Car Auto Magazine

Okay, but there are strong similarities. For one, Kazutoshi Mizuno, the chief vehicle engineer, was the man who also oversaw development of the FM platform. For another, almost all the engine’s mass resides aft of the front-axle center line, just like the FM, for 50/50 weight distribution—although Nissan sources tell us it’s going to be more like 52/48. The unibody is exceptionally sturdy, because the GT-R’s performance capabilities will go well beyond those of any production 350Z, and also because the structure will be handling thrust from all four corners via Nissan’s ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system. Unlike versions of this system in other Nissan vehicles—the Infiniti G35x, for example—the GT-R setup employs a yaw sensor and is capable of instantly transferring torque from side to side, as well as fore-and-aft, as conditions dictate.

In normal running, the fore-and-aft power split is mostly toward the rear. In hard acceleration at low speed, the split is 50/50, but beyond that, power delivery to the front wheels doesn’t exceed 30 percent. Grip, delivered by a set of newly developed Bridgestone Potenza RE run-flat tires (255/40R-20 front, 285/35R-20 rear), figures to be exceptional. An intriguing touch with these tires is the pressure medium. Nissan prescribes nitrogen, an old racing trick that stabilizes pressures in hard use.

The GT-R is a two-plus-two design, which adds up to a car of substantial dimensions for this class. Its 109.4-inch wheelbase is 16.9 inches longer than that of the Porsche 911 Turbo, a key development target, and at 183.1 inches, it’s 6.8 inches longer than the Stuttgart rocket, as well as 1.7 inches wider (at 74.6 inches) and 2.8 inches taller (54.0 inches). The BMW 650i and M6 and the Jag XKR are a little bigger, but not much. Nissan calls the car a four-passenger coupe, but the rear-seat accommodations are suited for little kids on short hauls, or for adult people you don’t really like on longer voyages.

With size and all-wheel drive comes mass. Nissan expects the GT-R to weigh about 3800 pounds, 280 heavier than the last 911 Turbo we tested [“Everyday Supercars,” July 2007]. Nevertheless, performance expectations for the GT-R are ambitious: 0-to-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the quarter-mile in 11.7, top speed north of 185 mph. Those are serious numbers. For contrast, that 911 Turbo did the same sprints in 3.8 and 12.2 seconds, respectively (although an earlier 911 Turbo we tested hit 60 mph in 3.4 seconds).