Power isn’t the only thing the 2009 Nissan GT-R delivers, its $3,000 “Super Silver paint is applied in seven coats, baked five times and then polished by a real human being at Nissan’s assembly plant in Tochigi, Japan.” “Maybe you’ll never know exactly what the GT-R is up to behind the scenes, but when you can out-accelerate, out-handle and out-brake anything short of a Formula 1 car, do you really care?”
Powered by a twin-turbocharged, all-aluminum DOHC 32-valve 5.4-liter V8, the 1000hp Hennessey GT1000 rockets from 0-60mph in just 3.7-seconds. “..for the person who’s addicted to speed, this is one of the world’s greatest thrill rides. It doesn’t build speed with antiseptic competence like a Bugatti Veyron, and it has a merciless personality that speaks to some drivers’ souls in a way a Nissan GT-R or Porsche Turbo can’t”
Powered by a 425hp 6.1L Hemi engine, the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 has “got one of the sweetest exhaust notes you’ll hear this side of a Flowmaster muffler”, according to Inside Line. Of those, 4,000 are already sold. With all the standard leather inside and all kinds of high-tech stuff in the instrument panel, it’s something of a performance bargain at its $40,095 base price.
“The 2008 M1’s styling is a new direction for BMW and a departure from Chris Bangle’s flame surfacing that changed the entire BMW line. Now we have more purposeful lines, a void of extraneous curves and a more purposeful stance. BMW said this was a new direction that would trickle down to all BMW models.”
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Inside Line puts the 2009 Nissan GT-R to the ultimate test by going on a 2,000-mile road trip, with stops at the drag strip and more. “And now here’s the best part. We’re buying one. That’s right. Edmunds’ Inside Line is buying a new GT-R. We’ve ordered a white one. A white GT-R Premium with a black interior, the optional floor mats and an iPod jack. We’re even paying for it with our own money, no freebies on this one, and should take delivery in July”
Being a successful night show host comes with its perks, such as spending time with one of the first production (US) Nissan GT-R vehicles. “The range of topics includes all the stats you’ve already memorized, Nissan’s efforts to quell GT-R tuning and Leno’s immeasurable joy that he can check the dipstick himself. Leno maintains that it’s a vehicle he could get “emotionally involved with.”
According to Edmunds, the 2010 Nissan GT-R V Spec is a “lightweight version of Nissan’s new supercar and it’s scheduled to go on sale next year.” “In addition to the weight-reduction program, the 2010 Nissan GT-R V Spec is also expected to surpass the 500-hp mark. Although rampant speculation on the Internet suggests the GT-R is already developing more than 500 horses, our recent dynamometer testing says otherwise”
BMW officially unveils the 2009 BMW M3 convertible. Powered by a 4.2L V8 that produces 420hp, buyers will be able to choose from either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed M DCT gearbox. “The introduction of BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme - which features Brake Energy Regeneration, Optimum Shift Indicator and lightweight materials - ensures that both running costs and emissions are kept to a minimum. The M3 Convertible returns 21.9 mpg on the combined cycle - a five per cent improvement over the previous generation model”
Think of the BMW M-Zero as Aston Martin meets 6-series, sporting a ’set of “angry eye’ headlights and a bit of snarl.” No word yet on availability. “Though the extra large wheels are a bit tunerrific for our tastes, the overall design wouldn’t make a bad BMW at all. Not that the Munich-based brand needs any more high-performance coupes to sell alongside the 1 Series, 3 Series and 6 Series coupes, but if there were an open slot in the lineup, the M-Zero would fit nicely.”
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In this Fifth Gear segment, Vicki Butler-Henderson pits the Porsche Cayenne GTS against BMW’s X5 in an SUV shootout!
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