Godzilla has come a long way since its inception.
From the 158bhp Nissan Skyline Nissan GT-R that made its debut in 1969 to today’s 562bhp all-wheel-drive monster with a sub-3.0sec 0-60mph time, it’s a prime example of what five decades of progress can do to a performance car.
After its grand entrance in 2007, the latest model, referred to as the R35, made some significant waves in the automotive world. Built from the ground up to be a model in its own right, rather than a Skyline variant, the Nissan R35 GT-R arrived with immense performance and an ambition – that it realised – to take on rivals costing twice its original £70,000 price.
Even a £150,000-plus Ferrari 458 can’t keep up with it around the Nürburgring Nordschleife, the Italian supercar’s best lap time of 7min 32sec being no match for the GT-R’s 7min 27sec. The Nissan’s incredible traction, grip, power and quick-shifting six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox help it to overcome its 300kg-plus penalty over the 458.
Generating its deep reserves is a big, raucous V6 – a 3.8-litre unit – with a couple of turbos strapped to it. Initially it produced 473bhp, but a 2011 facelift bumped that up to 523bhp. Then, as part of a significant 2017 update that included revised styling, a higher-quality interior anda smoother ride, the GT-R went one step further and jumped to 562bhp.
That’s for the standard model, but there’s an even more focused, harder-hitting Nissan GT-R Nismo version, which first arrived in 2013. In its current form, it wields 600bhp. With go-faster additions such as lightweight carbonfibre panels, grippier tyres and the biggest brakes fitted to a Japanese production car to date, it can fly around the Nürburgring in 7min 8sec.
Being able to lap the Green Hell incredibly quickly is one thing, of course, but sheer bombastic pace doesn’t necessarily mean it’s an engaging, thrilling or fun machine to drive. But thankfully, it is all of those things, too. Its steering is old-school hydraulic and has a confidence-inspiring weight and feel to it.
Plus, its four-wheel drive system has a rear bias, so the car can be rotated nicely, despite its considerable size and weight. This, along with remarkable grip, allows it to hit you with some serious g-forces in the corners as well as the straights.
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A previous Autocar buyer's guide for the GT-R drew attention to the running costs, especially servicing costs, which seemed excessive. I suspect that many enthusiasts have considered buying a used GT-R but reconsidered after learning about the total cost of onwership.
When the GT-R was first launched, it did shake things up, especially for Porsche. However, with the passage of time, the GT-R is perceived to have fallen behind even though Nissan has kept updating it almost yearly.
On two occasions, I have driven a GT-R on a race track. It is impressive in some ways. However, it feels more clinical rather than exciting to drive - and it does not feel as premium as it needs to be.
Scribbler, good to hear from someone who has actually driven and tracked the car in question. I think all performance cars as used, out of warranty purchases, are potentially expensive to run? Do you think the prices make it a compelling purchase, and if not what would you consider as an alternative?
Yes, out of warranty can be a big issue for certain brands.
Alternatives? At the moment, if you want that level of horsepower (from the factory), you will need a bigger budget than £35K. However, if around 450-500 bhp will suffice, you have lots of options.
If a saloon suits, an interesting choice could be a used Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, but get it approved used. Another interesting choice would be a later version of the Maserati Quattrroporte. Equally, the last two generations of M5 and the equivalent E Class AMG are worth considering, but lack of warranty cover and running costs would be considerations.
If only a coupe will do, an early 997 Turbo is a good bet. Another might be an early R8 V10, but it would have to be a manual because the R Tronic transmission is not rated (later first-gen R8 V10 cars had double clutch as an option, but they cost a lot more). An Aston Martin V8 Vantage from 2005-2018 could be worth a punt, but both the manual and automated manual transmissions let it down and contribute to high running costs.
If you're not fussy about track use, a first-gen Audi RS5 is worth considering. I have one at the moment. It's a great all-rounder but it's a GT car, not a sports car. It's very reliable and running costs are predictable.
Overall, the most obvious and best rival for the GT-R at that price point (well, let's say £35-45K) would be the 997 Turbo. It's a benchmark car that will hold its value.