two wheelers and trucks are not allowed right now.

We had barely pulled away from home when suddenly Harish pulled over to the kerb and said " Deepak I think you should drive "

As I was already in a heightened state of alertness I knew that Harish had just asked me to drive a spanking new GTR that had barely a 1000 kms on the odo. What can I say guys ! I was deeply honoured and touched. I had never expected to drive the car. I'd never ask someone if I could drive their car or bike. Never have. Somehow I guess friends seem to know the deep passion in me and seem to trust me. All the exotics I've driven strangely get offered to me by their owners with enthusiasm. Its really such a wonderful feeling when someone trusts you with their precious machinery and says " Have a go "

In micro seconds I was in the drivers seat. I dropped the seat all the way to the floor and adjusted the position to allow me full control. I like sitting very low in sports cars. Sitting close to the ground lets me drive the car more like a hand fitting a glove

All set I blipped the throttle. A silky smooth V6 whine followed by a lovely purr from the exhausts. Clean and purposeful. I knew this exhaust was confident it didn't have to bellow to give the driver the feeling of power. Every component in the GTR is aware that the real showman is under the hood and everything else plays second fiddle to that monster within.

Harish explained that you had the option of auto or manual. He said " in the auto mode its brilliantly responsive"

As we had a couple of kms before the highway I happily slotted into auto and eased off.

The ride as expected is hard, but not so hard as to make it uncomfortable on average roads we encounter in Indian cities. The GTR actually is setup in a way that its actually a very comfortable cruiser around town too. The car is highly useable as an everyday car around town. Which is a big plus for its practicality.

Passing KBR we eased through Filmnagar down to Dargah and right onto the old Bombay highway connecting Gachibowli.

As I made the right turn at Dargah I flexed the throttle to instantly realise I was dealing with something which to say the very least is manic. This car was no cruiser pretending to be a monster. It was without a doubt an evil monster pretending to be a boulevard cruiser. I knew instantly what I was dealing with and with the relationship between driver and car settled I picked up speed as in no time we reached Gachibowli junction.

As I turned left through the barricades which thankfully restrict two wheelers and CV's before me lay a road that looked like a runway.

Now I was not going to waste my time with the auto box, as capable as it was. With the flick of the paddle I was in manual mode and in first as I eased onto the highway and floored the throttle halfway.

The GTR literally erupted like a volcano bursts. In seconds we reached the first turn. The depth of this car's abilities were now distinctly apparent. This car simply rewrites the rule book on acceleration. Its pure manic. Nothing I've driven unleashes power so brutally. And what struck me most is it lays all that power down on tarmac with such little fuss.

All wheel drive and fantastic weight distribution on account of a rear diff based gearbox makes this car totally composed under hard acceleration. No perceptible lift. It simply stays squat and goes like a torpedo.

I was really using the gears now as mile after mile I unleashed the GTR. I had ample opportunity to test the brakes as between all the runs I was slowing down whenever I'd notice the surface changing. I didn't want to take any chances with the front bumper bottoming out. Perhaps its the care I take which inspires confidence in friends to allow me to drive their precious machines.

The GTR's steering is weighted for stability at speeds and your attention is barely drawn toward it. It blends perfectly into the driving experience allowing you to enjoy the car more. It felt tight, very tight. You obviously need tight reins when your steed is a monster. But its not heavy to the point where it becomes cumbersome.

Turning around near the police academy junction I then floored the throttle all the way changing gears just a shade under redline.

Imagine you are standing at the base of a huge dam behind which is a wall of water and suddenly the dam gives way. Can you imagine what force is unleashed when that mountain of water falls on you?

The GTR literally screamed as it erupted in a tidal wave of force. Within seconds I reached a turn and had to ease off. Harish quietly tells me we just did 200 in that short burst. This car is a wild animal. Totally wild. In the hands of a careless driver its lethal.

We all have some perspectives on speed and acceleration and how long it takes to get there and what all one must do to prepare for a high speed drive. You have all the time in other cars to acclimatise yourself to the world of speed.

The Nissan GTR obliterates all things known to you about how fast a car can unleash power and the way it does it.

Harish said it reaches 100 kmph in 3.5 seconds. I don't doubt it for one bit considering I know how long it takes to get to 200 in most other cars and superbikes.

The GTR commands your respect and infact earns it in seconds under hard acceleration. You are at its mercy, to hold up well under such situations and slow down securely. It felt solid and safe. That's important. The car felt so tight and safe. I was composed throughout and never felt the car twitching or buckling under stresses.

Harish said there was a g-force meter too which tells you the g-forces you are experiencing.

All I knew was I had ridden the devil and what a devil it was.

