Starting out three years ago, when the Nissan GTR made its debut, it created a sensation in the motoring world. Nissan offered the world a car that cost only as much as a mid-sized premium European sedan while packing in performance and technology that could give supercars that cost twice as much a run for their money. Creating new records at the Nürburgring in Germany was - and still is - a necessary evil in the world of supercars. The GTR went on to do just that and changed the way people perceived supercars. It also challenged the notion that a supercar had to be insanely expensive.
In 2011, the GTR comes with the same engine but with improved performance figures. The 3.8-litre twin turbocharged engine now produces 530 horsepower and 625Nm of torque. It also does a 0-100km/h sprint in a mind-blowing 3.0sec. The GTR I got to test drive was even more special - the 2012 Nissan GTR VVIP edition. It's priced at Dh790,000 - that's Dh340,000 more than the GTR.
Body language
The test car came with a "white opal" coat, which is exclusive for the VVIP edition and it does look a lot richer than that on the standard car. It also came with 24-karat gold front grill accents and side panels; if I owned a car like this, that is one feature I would not be bragging about. The VVIP badge near the GTR badge on the rear also conveys the premium nature of the car.
The inside story
Sitting behind the wheel gave me a sense of power that is hard to describe. It was, to use a cliché, awesome. I did not feel that with the regular GTR, which had a conventional Japanese appeal. The VVIP version had interiors covered in leather that is selected and processed by a specialised tannery in Germany. The seats felt firm yet supple and I was impressed by the amount of detail that went into them. The steering wheel ornament on the VVIP GTR is something that takes a month to create, using traditional Japanese lacquering techniques and, according to Nissan, the ornament changes colour over time. The Bose sound system was customised for the VVIP version, but I wasn't terribly impressed by it.
Hitting the road
Technical details, features and specs aside, driving the GTR VVIP was a mind-blowing experience. The tone of the exhaust as I stepped on the throttle was the perfect supplement to the three seconds in which it sprinted to a 100km/h. The new six-speed dual clutch transmission, combined with the modifications on the turbo and exhaust system, gives the new GTR a whole new life in terms of performance. The ride is now a lot more comfortable given the new suspension and the carbon fibre spoiler, which is the same as that on the V-Spec GTR making it more stable as well.
The handling abilities felt just as good as the earlier GTR with the traction control and stability systems doing their magic.
Twists and turns are what this car loves, and I was glad I had taken it up a mountainous stretch of road, where it behaved perfectly.
I could feel the all-wheel drive system doing its work with the utmost in motoring precision, as the power is variably shared between axles as and when needed. It handles under-steer pretty well and with the improved power and performance stays on course while holding a curve at relatively high speed effortlessly. Clearly, this is a car that is built to perform.
The last word
With the VVIP version of the GTR, Nissan offers its supercar lovers a taste of Ferrari finesse with Japanese sophistication and ride quality. There is little difference in terms of power and performance between the regular GTR and the VVIP, therefore the essence of the car isn't really lost either. This is a collector's piece.
The VVIP version of the GTR caters to supercar lovers who are particular about the finer details. It offers them a chance to dress up their favourite supercar the way they want - and that for a lot of people is priceless. It might even justify the hefty price tag.
Philip Shane is a Dubai-based motoring freelancer
