Nissan GT R 2011

The Nissan GT-R is one of the fastest cars money can buy and for 2011 has undergone a series of tweaks to make it even quicker still. It might cost £10,000 more than before, but it's still a true performance bargain.

Few cars in recent years have shaken things up quite as comprehensively as Nissan’s formidable GT-R. Brutal to look at, ballistic to drive and punching well above its price tag in pure performance terms, the twin-turbo, all-wheel drive, four-seat GT-R picked-up its premium brand opposition by their lapels and shook them them till their gritted teeth rattled.

Nissan GT R 2011

For 2011 Nissan has given the GT-R its first major revamp, with enhancements to the exterior, interior and drivetrain. Clearly the GT-R’s legendary project leader Kazutoshi Mizuno is unfamiliar with the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, for the outgoing model was hardly lacking in performance.

Undaunted, Mizuno-san and his team have extracted significant increases in power and torque, generated more aerodynamic downforce and stiffened the GT-R’s structure, while at the same time reducing fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and the drag coefficient.

Nissan GT R 2011

The defining experience of the outgoing GT-R was its relentless mid-range acceleration and instantaneous gearshifts thanks to its double-clutch, paddle-shift transmission. The revised car adds fiercer top-end performance to the mix, pulling hard and keen all the way to the 7,100rpm redline. It’s been said before, but an 1800kg car simply shouldn’t be able to move this rapidly.

If the twin-turbo V6’s 520bhp and 475lb ft of torque make easy work of hurling the GT-R up the road, then the 10mm larger diameter front brake discs more than cope with slowing it down. Lighter triple-forged alloy wheels and new Dunlop run-flat tyres have slightly improved the ride comfort, and the steering feel and initial response is sharper and more immediate