As cliches go, it’s a good one. A Nismo GT-R cutting through the portside streets of Yokohama in Japan next to the shining mini theme park, the afternoon light spearing through the big wheel trying to pin the spokes to the sea. The brief howl of the V6 across a junction, turbo boost, the scrabble of the all-wheel drive, the vitality and muscle of it. As cures for jet lag go, a few indiscreet button pushes for transmission bias and traction control are enough to wake you very quickly indeed.
The GT-R can’t completely hide its years, mind. It takes a while for the gearbox to wake up and release from Park when you first start it, the throttle generally more elastic in its call and response from the engine than you remember. Boost feels like it takes more time to arrive and there’s no blue pill for an easy fix, the interior verging on the retro. And yet I still love it. It’s all subjective – the GT-R hasn’t got slower... everything else has got faster. Set the modes correctly, get the motor on boost and jam it in the right gear, and the GT-R will still scare the doubt from behind your eyes on a run up the expressway.
Truth is, the Nissan R35 GT-R is still a thing of wonder. This is not the linear, crushing force of electric acceleration, but the noisy, mechanical energy of internal combustion. It might not be the fastest, but for the moment, if you want excitement rather than simply dominance, then ICE still has an edge of imperfect perfection. The reality of the new age of electric is that there are five-seat electric SUVs out there that’d eat the GT-R in a straight drag race and give it an uncomfortable run for its money on a circuit. Which takes a moment to properly sink in. But combustion still has lessons to teach the new generation.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE PERFECT RECIPE FOR KARI FT. EUROGRIP
What happens when you do track days in the name of pushing the limits of a tyre
ROOKIE BLUES
Acosta Urged for Patience as KTM Chases Ducati
THE VALUE OF TIME
Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen
DJI Osmo Action 4
Being an automotive journalist, our job entails us to ride motorcycles of all kinds and not to forget, the life behind driving some exotic set of wheels as well.
WAR WORDS WORLDS
Indians might not have played a deciding role in the previous world wars but now, our participation is much more evident
XTREME MACHINE
Maserati's racing history is a patchwork of epic highs and long absences, so can the MCXtrema - a track only version of its latest supercar-bring back the glory days?
WET AND WILD
No doors, no roof, no boot, but at least there's a windscreen... Paul Horrell pulls on his waterproof trousers and takes the Nomad 2 for a spin
STREAM W0RKS
This is an MG. Yes, really. Turns out it's got form in streamliners too...just ask Stirling Moss
A map and a compass.
Dacia got a foothold in the UK with cheapness, now it wants toughness on its CV. Can the new Duster handle Morocco's heat and locate a Dakar team in the desert - no GPS allowed?
A RECKLESS DEVELOPMENT?
Farewell, V10, this is the new Lamborghini Temerario, a 907bhp V8 hybrid. A worthy Huracán successor, or a misstep from the Italian firm?