It was the one condition we agreed to when Nissan handed us the keys to this white pre-production GT-R. "You can do whatever you want," Nissan engineer Bruce Robinson told us. "But no testing. We'll get you a production car for that in a few weeks"
"No problem," we said. "Cross our hearts."
But drag racing isn't testing. Well, sorta. And last night we went drag racing. Sacramento Raceway grudge night. The place was packed. And the 2009 Nissan GT-R was the star of the show.
The crowds around the car were four deep most of the night. Everyone wanted to know how we got it, how much it costs and of course, how fast it could go. We popped the hood, opened the doors and let anyone who wanted to sit behind the wheel. Every camera phone ever sold seemed to be pointed at the car.
And when it was our time to make a pass the stand packed like John Force had come to town with his funny car.
We made three runs down the quarter mile, hoping to match the 11.5 second run we recorded a few months ago when we tested a JDM-spec GT-R in Japan. But no dice. Even with the car's fuel tank nearly empty and temperatures in the high 40s the best we could do was 11.8 seconds at 118.5 mph.
We were a little disappointed, but 11.8 is sick fast and the track's regulars were impressed. "Not bad for a Japanese car," said one Camaro owner, and everyone was talking about how incredibly quick the GT-R shoots off the line with its launch control.
Even the joker that had earlier dismissed the car as gussied up 350Z, came by to tell us how wrong he was. "Man," he said between drags of his Marlboro red. "That thing gets it done. I had no idea is would run 11s. Sweet ride."
It is a sweet ride. You don't know what a hard launch is until you've set the launch control on a GT-R, brought the revs up and lifted your left foot off the brake. The car comes out of the hole like it's been rear-ended by the Earth and first gear is over by the time your eyes refocus. Incredibly, even with the GT-R's advance all-wheel drive system I was getting quite a bit of wheelspin off the line. Now that's power. And it's probably the reason we ran an 11.8 instead of an 11.5.
Well, that and I'm just not as good a driver as our Senior Road Test Editor and new daddy Josh Jacquot. He told me to short shift second to keep the engine out of the rev limiter, but my right hand just wasn't quick enough on that paddle shifter. At least I didn't crash the thing.
But the best part, besides being the first in the world to take GT-R to an American drag strip, was meeting all the Inside Line readers that showed up to meet us and check out the car. They were there by the dozens and I personally thank them for the support. We'll have a video of it all up later.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 705.8 miles
yacoub says:
12:56 PM, 03/27/08
Well then, so much for that joker going around claiming it did 11.4 @120mph... :(
mrmcderm says:
01:01 PM, 03/27/08
TPIWWOV (this post is worthless without video)
zjev says:
01:11 PM, 03/27/08
I wonder if the GT-R will get washed anytime on this trip! I love these posts w/ all the pics and a couple videos. Sounds like you guys are having fun. Have fun through Utah and on the salt flats
ferrarif2008 says:
01:55 PM, 03/27/08
People shrug their shoulders at 11.8 1/4 out of a stock vehicle. They do this from the passenger seat of thier buddy's fully caged, stroked Camaro on slicks that runs 10.9. Cage the GTR, put it on a diet, slick it, turn up the boost add some throttle in a bottle and it'll be knocking on the door to the 9's. I'd love to see this car in person. I'm here in the midwest if you're passing by. Olathe, KS just outside of Kansas City.
ferchizzle says:
01:58 PM, 03/27/08
I am there w mrmcderm - video clips or even audio clips of the engine during the drag race would be sexy! - Kane
hondacura4 says:
02:18 PM, 03/27/08
"Not bad for a Japanese car," said one Camaro owner.
A pre-production, unmodified vehicle thats capable of mid 11's is "NOT BAD"? Then he had the nerve to mention its country of origin....why? Im sure his Camaro didnt run mid 11's bone stock or have anywhere near the performance capabilities of the GT-R.
To me it doesnt matter if its Japanese, German, or American, 11 seconds is super fast in my book.
gsr1718 says:
02:21 PM, 03/27/08
I have to say that yesterday night at the drag strip was great. I had the chance to get a good look of one of the few Gtr's running around the united states.
Good thing i logged into inside line a day before the track. i spotted the car when it first arrived the track. One thing is for sure, in person most people gave the cars props, i just fell in love with it.
