Pros: The 2012 Nissan GT-R delivers truly blistering acceleration from a
twin-turbo V-6 while its all-wheel drive and suspension systems cling
to the road under the most adverse conditions. A unique performance
computer displays all the car information you could want.
Cons: Even with the suspension in Comfort mode, the ride can be bruising.
The 2012 Nissan GT-R is a dedicated sports car, a high-tech weapon for the track, and entirely suitable for winding public roads. But it is not the most practical for day-to-day driving. A good car on a winding road puts you in a state of near nirvana, but the 2012 Nissan GT-R opens up a new level of enlightenment. Out on a particularly good road in the San Francisco Bay Area, one that winds through a valley and up a mountain topped by an observatory, a new level with the GT-R is found.
Over an unrelenting course of turn after turn, hairpins and broader eases snaking their way up a mountain, as you work the paddles between second and third gear, cranking the wheel right, then left, then right again, modulating brakes and gas, the car brings you to a new level of consciousness. On the really sharp turns, the whip snap across the GT-R's body begins to break the rear wheels loose, but all it takes is a nudge of the accelerator and power coursed to the wheels with grip, the vehicle using its all-wheel-drive system to get back under control. Despite racing equipment such as its twin-turbo V-6, 20-inch Rays wheels, custom tires, and performance computer in the dash, the GT-R is a very forgiving car.
Technology makes this type of performance from a V-6 possible. Beyond sheer horsepower, the GT-R's secret weapon is launch control, which has been improved for the 2012 model. This system runs the engine up to 4,000rpm before putting power to the ground, and then monitors each wheel for slip, making corrections so as not to burn off speed.
The dual-clutch transmission significantly helps the acceleration, with gear changes that waste no time. This transmission has two modes, automatic and manual, the latter serving as a row-your-own sport mode. In automatic, the transmission favors high gears, looking for fuel economy.
And, surprisingly, the GT-R is not subject to the gas guzzler tax, as it earns 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway in EPA testing. Even more surprising is its Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle rating under California Air Resources Board regulations.
But while you might get above 16 mpg by keeping it in automatic mode, we came in with a tank average of only 12.7 mpg after a combination of freeway, traffic, city, and glorious mountain road driving. Where the 2011 GT-R's transmission sounded like farm machinery working over your right shoulder, the 2012 model dampens it so the noise seems like it's coming from a distant valley.
Part of the GT-R's handling expertise comes from its electronically controlled suspension. As in the previous model year, it includes a comfort setting. And while there is a noticeable difference between Race, Normal, and Comfort modes, there is not particular softness in the last. The GT-R's Comfort mode gives it a ride like a typical sports car, similar to the fixed suspension in the Nissan 370Z.
The hard-drive-based navigation system is the same one used by Nissan for a few years now, showing traffic and 3D maps. For the GT-R, topographical maps would have been a huge improvement, useful for checking out the upcoming terrain when racing down lonely canyon roads. The system's touch screen works as well as ever, and it also supports very good voice command. A Bluetooth phone system also comes standard with the GT-R, and supports dial-by-name through voice command.
Nissan added a few audio sources for 2012. The GT-R can now integrate with iPods and play music from Bluetooth streaming devices. The Bose audio system, with 11 speakers, sounds very good. It has to compete with the sound of the engine, transmission, and road, but has enough watts to pump out the volume. Two subwoofers don't hurt either.
But the piece de resistance is the performance computer. It gives you seven preset and four customizable screens showing every aspect of the car's performance tech. Graphs show acceleration, braking, and lateral g-forces. Gauges display oil temperature, torque split, and turbo pressure. One screen advises when to change gears.
The graphics difference between the standard cabin tech suite and the performance computer is a little jarring. There was no attempt to give them a common theme. Also, a driver's notes function in the performance computer records what roads you've driven, but you can't port roads from the driver's notes into the navigation system.
The technology that goes into making the 2012 Nissan GT-R such a good sports car is truly amazing. An adaptive suspension and all-wheel drive keep its big tires sticking to the pavement. The twin-turbo V-6 and dual-clutch transmission ensure that the power comes on when you want it. The cabin electronics, featuring a useful navigation system and Bluetooth phone system, are solid. The Bose stereo is powerful enough to compete with the engine noise. And giving the GT-R a big boost in the electronics is its performance computer. The design of the GT-R is surprisingly subtle. People in the know will stop and gawk, or come up and ask questions. But most civilians will walk blithely along, unaware of the monster sitting at the curb.
