Nissan GT-R Black 2014 Review

Nissan's stunning GT-R supercar remains one the greatest automotive bargains of all time. We have spent a lot of time with them, and loved every experience.

Having interviewed the GT-R's designers and engineers in Japan, and driven GT-Rs extensively in this country we still marvel at the level of racecar technology they offer. 

Most important is the sheer driving pleasure they provide. We have fanged a couple of GT-Rs at Eastern Creek Raceway and driven them extensively on roads in NSW, Queensland and Tasmania. Without exception we have come away with huge smiles on our face. 

Though it must be said that my partner Julie wasn't smiling after her first trip in the passenger seat of a GT-R a few years back. Having had a broken back many years ago she found the rock-hard ride of the original GT-R very painful. To the extent she spent several hours lying down to recover from the experience. Not nice.

Having just spent a few behind the wheel of the latest Nissan GT-R – in special Black Edition guise – we were impressed with the softer ride. It's certainly not Lexus soft, but it's acceptable to the point that we could use it as a daily driver, not just a track day special. That's important.

ENGINE TRANSMISSION

The latest Nissan GT-R 3.8-litre V6 puts out 540 horsepower (404 kW in weak metric terms) at 6400 rpm, up from the 390 kW in the previous iteration. 

Maximum torque has gone up from 612 Nm to 628 Nm, this solid grunt is generated in a generous band between 3200 and 5800 revs, so it's delightfully easy to keep the engine on song.

Each GT-R powerplant is carefully assembled by hand. As an example the engine builders precisely match the ports of the intake manifold and cylinder head. 

Sodium filled valves speed up cooling and the catalytic converter is just half the size of the previous one. Impressively, engine efficiency means it can run on leaner air/fuel mixture, cutting emissions and fuel use. The latter is 98 octane, not cheap fuel, but it lets the engineers tune their motors to the max.

Power is sent to all four wheels via a six-speed double-clutch transmission mounted at the rear of the car. Shift feel and quietness have been refined.

STYLING

The GT-R Black Edition runs on black ultra-light forged alloy 20-inch wheels. They have a width of 9.5 inches at the front and 10.5 inches at the rear. 

Its rear spoiler is unique to this model and is built from lightweight carbon fibre.

Seats are Recaro sports units in the front. Finished in black leather with red accents they look as good as they feel. A pair of individual seats are squeezed in at the rear. The dashboard, steering wheel, console and doors also get the black and red treatment.

Incidentally, there is a good variety of colours, your GT-R Black doesn't have to be black.

DRIVING

Acceleration is mind blowing. Hit the launch control and hang – for in just 2.7 seconds the big GT-R leaps from rest to 100 km/h. That's superbike territory and emphasises that this really is a race car for the road.

The aforementioned improvement in ride comfort has been made possible electronically. The suspension settings are switchable between 'comfort', 'normal' and 'race track'. 

We particularly liked the action of the fixed-position steering wheel-mounted shifter paddles.

The latest Nissan GT-R has an even stronger body to let it handle the added power and torque. Obviously, it also gives the suspension a stiffer platform to work from.

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres, developed for the GT-R, give excellent road grip as well as improved feedback through the steering wheel.

There is little legroom in the rear of this sportscar, which is no big deal. A 315-litre boot provides reasonable usability for a pampered pair when touring. 

The Bose sound system has been given a boost as it now has subwoofers that were previously only available with the Egoist spec GT-R. Door speakers and woofer in the rear are now mounted on a solid aluminium panel to reduce vibration.

On the subject of sound, that from the dual twin exhausts perfectly matches the feel of the big Nissan GT-R.