Nissan GT-R NISMO 2014 Review

Nervous is an understatement.

A bloke with a radio calls my name. It's go time. Ordinarily I'd be just a bit anxious about booting the world's fastest volume production car around an unfamiliar racetrack. As I amble over to the GT-R NISMO at the Silverstone circuit, the heavens open.

My heart-rate rises. Then, adding extra anxiety to proceedings, I'm informed that this is the only GT-R NISMO in Europe. The other one ploughed into a wall at Goodwood. Right-oh then. No pressure…

But even with the windscreen wipers going full tilt and a greasy track underneath, NISMO's third go-fast model, after the 370Z and JUKE is compelling.

Within three corners and 20 seconds my foot is grinding the accelerator pedal hard into the firewall, the speedometer needle rising at a ludicrous rate, my torso pushed into the seats with impressive force.

The hard-charging GT-R's power has risen from 404kW to 441kW in this NISMO-fettled version, and that 600 horsepower now hits 400rpm higher in the rev range at 6800rpm. Taking cues from the GT-R GT3 race car, it develops thrust like few other high-performance vehicles I've tested, feeling for all the world like its turbine-powered.

The extra 37kW and 22Nm — now 650Nm at an undisclosed rev count — is liberated via a pair of new, larger turbos, very similar to those used on the GT3 racer. The engine's electronics have been modified and a race-spec fuel pump added to ensure fuel delivery never becomes a problem.

For something with a considerable engine displacement, 3.8 litres, the V6 loves to rev, while the bigger turbochargers add massive stomp at any speed. A neat side-effect of running bigger turbos is that the engine bay gets so hot you can flash fry a chook in there; the car had to be 'rested' every 10 minutes to avoid boiling away the transmission fluid.

Despite the colossal muscle available, on a wet track the car gets its power down effectively with appropriate right-foot flexations, thanks in large part to its all-wheel drive 'Atessa' techno-wizardry. This system not only contributes to the car's stratospheric acceleration at all speeds, it means that in shite conditions it's more controllable.

Nevertheless, 441kW is big bikkies and anything more than a gentle throttle feed results in momentary scrabbling as the all-paw power delivery diverts power to the wheels with most grip. Yet even when this happens, the car never feels like it's going to bite — something that can't be said of the regular GT-R.

NISMO refuses to release official 0-100km/h figures for the new model, but the regular GT-R completes the sprint in 2.7 seconds, so a 2.5-second time is entirely possible via the launch control system.

When the rain eases and a dry line materialises, the car still momentarily breaks traction under full throttle when shifting from third to fourth gear, as the high-tech engine spins harder and harder.

The gearbox is impressive too, the twin-clutch six-speed unit striking through ratios like video game sumo wrestler E-Honda's thousand hand slap. Yep, Street Fighter fans will love this car.

Compared to the 404kW GT-R, this 441kW beast feels significantly quicker, and despite weighing only 20kg less it feels far lighter and more nimble when attempting to find the car's grip limit.

The NISMO engineers have made significant changes to the car's chassis, with firmer springs, new links on the double-wishbone front suspension and an upgraded rear anti-roll bar all contributing to that car's improved handling.

They provide the car with a nimbleness, nay, a willingness the regular R35 GT-R lacks. It feels less nervous when exiting corners at full noise, more eager to slot into them.

Having driven the regular GT-R the day before, I wasn't sure there would be a discernable difference, but golly-gee the NISMO boffins have earned their keep.

Recalibrated electronically adjustable Bilstein dampers are in the mix, which combine with ultra-sticky Dunlop tyres fitted to 20-inch diameter alloy rims, measuring 255/40 at the front and 285/35 at the rear.

The reworked shocks and wider rear tyres help the GT-R NISMO generate massive grip and race car-inspired aero aids improve downforce appreciably, giving it scads of high speed stability.

The result of the chassis changes mean the car feels about 100kg lighter, not the claimed 20kg, and it's a revelation. Even in less-than-ideal conditions the car feels much lighter on its feet and tracks through corners with such certainty it's difficult not to laugh like a school kid with a fist full of firecrackers.

Another boon is car-to-driver communication, which has improved markedly, so you can give the throttle a squirt for a touch of tail-out action without it biting back unfavourably, something regular GT-R isn't so good at. A more pliable supercar whose supreme levels of traction inspire such confidence that each subsequent lap I'm goaded into pushing harder and harder.

And the brakes? Sublime. You can jump on them late, dive precariously deep into corners, yet the nose still tucks in tightly as you ease off, the car rarely pushing wide or feeling lethargic.

Lower, longer, and looking like a four-wheeled version of a Gundam combat robot from the famous Japanese sci-fi series, the GT-R NISMO has the visual to physical presence to match its incredible engineering too.

The leading edges of the car — front spoiler, rear flanks – have been accentuated and given more gravitas, the sharper lines adding more intent. The redesigned front fascia is wider and, together with a bigger rear wing and longer rear bumper, helps generate more downforce, which is certainly felt at higher speeds.

What Nissan's motorsport division has learnt from racing is now starting to feed into its production cars, and while the 370Z NISMO as an appetising starter, the GT-R is an unforgettable main dish.

When the car was announced at the Tokyo motor show in late 2013, Nissan Australia was already taking orders for the car from dealers, but the company is still coy on when we'll see the NISMO brand launch in Australia, or even which car or cars it will present.

Whatever the case, the GT-R NISMO will be the most expensive, likely priced above $200,000 when it finally gets here.

In the event there aren’t enough superlatives in the English language to describe how impressive Nissan Motorsport's new 441kW GT3-inspired super car is, there's a Latin word that fits the bill: miraculosum.

Sharper and more dextrous proposition than the unfettled GT-R, you feel more connected with the NISMO version, almost as if it closes in around you the moment you turn the steering wheel.

My initial nervousness about driving this car was completely unwarranted, because the GT-R NISMO is easier to drive faster than its donor car -- no question about it.

2014 Make Model Type pricing and specifications:
Price: $200,000-plus (estimated)
Engine: 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo