Faults:

Absolutely nothing, in the time I've owned, it has been plain sailing so to speak.

This is what I expected from a top of the range Japanese supercar.

General Comments:

Well I have always loved the GT-R from the concept until the time I test drove one back in 2008. I then heard of a more extreme version known as the Spec v with less weight, carbon ceramic brakes and upgraded suspension being developed in Japan, so although I couldn't readily get this car over here, I paid over the odds and purchased one directly from Japan and imported it, (the costs involved in doing this, just to have a special model are ridiculous).

But about the car, basically, like a standard GT-R they are quite striking to look at in the flesh, some would say they look bulbous and almost ugly to a certain extent at first glance, however, look closer and you see a prettier very purposeful looking car, with specially designed exhausts on this particular model, and a carbon fibre rear spoiler, special wheels and special black paintwork.

Sitting inside the car, there's a large sea of plastic sadly (this is however much, much cheaper than an equivalent performance Ferrari or Aston) that covers much of the dash area, but although the interior isn't exactly stylish, it is very ergonomically friendly to the driver, with all major controls and switches well placed in the car, it is also very well put together, and looks like it will stand the test of time very well.

What really gets your attention inside the car is the really fancy display that takes centre stage on the dash. Turn the car on and the screen will start up, showing many things such as your turbo boost pressure, oil pressure, etc etc. (very similar setup to my old Skyline R34). This is a really clever setup and is quite useful for track days, so you can keep an eye on things (not really needed, as the car is designed as such and is brand new).

Starting up the engine and there is a distinct burble from the exhausts, almost a rumble as it happily idles away. Set off and the whole mood of the car changes and becomes distinctly animalistic in its reactions to driver inputs and responses, (read any performance magazine to get an idea of just how quick even the standard GT-R is; the Spec V is around twice as fast on a twisty track).

This being a Japanese import sadly meant that it was restricted outside of race circuits to the speed limits via GPS, (a strange idea, and one that takes getting used too). There are several firms coming out soon with remap to remove this restriction, which I am currently looking into. The car has plenty of power, although like the Skyline it has replaced, I'm sure it will be fettled and tweaked by various tuners until it spits flames, (my old Skyline had more power - 650bhp to be exact, but was not as fast really, just shows progress)

The ride comfort is fantastic to say how well it actually handles. I was pleasantly surprised, this Spec V model rides slightly harder than a standard car, but you do get much better suspension into the deal, so is worth it as a trade off.

The brakes, well they speak for themselves on this model, carbon ceramics and multi piston calipers, these brakes could stop a plane! (well almost, but you get the idea) They are nice and progressive, and you can really feel what the car is doing under braking at all times. They never ever overheat on the road, and will stop you to within centimetres of your intended target.

Performance wise, like I say it is very quick, anything slower than a Porsche 911 turbo or Ferrari 430 Scuderia will be left in the dust by this thing, it is that good. Also, the Nurburgring times speak for themselves.

Fuel economy as you would expect is not amazing, but then it's not terrible either for something that can break 60 mph from rest in 3.5 seconds.

One last note I'd like to add; the launch control that these cars have is designed apparently as per Nissan's terms and conditions to 'help get you out of snow and icy conditions, any other use will void the warranty if the transmission fails'. Not the exact wording, but you get the gist. Now I'm sorry, but surely if there putting something such as 'launch control' (I know that's not Nissans official name for it) on a car, it is for performance purposes?

Overall, this is a great car, and I feel even a standard GT-R at around £53k provides excellent value for money, very fast, fantastic almost unbelievable handling, almost limitless grip. And although the car feels a bit 'unconnected' from the road at times due to all the electronics, it is a real laugh a minute ultra high performance supercar, very highly recommended.