One of the most eagerly awaited events at the Tokyo Motor Show was the launch of the new Nissan GT-R.
Formerly known as the Skyline and available only on the domestic market, that name has now been dropped in favour of GT-R, a global model for the first time.
The UK will have to wait until early 2009 to get the 180mph plus model and it will account for around 35 per cent of the 1,000 models a year scheduled for the European market.
Powered by a twin turbo 3.8 V6 engine and all-wheel-drive, British buyers will be expected to pay Porsche 911 prices for the Nissan road rocket – between GBP65,000 and GBP75,000.
Despite a big engine with 480 horsepower output, Nissan said that the GT-R will meet the strictest European emissions legislations.
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By GlobalDataNeil Reeve, spokesman for Nissan Europe, said: “The engine meets the latest European requirements and in Japan is categorised as an ultra low emission vehicle.”
This means it is outside the country’s ‘gas-guzzler’ tax band. It achieves this through advanced ignition control, thermal efficiency and high technology transmission.
There are plenty of toys for boys as well. The multitude of dials on the space-age dashboard can be changed to show all sorts of things – just the thing if you want to know what G-force you are pulling, the turbo boost or the torque split between the front and rear wheels.
The 0-60mph time is around 3.5 seconds and the top speed is restricted for road use, although Reeve said that the clever satellite navigation system knows when the car is on a test or race track and can over-ride the limiter.