As we reached the Gachibowli junction I eased back into auto mode and let the GTR amble along. Watching the GTR do that so comfortably simply astounded me. Just a few minutes back the car was like a tornado whose core nature was so mindblowing and now in town as we ambled along it felt like this car never ever could be anything but a cruiser.

Perhaps that is the essence of the GTR. Blistering performance in a package that almost feels like a regular coupe which only remotely reminds you of its pedigree through its slightly harder ride. The V6 in town is silky smooth and the auto uses 6th gear in all the city driving we did.

Yes Sir!!! The GTR uses 6th gear in all the city driving I did. It never needed 1st or 2 or 3rd or 4th only 5th on inclines and 6th.

Can you guys now begin to get a feel for what this monster is?

Its actually quite funny when you see the auto flick in seconds from 1st through to 6th almost like the engine is telling you "Hey buddy for this kind of piddly driving I need only 6th, save the other gears for when you are man enough to play with me"

I know I didn't test the GTR to its limits. It would have been lunacy to even attempt it. You need a track for this car. But the little muscle it did flex blew all my known perspectives on acceleration to bits.

At a fraction of what a Ferrari or Lambo costs the Nissan GTR remains unrivalled in what it delivers.

Its a wild animal. And I love animals

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by DKG

Its a wild animal. And I love animals

Congrats - you have attained nirvana during your lifetime!

[Samurai]

Wow, now that's some great experience and fantastic report. Normally I don't venture into this section. But for this I had to make an exception.

[abhinav.gupta88]

Man Amazing Report.
Damn , you sat in one of my favourite cars and dream machines.
Lucky You
Thanks for the pics ( They are amazing)

[adityabenz]

Awesome Pics. Superb Write up, i read the punctuation marks too.
i almost felt i was in your place, just to realise i was miles away from the true blue experience.
Awesome Car and One Awesome Friend.

[DKG]

I am not a very big fan of auto gearboxes. I always wished luxury sedans also offered manual stick shift atleast as an option. Sports cars for me obviously always have to be manuals.

Then I drove cars with the paddleshift and found them to be a very nice alternative to the traditional auto. My drive of the 5 series was a delight as I played along with the paddle shift.

I don't know if the new 5 series have the new generation of the dual clutch gearboxes but the GTR was my first known experience of this revolutionary new gearbox.

I am deeply impressed.

For those who may not know, simply put the dual clutch gearbox is a unit which runs the odd and even gears on separate shafts mated to independent clutches. When you engage 1st, the other shaft simultaneously engages 2nd and holds the clutch in. As you rev up in 1st and are ready to shift the second clutch releases the 2nd gear connect and depresses the first clutch to then select 3rd and stay depressed till the time for 3rd arrives.

Now what this means is during a gear change you are not wasting time first depressing the clutch, then selecting the gear and then releasing the clutch. Instead the new gen gearboxes do away with the time wasted in depressing the clutch and selecting the gear. You simply have the last bit of clutch being released everytime you want a higher gear.

This tech enable gear changes in micro seconds. Considerably faster than the traditional act of depressing the clutch, selecting the gear, releasing the clutch.

This is very impressive and makes the manual gearbox change gears like an auto, infact even much quicker than a traditional auto.

Dual clutch gearboxes are the future. As a gearbox its simply brilliant. In auto mode the electronics handle all the gear changes and it feels just like your regular auto with an even more impressive and seamless shift.

Will I order my Ferrari with a dual clutch gearbox? No. I'd still want a manual shift and I want that slotted gateway and the challenge it poses in getting it right fluidly and I don't care if I change gears in seconds and not microseconds. Because to me driving is not about speed and winning drag races. Its about the whole human element of mastering a machine.

On the Phantom though a dual clutch gearbox would be nice

[sai_ace]

Originally Posted by DKG

Its actually quite funny when you see the auto flick in seconds from 1st through to 6th almost like the engine is telling you "Hey buddy for this kind of piddly driving I need only 6th, save the other gears for when you are man enough to play with me"

so very true! very well written!

[Technocrat]

Wow thats a fantastic Car & a fantastic report.

I wont hide it I envy you so much right now

[DKG]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

I wont hide it I envy you so much right now

start loving that sugar...you never know when you get blessed with more sugar!!

I am glad I consciously took pictures so I could share the experience with you all. Its all about sharing and all the enthusiasts here must get a closer glimpse of this amazing car

[getsurya]

DKG,

Good write up coupled with awesome pics. Great monster!! Congrats to your friend Harish for this masterpiece!

[Jaggu]

fantastic car and fantastic narrative, my fav car on PC cant afford one in real life, anyone offering test drives??

[hydrashok]

Thank for a great read. I could myself feel the excitement you felt. Great pics too!