2009 Nissan GT-R

Our Dynojet inertia-type machine indicated a mean output of 430.6 hp at 6700 rpm and 425.3 lb-ft at 3900 rpm, which we interpreted as 507 hp and 500 lb-ft after accounting for the 15% loss.

Ending at 6500 rpm, our first run's results were: 485.9 hp @ 6116 rpm and 469 lb-ft @ 3834 rpm (corrected for weather and subtracting the measured losses).

The Nissan GTR is a rolling PlayStation (and that's not a stretch: Sony helped develop some of the car's advanced electronics). Dials and switches abound. Buttons glow. Twirl a knob, and on the big central display screen you can monitor everything from acceleration g-force to brake-pedal input, front/rear torque distribution, turbo boost, lap times, and the airspeed velocity of an unladen European swallow. Be sure to keep an eye on the road now and then.

The 2009 Nissan GT-R delivers 21st Century electro-wonder and shattering performance at a base price ($77,840) that borders on the unbelievable.

Really comfortable on the track. GT-R can easily handle its power-I want more! Minimal body roll, but still good control. I could break the rear end loose when I wanted to, but when it went it really went. Steering is quick, very quick responding-which allowed me to catch the car easily. Really, it's a beastly car-not necessarily in a bad way. It's a visceral car to drive. A lot of fun.

While it predominately understeers slightly, it can easily be provoked into snap oversteer. That was fun, but the 2009 Nissan GT-R is violent when it breaks loose; the Audi R8, in contrast, drifts sweetly. The "R" mode really isn't a race mode-there's still a lot of stability control working, which is fine for the average guy but frustrating for me as a race driver. And before you turn stability control completely off, boy, you'd better have a lot of car-control clinics under your belt. The R8 is much more refined, a muscular dancer. The 2009 Nissan GTR is a wrestler.

Early reviewers have been almost unanimous in their praise for the Nissan GT-R's steering feel, proclaiming it unusually communicative for an all-wheel-drive car -- especially one wearing big fat 255/40R20 meats in front burdened with 55 percent of the total weight. It's certainly no Porsche in terms of steering feel, but it's darned close to the BMW standard when threading up the Angeles Crest Highway.

Another major contributor to the handling prowess are the Bilstein DampTronic driver-adjustable shocks, which take input from multiple vehicle sensors and tailor the damping forces to suit the immediate driving conditions. The system's three settings are Normal, Comfort, for maximum suspension compliance, and "R," for ultimate handling. The same three-stage adjustability is available for the VDC system and transmission shift operation, which also includes a Snow mode. On the nastiest stretches of LA freeway hop, we were unable to detect much difference in comfort when switching between the three modes, but up in the hills the "R" suspension mode effectively curtailed what little body roll the Comfort setting permitted. For track testing, we naturally set everything to "R" mode, which allowed plenty of slide for our figure-eight test without intervention. Switching it off merely afforded a more spectacular drift show, with no improvement in time.

That 3.2-second zero-to-60 mph time ties our best runs in a Porsche 911 Turbo and a 911 GT3-R, and trails only the Ferrari Enzo (3.1 sec) and Bugatti Veyron (2.7 sec) among production test cars. Our 11.6-second quarter-mile time ties the mighty Mercedes-Benz McLaren SLR's, but 13 other supercars manage to squeak ahead of our GT-R's elapsed time. Its trap speed of 120 mph is neck-and-neck with the Porsche 911 Turbo's, but at least 20 different models we've tested can top that figure. Perhaps that's the revelation here: Nissan's everyday-usable supercar is at its most super at everyday speeds.

The 480 horsepower supercoupe 2009 Nissan GT-R will start at $69,850 for the base model, plus a yet undetermined fee for destination and handling. The Nissan GT-R Premium model will begin at $71,900, though it receives the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine and six-speed dual-clutch transmission as the standard car, with no increase in horsepower. The GT-R premium will, however, feature standard side curtain airbags, heated seats, and a Bose Premium Audio System with two subwoofers and three extra speakers. Options for the 2009 Nissan GT-R appear to be, at least initially, few in number. A Cold Weather Package is listed as a no-cost option for both GT-R models, while Super Silver paint will set buyers back an additional $3,000. An iPod Converter can be installed for $360 and special carpeted GT-R floor mats will cost $280. We're guessing more options will become available as the GT-R stretches further into its production cycle.

Press the red start button on the center console, and the 3.8-liter V-6 burbles awake, slightly muted by its twin turbos. It's a new engine, not a steroidal version of the familiar VQ family of V-6s. The spec sheet says 473 horsepower.

Computer-game geeks will know the routine. It's pure PlayStation. The bottom of the center of the dash features three switches. The left one adjusts the transmission-a six-speed paddleshift via a twin-clutch rear transaxle. Choose the R (for racing) mode for faster gearshifts. (You could choose normal shift speed. Or full automatic-in which case your GT-R can tootle along like a Lincoln Town Car). The middle switch controls the dampers. Again, choose R for race. Those Bilsteins are now on max-attack mode, rock hard. Alternatively, choose Sport or Comfort, the latter replacing the rocks in the dampers with fluffy cotton wool. Finally, turn the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) also to R. Which means it's turned off. All those electronic nannies stopping slides and skids and spinning tires are bypassed. You're on your own. So the GT becomes a GT-R. The world's fastest sub-$100,000 car; $75,000 to $80,000 is the likely price range.

Also of note is what the GT-R's ticket to ride includes, above and beyond the majestic data. A comfortable, leather-adorned cabin that accommodates four passengers. A trunk that swallows two golf bags. A PlayStation-inspired multifunction display. A nav system, 9.3-GB hard drive, and Bluetooth. All standard. For an additional $2250, the Premium Edition adds side and side-curtain airbags, Bose audio, and heated seats.

In the kingdom of supercars, the 2009 Nissan GT-R positively belongs. Be it comparing 0-to-60 sprints, quarter-mile times, 60-to-0 braking, or lateral acceleration, the Nissan GTR is one of the world's best. Don't believe us? Its cornea-melting 0-to-60 run of 3.3 seconds is quicker than that of the BMW M6, the Porsche 911 GT2, the Lamborghini Gallardo LP-560, and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. It even manages to run door to door with the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and the Corvette ZR1.