Jul 22, 2008 - The 2009 Nissan GT-R Speeds Ahead

It was 12:01am in Los Angeles, California on July 7, 2008. The long Independence Day weekend had just ended. However, the celebrations were not over for Daryl Alison, a renowned race car aficionado, who took delivery of the first 2009 Nissan GT-R supercar. Amidst envious onlookers, Daryl Alison slowly unveiled his new Black Obsidian GT-R Premium model. To say the atmosphere was ecstatic would be an understatement, with this event being eagerly anticipated within the vehicle community.

Nissan released the GT-R in Japan on December 6 last year. Daryl Alison of Costa Mesa, California was the first person to bring the true Japanese-spec R35 into the USA almost five months back. The Nissan GT-R has grabbed news headlines, has been seen in videogames, and has been the center of attention for car enthusiasts for months. Despite Alison having taken the first delivery in North America, after a ten-month waiting period, it could be several more months before the bulk of this year’s deliveries are made. Nissan already has orders for about 70% of the first year’s allocation of the 480-horsepower, all-wheel-drive supercar for the US.

New Zealand IMSA racecar driver Steve Millen had recently taken the supercar for a test drive on a high-performance race track in order to compare the Japanese car’s performance against that of its biggest rivals, the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The Nissan GT-R beat the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 in terms of sheer speed -- and it has enormous Brembo brakes to bring it to a smooth halt. No wonder the Nissan GT-R is nicknamed the “Godzilla of Supercars!”

The Nissan GT-R features a rear-mounted, double-clutch gearbox and a 3.8 liter twin turbo motor. This world-class supercar that can do 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 3.5 seconds has a hybrid body made of steel, carbon fiber and die-cast aluminum. It also features a 6-speed rear transaxle. The Nissan GT-R’s curvaceous shape, with aero blades on the fenders and an aero blade canopy roofline, is nothing short of gorgeous.

Only officially certified Nissan dealers that have satisfied stringent sales, service, and facilities benchmarks are permitted to offer the GT-R. While how much Alison paid for his latest acquisition has not been announced publicly, the GT-R bears an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $69,850, while the Premium model has an MSRP of $71,900. That’s nowhere close to Porsche’s price tag of more than $120,000.