At first glance the R35 Nissan GT-R is a physical paradox. The 3,800lb car's 480hp twin-turbo V6 just shouldn't be able to move it around like it does, and the base model's 20-inch Dunlop Sport tires shouldn't let it be thrown through the corners with such abandon, either. But the physics books are wrong, and Nissan has videographic proof.
Filmed by a fan at what appears to be a Nissan event or factory garage, the video below shows the GT-R, as reported earlier this month, running the Nurburgring's Nordschleife in a blistering 7m29.03s - within 1.5 seconds of the rather more extreme Pagani Zonda F. The GT-R's previous best time, a still-impressive 7m38s, was set in semi-wet conditions, but this lap was completed in perfectly dry, sunny weather, enabling optimum traction and times. Nissan claims the car is a perfectly stock model in street-going retail trim.
Despite its video-of-a-video nature and the irksome background noise overriding the music of tires and turbos, the video is strangely mesmerizing. Watching test driver Tochio Suzuki pilot the gargantuan machine around the 73 corners also gives some insight into the car's on-the-limit handling.
Based on Suzuki's steering inputs, the car appears to tend toward mild understeer, with just a hint of throttle-on oversteer at corner exit, which is natural for a rear-biased drivetrain. Still, both Suzuki and the car appear to handle the tires' slip angles very well. The Bridgestone Potenza RE070Rs that come as standard on the Premium and 'Black'-spec GT-Rs are believed to be quicker in the wet, but the Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST tires used for this run, made April 8th, shave 4-5 seconds per lap off the GT-R's 'Ring time, according to Suzuki in an interview with Drivers-Republic.
Reader Comments
Sun Jun 1 2008 11:31 PM
Wizards Lore says
ah ha.....i knew it !
Godzilla has returned
Mon Jun 2 2008 12:09 AM
Ayax says
In love. It really is Godzilla
Mon Jun 2 2008 12:25 AM
CK says
Or the baby Veyron ;)
Mon Jun 2 2008 8:13 AM
burke says
7:29!!!! that's some number...I don't think the ZR-1 Vette is ever going to be able to beat that...
Mon Jun 2 2008 12:21 PM
Graham says
does anybody know what the atom, or veyron's laptimes were.
Mon Jun 2 2008 12:49 PM
burke says
Veyron's lap time: 7:45
Mon Jun 2 2008 12:59 PM
burke says
Veyron's lap time: 7:45. Atom's time 6:55
Mon Jun 2 2008 2:00 PM
CarFanaticsUnleashed says
Now that, is impressive!
Within 1.5s of a Zonda, Nissan deserves a pat on the back for that one...
Wed Jun 4 2008 11:04 AM
Raptor says
Haha, those Japanese are crazy! This is fast in dry and wet. Hell, it could probably do the Ring below 8 min on ice :D
Well done
Wed Jun 4 2008 1:09 PM
Allan says
This thing is crazy, it is beating cars 4-5 times as expensive, i cant wait to finally see one on the road.
Wed Jun 4 2008 9:22 PM
Chris says
This is special. And magical. And special. My favorite is the throttle-blipping downshifts.
Wed Jun 4 2008 9:27 PM
Ultra says
good time . That dirver is good and pushes the car to its limits he almost lost control a couple of times when the car slid , I think the car was pushed to the MAX . Dont think zr1 can beat the time because of the 4wheel drive issue . of ofcourse the zr1 is still 10x beter car with refinement looks style and Less Cost to own price and will last 4ever just like ever other vette and well its s Corvette that will smoke this car in the street any time.
Thu Jun 5 2008 12:10 AM
Wizards Lore says
Ultra...without being to harsh on you...you are fricken deluded if you think for one second that a Corvette is better that a GT-R....dont get me wrong i love corvettes..Classic ones from the 60's ...but the latest arent a patch on the Nissan.
I found it funny though when you said the 'Vette has refinement .......hahaha
Sat Jun 7 2008 4:24 PM
Taylor says
This is a truely bad car!!!! Did you know that there is already one in Phoenix? That car is going to be coming fast and that will be the best day of my life!!!!!
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