First Drive: 2009 Nissan GT-R
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Three diagonal gray stripes in a circle granted me permission to click the 2009 Nissan GT-R's left paddle shifter twice in rapid succession and floor the throttle. No, it's not some kind of hallucination. This symbol, when posted on the shoulder of Germany's autobahn, represents the unrestricted portion where all speed limits are removed.
The speed starts piling on like a roller coaster that's been pointed down Niagara Falls. As the tach needle nearly impales itself on a big 7, I give the right paddle a flick and keep the throttle buried. The engine note is barely interrupted and the falling sensation begins anew, at a rate that seems impossible at velocities this high.
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Roll into the throttle at nearly any engine speed and the GT-R drenches you in thrust. Turbo lag from the VR38 3.8-liter V6 is essentially nonexistent, so the immense torque arrives immediately. Indeed, the engine's punch is strongest in the midrange, where the GT-R delivers 434 pound-feet of torque from 3,200 to 5,200 rpm.
As heroic as the engine is, the six-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox is a key contributor to the GT-R's personality. The paddle-shifted gearbox, mounted between the rear wheels, changes gears seamlessly with astonishing speed. Shifts are claimed to take just 0.2 second from the time the lever is pulled until the clutch is fully engaged.
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The GT-R feels at once substantial and confident, just as the jagged styling suggests. Its 3,836-pound curb weight is borderline obese for a performance car, though it carries its weight well, since most of the heavy bits like the engine don't hang near the extreme ends of the car.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/FirstDrives/articleId=123099
I am very keen on the RS5 as I love the looks of the S5! Please please Audi, solve whtever problem you have with the S-tronic. What is the problem anyway?
