For a V6 Nissan to exceed the performance of some of the world's fastest and most exotic cars, it needs to be something special. The GT-R, however, isn't just special; it's truly incredible.
The long, greedy swoop of the bonnet says it all, for it houses the 3.8L twin-turbo unit that is capable of pumping out 480hp in the best possible way. This engine took the GT-R into the history books when it was launched last year by propelling the car around the Nürburgring in under seven minutes and 30 seconds, making it the fastest mass-production vehicle to take on this fabled track. Only the Porsche Carrera GT and Pagani Zonda had made it around the twisting 21km track in faster times.
Back then, I had the pleasure of sitting alongside Tochio Suzuki, Nissan's chief test driver, as he hammered home the GT-R's potential through the corners, straights and chicanes of the Estoril Formula One circuit in Portugal. Surrounded by digital dials, dynamic graphs and G-force counters on the digital display, it was clear to see how this man, who had been involved in every stage of the car's development, was eking out each ounce of its promise.
A great deal changes in the car world over the course of a year, but the mighty Nissan GT-R hasn't changed a bit. Transferred from track to tarmac, from Portugal to the UAE, the GT-R is equally as impressive.
What is most amazing about this rocket is its behaviour. While many manufacturers claim their supercars are simple to drive in traffic, the Nissan is in a whole different league. Possibly from the Japanese car maker's background of producing nimble little numbers meant for ease of use, the GT-R is more akin to a hot hatch than a hotrod on city streets.
One of the big problems of driving a supercar through heavy traffic is its potential to go ballistic at the drop of a hat. As a result, you have to feather the gas, hit the brake, feather the gas, hit the brake: it's hard work.
The GT-R, however, will switch off the performance until you really want it. It will idle comfortably and plod along as if it were a little four-cylinder drone.
The balance is sublime, among the best in the business. Nissan has taken the gearbox and moved it to the rear axle, balancing out the weight of the engine. The improvement this configuration offers is evident across every surefooted swoop, turn and charge.
And even mundane aspects like visibility, interior storage and luggage capacity - criteria you really wouldn't bother with when judging a supercar?are excellent.
The cabin is a wonderful place to be, with its ample leg and lateral space. Some materials do verge on the slightly unsightly, with plastic merging with leather wrappings on the fascia and yet more plastic. However, the effect is functional and sporty, as are the body-hugging leather-and-fabric sports seats. The rear provides a home for massive Bose speakers and a hint of seating that is more cosmetic than it is practical.
Facing the driver is a colony of instruments from the oversized central rev counter to digital display with 10 pages of settings and read-outs. Indeed, this telemetry feature gives one clear indication of the GT-R's racing spirit.
Another hint is the sound of the V6. Coaxed into life with a push of the red Start button, the noise it generates is more Formula One than Touring Car Championship. It is unusual to have so few cylinders in a car with such performance, and the difference in decibels is immediately apparent. Given some hefty revs, and augmented by the twin turbochargers, the GT-R screams at you whereas a V8 would bellow.
And the sound matches its ability perfectly. Taking just 3.3 seconds to accelerate to 100kph and with immediate pickup on acceleration, the engine provides the soundtrack for an explosive action thriller.
With such amazing balance, the Nissan feels like an overgrown go-kart, and precise steering and tyres with barely an inch of rubber surrounding oversized, black rims really enhance this impression. You can feel - and hear - every pebble and grain of sand on the road surface, something which would be tragic were it a Tiida, but perfectly suiting of the GT-R.
It absolutely sticks to the road, corners and all, capable of ridiculous speeds around the apex of butterfly junctions. The all-wheel-drive adds further to the GT-R's surefootness and perfect balance, allowing you to believe that everything is possible in this car.
What is perhaps most impressive, though, is the price: while it is not cheap at Dh350,000, it still costs a fraction of the price of other cars with similar specifications. Put simply, it offers poise and performance with exceptional value for money.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
You may remember …
Robbie Keane (Atletico de Kolkata) The Irish striker is, along with his former Spurs teammate Dimitar Berbatov, the headline figure in this season’s ISL, having joined defending champions ATK. His grand entrance after arrival from Major League Soccer in the US will be delayed by three games, though, due to a knee injury.
Dimitar Berbatov (Kerala Blasters) Word has it that Rene Meulensteen, the Kerala manager, plans to deploy his Bulgarian star in central midfield. The idea of Berbatov as an all-action, box-to-box midfielder, might jar with Spurs and Manchester United supporters, who more likely recall an always-languid, often-lazy striker.
Wes Brown (Kerala Blasters) Revived his playing career last season to help out at Blackburn Rovers, where he was also a coach. Since then, the 23-cap England centre back, who is now 38, has been reunited with the former Manchester United assistant coach Meulensteen, after signing for Kerala.
Andre Bikey (Jamshedpur) The Cameroonian defender is onto the 17th club of a career has taken him to Spain, Portugal, Russia, the UK, Greece, and now India. He is still only 32, so there is plenty of time to add to that tally, too. Scored goals against Liverpool and Chelsea during his time with Reading in England.
Emiliano Alfaro (Pune City) The Uruguayan striker has played for Liverpool – the Montevideo one, rather than the better-known side in England – and Lazio in Italy. He was prolific for a season at Al Wasl in the Arabian Gulf League in 2012/13. He returned for one season with Fujairah, whom he left to join Pune.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press
Ammar 808:
Maghreb United
Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
Who is Allegra Stratton?
- Previously worked at The Guardian, BBC’s Newsnight programme and ITV News
- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
- The idea was later scrapped and she was appointed spokeswoman for Cop26
- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
