Though the pre-sales started on February 4th, 2008 for the 2009 Nissan GT-R at 676 select “GT-R Certified” Nissan dealers worldwide, the GT-R won’t be on the road until July 2008. We, however, recently drove the all-new 2009 GT-R at the Reno-Fernley Raceway in Nevada and were quite impressed by this AWD supercar.
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2009 Nissan GT-R at Reno-Fernley Raceway.
The 2009 Nissan GT-R features a 6-speed dual clutch transmission with paddle shifters. On the track, the paddle shifters are responsive, changing gears without a lag. Under the hood, it is the all-new 480 horsepower (@ 6,400 rpm) 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine with plasma-coated cylinders that powers the GT-R to an impressive 0-60 time that is under 3.5 seconds, a time that ties the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The only supercar to beat that 0-60 time is the Lamborghini Murcielago. Peak torque is 430 lb-ft from 3,200 to 5,2000 rpm and top speed is 193 mph. The 15″ Brembos slow the car from 60-0 mph in under 110 feet.
Special “set-up switches” located in the center console adjust the transmission, suspension, and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC-R), with each switch having three settings for ultimate adjustability. The driver can select the Normal Mode for “daily driving”, the R-Mode for “high-performance” with a quickened shift time, and the Snow Mode that locks the AWD system at standing start for smooth starts in rain or snow, reducing throttle response. Gran Turismo makers helped design the multi-functional display with 7 fixed and 4 customizable screens of info on the 17 performance parameters like brake pedal position, braking/acceleration G’s, throttle position, etc.
With a sticker price of $69,850 (premium version is only $71,900), you will be hard-pressed to find any reasons to ignore this top performer.