Thank you again for the chat, and letting me look around the car.
you did say the car had 9k miles already! It might also be the reason why you guys where getting too much wheel spin at launch and hit the 11.8 instead of matching the 11.5
I'm pretty sure with some fresh tires, the car would have done even better.
good luck on your way to utah!
estreka says:
02:25 PM, 03/27/08
Man that's fast. Godzilla, everybody!
darthlefty says:
02:53 PM, 03/27/08
I was there to visit with one of your camera crew. Got to sit in it... very large outside but not inside, seems like all that size is in the fenders. The thing feels like a big coupe rather than a proper sports car. Many, many buttons - I was afraid to play with em all.
It made my Wednesday for sure :D I think there were only one or two cars there that were faster... though there was a bike doing 9's.
yacoub: Remember it's not being driven by pro drivers but by car-nut journalists. They had some fun trying to get it to launch on time, for example. Once you get a pro driver in it, the times will go down a lot.
ferchizzle: there's not much to hear, the thing is remarkably quiet. Add a touch of turbo whistle to stock G35 and you have it.
I can't wait to hear how it tops out in Bonneville.
kyolml says:
03:04 PM, 03/27/08
I think the one tested in Japan ran faster bcoz the Octane in Japan is higher too. I don't know what fuel he was using in the drag
mozzz77788 says:
03:12 PM, 03/27/08
If I owned a Camaro that I regularly raced, Id have a little bit of a superiority complex too
tlcruz says:
03:40 PM, 03/27/08
I'm diggin' all the photos so far! I really enjoy the last one. its artsy!!
desmolicious says:
04:29 PM, 03/27/08
I hope that the Camara dood knows his car was built in Canada. Not that there's anything wrong with that...
SubyTrojan says:
07:16 PM, 03/27/08
What was your 60-ft time, Scott?
editor_karl says:
10:38 PM, 03/27/08
11.8??? I thought these things were supposed to be faster than a Ford GT...
nwng says:
09:17 AM, 03/28/08
but can you drive your GT across the country?
s1nned says:
01:03 PM, 03/28/08
"supposed to be faster than a Ford GT..."
Thats such a lame statement....
Car and Driver got an 11.6 out of thier test GT. (3.3/11.6@128)
It has a SUPERCHARGED 5.4 V8 @ 550hp vesus the GT-R's turbocharged 3.8 V6 @ 480hp.
Its (the Ford) 400 lbs lighter...3850 vs 3475..
It has 2 seats to the GT-R's 4
It MSRP @ 149995.00 vs 71000.00
The GT-R has bluetooth/NAV/XM/Music BOx/Ipod Integration, Child Seat Anchors, and a Trunk...
It's (in this report) .2 slower than a Ford GT.
I don't see that as a valid complaint.....
Oh, it also only tops out at 193 vs the Fords 205.....
And the one Edmunds test in Japan on a runway went 11.6......
desmolicious says:
01:22 PM, 03/28/08
Man o man is that Ford GT a sweet, and sweet lookin' ride.
editor_karl says:
10:17 PM, 03/28/08
"but can you drive your GT across the country?"
That's the plan this summer. What better way to arrive at your 20-year H.S. reunion?
stingray454 says:
09:31 AM, 04/ 1/08
That AWD and launch control system really works well and they are major contributors to those 1/4 mile times - probably as much contributors as the engine is. Consider that my '02 Z06 bone stock ran 12.4 @ 117 MPH. The trap speed is the telling number, as its only 1 MPH off of the GT-R's 118, despite significantly less horsepower (405 vs 480). Actually my power to weight ratio is slightly better than the GT-Rs, but my car is severely traction limited, especially off the line, whereas the GT-R has tremendous grip. Proof that its all in the traction is many C5 Z06 owners have run 11.7's on slicks, everything else stock. Trap speeds were almost the same or slightly better (119 traps are the fastest I've seen on a stock C5 Z06 on slicks).
The GT-R really makes a good case for AWD and launch control systems, and demonstrates clearly how much they can help in acceleration times. The ZR-1 could definitely benefit greatly from such a system. With 620hp powering the rear wheels only, and still lighter than the GT-R, the ZR-1 is going to be incredibly difficult to launch well.