2009 Nissan GT-R

OVERVIEW

North America never got the Skyline. Which was a shame, because in R34 form, it had all-wheel drive and all-wheel steer and could give a Porsche 911 Turbo plenty to worry about. There are a few imports, but it was too difficult to make it left-hand drive on account of all the plumbing for the twin turbochargers.

This model is, for all intents and purposes, the new Skyline. There was some early confusion about the name, even down to whether the car would wear an Infiniti badge. But a fine sense of heritage has prevailed.

In keeping with that heritage, the car is so state of the art that the engine doesn’t just have oil, it has plasma inside it. The transmission has not one clutch but two: the first to handle the odd-numbered gears (1/3/5), the second to handle the evens (2/4/6). And it uses steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifts to change gears, F1-style. The suspension is electronically adjustable, and all four wheels are driven.

UNDER THE HOOD

3.8-liter V-6, turbocharged and intercooled
480 horsepower at 6,400 rpm
430 pound-feet of torque at 3,200 to 5,200 rpm
0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds
Top speed: 192 mph

WHEN?

Mid-2008 as a 2009 model

HOW MUCH?

$69,850 (to premium model: $71,900)

OUR TAKE

For most people, the GT-R will be the fastest, surest way to get from A to B. Previous iterations have pretty much annihilated the competition. Few Japanese cars have inspired the kind of enthusiasm and lust for earlier GT-Rs. Now all of America can join in the fun.