Cons: Even with the suspension in Comfort mode, the ride can be bruising.
The 2012 Nissan GT-R is a dedicated sports car, a high-tech weapon for the track, and entirely suitable for winding public roads. But it is not the most practical for day-to-day driving. A good car on a winding road puts you in a state of near nirvana, but the 2012 Nissan GT-R opens up a new level of enlightenment. Out on a particularly good road in the San Francisco Bay Area, one that winds through a valley and up a mountain topped by an observatory, a new level with the GT-R is found.
Over an unrelenting course of turn after turn, hairpins and broader eases snaking their way up a mountain, as you work the paddles between second and third gear, cranking the wheel right, then left, then right again, modulating brakes and gas, the car brings you to a new level of consciousness. On the really sharp turns, the whip snap across the GT-R's body begins to break the rear wheels loose, but all it takes is a nudge of the accelerator and power coursed to the wheels with grip, the vehicle using its all-wheel-drive system to get back under control. Despite racing equipment such as its twin-turbo V-6, 20-inch Rays wheels, custom tires, and performance computer in the dash, the GT-R is a very forgiving car.
Technology makes this type of performance from a V-6 possible. Beyond sheer horsepower, the GT-R's secret weapon is launch control, which has been improved for the 2012 model. This system runs the engine up to 4,000rpm before putting power to the ground, and then monitors each wheel for slip, making corrections so as not to burn off speed.
The dual-clutch transmission significantly helps the acceleration, with gear changes that waste no time. This transmission has two modes, automatic and manual, the latter serving as a row-your-own sport mode. In automatic, the transmission favors high gears, looking for fuel economy.
And, surprisingly, the GT-R is not subject to the gas guzzler tax, as it earns 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway in EPA testing. Even more surprising is its Ultra Low-Emission Vehicle rating under California Air Resources Board regulations.
But while you might get above 16 mpg by keeping it in automatic mode, we came in with a tank average of only 12.7 mpg after a combination of freeway, traffic, city, and glorious mountain road driving. Where the 2011 GT-R's transmission sounded like farm machinery working over your right shoulder, the 2012 model dampens it so the noise seems like it's coming from a distant valley.
Part of the GT-R's handling expertise comes from its electronically controlled suspension. As in the previous model year, it includes a comfort setting. And while there is a noticeable difference between Race, Normal, and Comfort modes, there is not particular softness in the last. The GT-R's Comfort mode gives it a ride like a typical sports car, similar to the fixed suspension in the Nissan 370Z.
The hard-drive-based navigation system is the same one used by Nissan for a few years now, showing traffic and 3D maps. For the GT-R, topographical maps would have been a huge improvement, useful for checking out the upcoming terrain when racing down lonely canyon roads. The system's touch screen works as well as ever, and it also supports very good voice command. A Bluetooth phone system also comes standard with the GT-R, and supports dial-by-name through voice command.
Nissan added a few audio sources for 2012. The GT-R can now integrate with iPods and play music from Bluetooth streaming devices. The Bose audio system, with 11 speakers, sounds very good. It has to compete with the sound of the engine, transmission, and road, but has enough watts to pump out the volume. Two subwoofers don't hurt either.
But the piece de resistance is the performance computer. It gives you seven preset and four customizable screens showing every aspect of the car's performance tech. Graphs show acceleration, braking, and lateral g-forces. Gauges display oil temperature, torque split, and turbo pressure. One screen advises when to change gears.
The graphics difference between the standard cabin tech suite and the performance computer is a little jarring. There was no attempt to give them a common theme. Also, a driver's notes function in the performance computer records what roads you've driven, but you can't port roads from the driver's notes into the navigation system.
The technology that goes into making the 2012 Nissan GT-R such a good sports car is truly amazing. An adaptive suspension and all-wheel drive keep its big tires sticking to the pavement. The twin-turbo V-6 and dual-clutch transmission ensure that the power comes on when you want it. The cabin electronics, featuring a useful navigation system and Bluetooth phone system, are solid. The Bose stereo is powerful enough to compete with the engine noise. And giving the GT-R a big boost in the electronics is its performance computer. The design of the GT-R is surprisingly subtle. People in the know will stop and gawk, or come up and ask questions. But most civilians will walk blithely along, unaware of the monster sitting at the curb.
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