Teh One Who Knocks
01-22-2014, 12:10 PM
James R. Healey, USA TODAY
http://i.imgur.com/i96CX6X.jpg
Nissan's fire-breathing GT-R super-sports car, once touted as a relative bargain in its go-fast universe, now starts at more than $100,000.
The 2015 models just now are on sale and Nissan says they start at $103,365 for the GT-R Premium and $113,105 for the GT-R Black Edition.
Those include shipping fees of $1,595, highest of any car in the U.S. In fact, almost no other cars have destination charges of more than $1,000, though some trucks break that threshold by $100 or so.
The GT-R Track Edition goes on sale this summer, starting at $117,305.
A fourth model, GT-R NISMO, joins about the same time. Its price isn't available yet. It will be more powerful and aimed at race drivers.
GT-R's target is Porsche.
A Porsche 911 Carerra 4S, which matches the Nissan's four-wheel drive, starts at $106,625 including $995 shipping. GT-R's more powerful, though. The Nissan 3.8-liter, front-mounted V-6 is rated 545 horsepower and 463 pounds-feet of torque. The Porsche's rear-mounted, 3.8-liter flat six: 400 hp, 325 lbs.-ft.
A Porsche 911 turbo, which more closely matches the GT-R's performance because of its 520 hp and 487 lbs.-ft., is $148,295, and only available with rear-wheel drive.
So, compared to the 911 turbo, GT-R's still a bargain.
Nissan says the GT-R has these updates for 2015:
•A re-calibrated suspension for a more sophisticated ride and better road holding.
•Enhanced exterior appearance with LED headlight technology and distinctive front and rear designs, plus a carbon fiber trunk lid on Track Edition models.
•A more premium interior feel with enhanced appointments and improved quietness, including a standard Bose noise cancellation system.
•A carbon-style instrument cluster and new Ivory interior color option (with Premium Edition).
The very first GT-R of this generation -- that is, purpose-built, world-conquering, new-design model not based on something else Nissan was building -- hit the U.S. in the summer of 2008 starting at $70,850, at a time when the Porsche turbo it was intended to trump was about $124,000.
GT-R's base price accelerated nearly as fast as the car does, jumping to $77,840 a year later.
The automaker gave GT-R a big price boost for the 2013 models, up $10,000 or so that year, to a starting price of $97,820 for the Premium.
And the 2014 model broke the six-figure barrier, starting at $100,590 including $1,000 shipping.
http://i.imgur.com/i96CX6X.jpg
Nissan's fire-breathing GT-R super-sports car, once touted as a relative bargain in its go-fast universe, now starts at more than $100,000.
The 2015 models just now are on sale and Nissan says they start at $103,365 for the GT-R Premium and $113,105 for the GT-R Black Edition.
Those include shipping fees of $1,595, highest of any car in the U.S. In fact, almost no other cars have destination charges of more than $1,000, though some trucks break that threshold by $100 or so.
The GT-R Track Edition goes on sale this summer, starting at $117,305.
A fourth model, GT-R NISMO, joins about the same time. Its price isn't available yet. It will be more powerful and aimed at race drivers.
GT-R's target is Porsche.
A Porsche 911 Carerra 4S, which matches the Nissan's four-wheel drive, starts at $106,625 including $995 shipping. GT-R's more powerful, though. The Nissan 3.8-liter, front-mounted V-6 is rated 545 horsepower and 463 pounds-feet of torque. The Porsche's rear-mounted, 3.8-liter flat six: 400 hp, 325 lbs.-ft.
A Porsche 911 turbo, which more closely matches the GT-R's performance because of its 520 hp and 487 lbs.-ft., is $148,295, and only available with rear-wheel drive.
So, compared to the 911 turbo, GT-R's still a bargain.
Nissan says the GT-R has these updates for 2015:
•A re-calibrated suspension for a more sophisticated ride and better road holding.
•Enhanced exterior appearance with LED headlight technology and distinctive front and rear designs, plus a carbon fiber trunk lid on Track Edition models.
•A more premium interior feel with enhanced appointments and improved quietness, including a standard Bose noise cancellation system.
•A carbon-style instrument cluster and new Ivory interior color option (with Premium Edition).
The very first GT-R of this generation -- that is, purpose-built, world-conquering, new-design model not based on something else Nissan was building -- hit the U.S. in the summer of 2008 starting at $70,850, at a time when the Porsche turbo it was intended to trump was about $124,000.
GT-R's base price accelerated nearly as fast as the car does, jumping to $77,840 a year later.
The automaker gave GT-R a big price boost for the 2013 models, up $10,000 or so that year, to a starting price of $97,820 for the Premium.
And the 2014 model broke the six-figure barrier, starting at $100,590 including $1,000 shipping.