Review of the new Nissan GT-R

Although some eyes may be drawn to the Nissan GT-R's price creeping up, if anything the value proposition is now stronger than before. With more power, more customer choice, better finish and improved handling, the GT-R is fully prepared to face down the next generation of rivals who are only now responding to the shock of the GT-R launch in 2007.

The 'modern' Nissan GT-R legend began with 1989's multi-race winning R32, was bolstered by the Nurburgring-crushing R33 in 1995 and went stratospheric with the 1999 R34, hero of the Gran Turismo PlayStation game. Even so, few were prepared for the relentless annihilation of all rivals by the 2007 GT-R. Here was a car that was offered for sale for less than £60,000 but which could make a £100,000 Porsche 911 Turbo appear ill-sorted and slow. Somewhat remarkably, the car's creator noted in 2007 that as jaw-dropping as that car was, the real deal would be three years away. It's here now and, well, doesn't look much different. Still the same somewhat brutal styling, still the same rumble of the 3.8-litre V6. So let's take a closer look.

If you've never driven a Nissan GT-R before, expect to have your performance goalposts blasted into the next postcode. The latest car offers even more power, upping what was a suspiciously conservative looking 479bhp up to a more wholesome 523bhp, conveniently identical to the latest Porsche 911 Turbo S. The big difference comes in the breadth of torque now available, which should make the GT-R an easier car to drive faster more of the time. And in case you were wondering, using the launch control feature no longer invalidates your warranty. Expect to notch a sprint to 60mph in around 3.5s and a top speed knocking on the door of 200mph.

Nissan say that that the ride hasn't changed much, which means that, based on our experience of the old car, you're likely to find it distinctly firm. Many rivals seem to have resolved a better compromise between ride and handling, but the 'Comfort' mode of the electronically adjustable dampers now at least should help out here. A carbon-fibre strut brace has stiffened the front end and steering response ought to be improved as a result. Parking manoeuvres should be eased by the car switching into rear-wheel drive below 6mph and when the wheel is turned more than half way.

"If you've never driven a Nissan GT-R before, expect to have your performance goalposts blasted into the next postcode.."

Nissan engineers seem quietly confident that this adds up to a package that Porsche's 911 will find tough to match. Exact lap times are subject to a number of variables but it's fair to say that the GT-R is closely comparable on a hot lap to Porsche's 620bhp 911 GT2 RS. A revised version of Dunlop's SportMaxx GT 600 tyre offers superior high speed stability. Bigger front discs put some serious punch into the braking system.

Visual clues that you're looking at a revised GT-R will be lost on the layman. The biggest change is a strip of daytime running lights indented into a beefier front spoiler. Nissan claims the front spoiler alone increases downforce by 10% while a rear diffuser throws sucks the rear end of the car to the tarmac. The attention to detail is stunning. Airflow management under the car has been optimised to cool the rear exhaust silencer and front brakes, while a vent pulls air out of the rear wheel housing.

A high-intensity LED rear fog lamp is incorporated within the extended rear diffuser and the standard car gets some striking alloy wheels. Six exterior colours are available, including two new shades - Metallic Black (replacing solid Kuro Black) and Daytona Blue (replacing Titanium Grey).

The interior has been improved, with genuine carbon fibre on the centre console and magnesium used for the shift paddles. Better quality leather finishes and smoked chrome bezels help the cabin justify the elevated prices asked. It's still not what you'd call sophisticated in terms of interior design - it's certainly no patch on an Audi R8 - but it feels suitably bulletproof.

The variety of models offered is where the latest GT-R diverges from the traditional script. The range has been extended significantly, with the entry-level GT-R now priced at around the £70,000 mark. Next up is the SpecV GT-R, which features the same power output as the standard models, although torque goes up to 466lb ft with an overboost function. The SpecV also gets new rear brake pads, a carbonfibre rear spoiler, more focused Dunlop tyres and forged aluminium alloy wheels.

The model that could well cause the biggest stir is the Club Track edition. This version is developed exclusively for racing use and "allows drivers to experience the full performance potential of the GT-R". Upgraded parts are legion, while buyers will also be invited to attend events organised for Club Track owners, as well as participate in Club Track races. One-to-one training with a professional racing driver will also help owners extract a decent lap time from their car.

The other newcomer to the GT-R range is the luxurious Egoist edition. This model gets a broader palette of interior colour choices and a Bose sound system tuned exactly to the driver's driving position. Special hand-stitched quilted leather seats, a titanium exhaust system, lightweight alloy wheels and a carbonfibre rear spoiler are also included.

Although the Nissan GT-R has been hailed as the performance bargain of the decade, don't let that fool you into thinking it's remotely affordable to run for anyone with a normal salary. Everything about this car is big money. It munches consumables at a prodigious rate, chewing through tyres and clutches with abandon if used in anger. Fuel economy is eye-watering too and residual values are no longer the unimpeachable proposition they once were.

Insurance is a full-house Group 50 and many insurers will load premiums when they hear those three magic letters. It will be interesting to see how the Club Track model fares in terms of circuit durability versus, say, a 911 GT3 RS. Although ongoing costs may be stratospheric, few owners will regret their purchase because the GT-R is something very special. It's a vehicle that carries a weight of personality well beyond its price level.

The Nissan GT-R is a car that appears to bend the laws of physics to its own will, defying conventional measures of power to weight and generating traction where none apparently exists. It's the genius in its chassis engineering that has had other manufacturers scratching their heads and winding up power outputs to obscene levels in an attempt to keep pace. The latest GT-R will have them reaching for their drawing boards again.

There will be those who decry the Nissan as a one-trick pony, a vehicle that can shine on a lap of the Nurburgring but which possesses an otherwise narrow band of talent. The latest GT-R broadens its appeal somewhat - albeit at a price - but those who doubt the Nissan are usually those who have never driven one. The GT-R is a complex, capable and charismatic car that just got a whole lot better. More power to it.