At a recent press launch of the GT-R MY12, the updated Nissan supercar received high praise from the UK’s top motoring journalists.
Subjected to a damp Silverstone national circuit, the journalists had the chance to test drive the new car against the outgoing model. Here’s a round-up of their thoughts.
Autocar says…
It seems faintly unfair that Nissan should feel the need to exact yet further improvements to its world-beating high performance Nissan GT-R for the 2012 model year. But that’s exactly what’s just happened, which is why the GT-R MY2012 is now faster and better than ever to drive thanks to a raft of largely unseen upgrades.
The extra poke you notice mainly over the last third of the rev range, but – amazingly – it is noticeable nonetheless (even though weak acceleration has never been a key criticism of this car). What you also notice is the extra precision of the handling, and the even greater response during a rapid change of direction.
An extraordinary car just got even better still – for a surprisingly small increase in price.
Auto Express says…
With four years left until it’s replaced, how much better can it get? As a supercar for all conditions, the Nissan GT-R remains peerless.
With more power and trick suspension, the MY12 car refines the formula slightly but its essence is the same. Drive it on a slippery track and this 500bhp plus coupe still demands respect, but in the back of your mind is the fact that few things – barring a Porsche 911 GT2 perhaps – would be quicker point to point.
And there’s the GT-R’s trump card, that it’s happy to cruise at 150mph on the autobahn with all your luggage in the back.
Octane says…
It’s clear that the additional 40bhp-or-so from the twin-turbo V6 makes a noticeable difference. The car feels more urgent at the top end, and eager to rev, delivering a seamless speread of power through its impressively quick-changing paddle-shift six-speed ‘box. In the dry, and with launch control engaged, we’re hoping the big news will be a 0-60mph time of three seconds-dead.
The 2012 GT-R turns-in more keenly, and the mid-corner transition from under- to oversteer is even more controllable.
In summary – nothing came close to the 2011 GT-R in terms of technological density, sheer speed, and focused madness for the money. And now they’ve made it just that little bit better for 2012.
EVO says…
I can confirm that the engine does indeed pull more aggressively beyond the 5000rpm mark, even if it doesn’t feel 100bhp stronger than those first R35 GT-Rs did back in 2007.
Far from being the soulless simulator that some people expect, the GT-R remains one of the most characterful and mind-scrabbling experiences available.