Friday, November 30, 2007

2009 Nissan GT-R Unveiled in San Francisco!


The GT-R has been in the news for awhile now, but it's taken until November for Nissan to reveal the production model GT-R, which will be sold in the U.S. as a 2009 model.

Hype has been building for months, and thanks to some cleverly planned PR stunts, images and details about the new GT-R have been floating around the web for months. A fury was caused when one showed up at Sears Point during a random track day a few months ago, and we heard reports that another GT-R was roaming the Las Vegas Strip in the early morning hours during the SEMA show a few weeks ago.


Finally, Nissan has revealed the production model GT-R. It's a striking beast powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 making about 480 horsepower. Enough to get your attention, and probably enough to get you a one-way ticket into the slammer.

I can't decide if I personally am enamored of this car. It's certainly a flagship vehicle for the Nissan brand, but when they already make an Infiniti G37 Coupe that's so damn good for about 60% of the GT-R's MSRP, it's a tough call. However, I don't think Nissan will have any trouble selling the 1500 GT-Rs slated for U.S. delivery next year, even at $70k+ apiece.


Love it or hate it, one thing is for certain: Nissan is a company that knows who they are. They realize the value of creating models that enthusiasts lust after, and they are smart to capitalize on the GT-R lore. They make exciting cars that capture the soul (GT-R, 350Z, Infiniti G37, Altima Coupe, etc.), not mere appliances that bore you to tears. We'd like to see other automakers follow suit, but we won't be holding our breath.

No comments: