No car better embodies Nissan's philosophy of building outstanding performance cars at earthly prices than the GT-R. It is, quite simply, the best performance car for the money. Its power output and handling dynamics rival that of top European sports car models, without the attendant six-figure sticker shock.
Behind the GT-R's potent ability is a technological tour de force, including a dual-clutch automated manual transmission, an advanced all-wheel-drive system, an adaptive sport suspension, and a heaving twin-turbo V6 delivering power in a head-spinning jet rush. That's not to say the GT-R is without flaw. It's large and hefty for a supercar. The transmission bumps and staggers in slow traffic. And it may be awhile yet before a Nissan key fob carries the prestige of the European marques. But as a successor to the legacy of the Skyline GT-R -- a car never officially available in the United States -- the GT-R is truly one of the greatest cars ever produced.
Used Nissan GT-R Models
The Nissan GT-R was introduced to the United States for 2009, and each year has seen noteworthy changes.
The inaugural batch of GT-Rs featured a launch control system that overstressed the transaxle, and Nissan generated ill will with buyers when it threatened to void the warranties of cars that used the system. Halfway through the '09 model year and fully for 2010, launch control was reprogrammed to remedy the problem and actually improved acceleration.
First-year GT-Rs had 473 hp and came in two trim levels: base and Premium. Base models lacked a few features such as the Bose audio system, and weren't available with front seat and side curtain airbags. For 2010, Nissan retuned the suspension and increased horsepower slightly to 485, while side curtain airbags were made standard across the board.
For 2011, the suspension was retuned for greater comfort and the base trim level was killed off, while the Premium gained additional standard features like automatic wipers/headlights, an iPod interface and Bluetooth streaming audio. Bigger changes were in store for the 2012 GT-R, which got a healthy power bump up to 530 hp. The GT-R also received its first styling freshening, though this was subtle. That year's limited-release GT-R Black Edition added lightweight black wheels, a unique black and red interior and leather Recaro seats.
If you are looking for newer years, visit our new Nissan GT-R page.
