2009 Nissan GT-R Ultimate Road Trip

GT-R. GT-R. GT-R. It's all anybody can talk about.

"Hi, Mom. What's for dinner?"

"The 2009 Nissan GT-R."

"Who's going to win the Democratic presidential nomination?"

"The 2009 Nissan GT-R."

"What's the land speed of the cheetah?"

"The 2009 Nissan GT-R."

"Where do babies come from?"

"The 2009 Nissan GT-R."

And to perpetuate the discussion, we took a white 2009 Nissan GT-R on the ultimate road trip. In three days we drove that GT-R 2,000 miles across three states, with stops at one drag strip, one racetrack and one dry lake.

It was the trip of a lifetime. The world's newest supercar, flat out across the American West.

Did we speed?

Well, to quote the great Dan Gurney after his famous drive in the 1971 Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, "At no time did we exceed 175 mph."

The best part? We took pictures and video of the entire trip. Enjoy the ride.

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: The Car Has Arrived



It's been a long time coming, but there's a white 2009 Nissan GT-R in the Inside Line Garage (we photographed it with our Ferrari to prove it). In fact, the keys are in my pocket as I type this. Forgive me if this is a short blog post, I'm itching to get on the road.

Here's the deal. The car is a PT2 unit, as in pre-production. And it's right off of Nissan's Arizona proving grounds. Nissan engineer Bruce Robinson drove it west from that facility yesterday. According to him the car runs great but has a tendency to drool a little fuel down the side of the car when you fill it up. He also said we should invest in a case of octane booster. "We recommend 93, but it'll run on 91," he said. "I'd stop and get a few bottles."

And we will.

We officially leave Los Angeles for the Inside Line Ultimate GT-R Road Trip early tomorrow morning, so check back and follow along as we drive this all-wheel drive supercar 3,000 miles in three days. First day's destination? Well, we plan on hitting the El Mirage drylake for some top end runs. Then we'll turn north and find our way to Sacramento Dragway for a Wednesday night of grudge match drag racing. We hope to get there about 5 pm.

If you live in the area of the California capital city come on out. We'll even let you sit in the car while you tell us how much you love Inside Line. If you can't make it, keep checking this page for blogs, photos and video of our adventure.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: So Long Santa Monica





No marching band. No dancing girls. With all the pomp and circumstance of a trip to Wal-Mart we left the Santa Monica Pier early this morning. The Inside Line Ultimate GT-R Road Trip has begun!

Eastbound on I-10. First stop? El Mirage Dry Lake, the birthplace of hot rodding and a heck of a good place to go fast. Let's get this white beast dirty. We should be there in just two short hours if we stay ahead of LA's famous rush hour traffic.

Actually, I could use another coffee and Senior Editor Ed Hellwig is already asking for a bathroom break, so make that two hours and 10 minutes. Wish us luck.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 0 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Inside Line Reader Visit #1





Before we bailed on LA we hooked up with Inside Line reader Kane Lee, who happens to live within walking distance of the Santa Monica Pier, this trip's launch point. The 35-year-old, self-described car fanatic moved to Los Angeles two years ago from New York, and he seems to be doing well for himself. His apartment is just steps from the beach and his Audi RS4 packs a Stasis Motorsport suspension.

After a quick walk around and a look at the Nissan GT-R's force fed V6, we even let Kane drive the car. Traffic was thick, so he didn't exactly get a chance to pound on it, but he did get a good feel for the car. "I like the rigid feel of the suspension," he said. "But the car feels a bit big and heavy around town. My RS4 is smaller, and feels more tossable, but it is modifed."

Although the ride was limited by the confines of the city, there was one open stretch on Santa Monica's Ocean Blvd. where Kane was able to add some throttle and pull a single redline upshift. "Wow, this thing is a monster," he said following the burst of speed. "And I really like the sound of those turbos."

After the ride Kane was feeling so euphoric he even invited me to drive his Audi (big mistake), and I'll take him up on the offer as soon as I get back from Reno.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 4 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Driving in "Comfort" Mode



We’re all of 40 miles into the drive and the 405 isn’t being very kind. Not only was there the usual bumper to bumper traffic early on, but the broken concrete now feels like an endless row of speed bumps. We’ve got the suspension dialed to “comfort” and it’s not helping much. Feels like the tires are aired up to 100psi. We’ll get used to it, hopefully.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 47 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Getting Dirty at El Mirage



No one in their right mind would take their brand new, $70,000 sports car onto a silt-covered dry lake just to do donuts in the dirt. So, of course, that’s the first place we headed. There was plenty of room on El Mirage dry lake to stretch the GT-R’s legs a little. We got it up to 130 mph before deciding that the limited visibility and random mounds of dirt made anything faster a potentially life – and GT-R – threatening exercise. Then we turned off the traction control and got it sideways to see what the GT-R is like when it’s not stuck to the pavement. Shocker of the day – it’s fun. Click through to see the videos.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 132 miles



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Goes 130mph in the Dirt and Gets 17mpg



Went through the GT-R's first tank of gas. After adding a bottle of octane booster (Lucas, supporting the sport, you know) the Nissan took 16.049 gallons of super unleaded to top it off. That translates to 17.0 mpg for the first tank, not bad considering we spent part of the time going in circles.

Nobody at the gas station took a second look at the GT-R, and when we stopped for lunch most of conversations in the restaurant seemed to revolve around boring stuff like growing food. Oh well, we expect to see slightly more interest when we pull into Sacramento Raceway.



Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 289 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Vital Signs Look Good So Far



Just dialed up the GT-R's ridiculously detailed on-board computer.

Here are the current stats:

Coolant temp: 174 degrees
Engine oil temp: 179 degrees
Engine oil pressure: 450 kPa
Torque split: 100% rear
Transmission oil temp: 190 degrees
Accelerator pedal: 25%
Turbo boost: -50 kPa
Speed (briefly): 107mph

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 397 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Boredom on I-5



This one goes out to our friend Gary at Porsche. Looks like one of your customers could use a little help.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 427 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: No Longer Bored on I-5



Blame this one on Oldham's vintage radar detector, it never made a sound. When we told the officer about its lackluster performance he just laughed. "Is it turned on? I clocked you at 91 mph." On? Yes. Made in this century? No.

We offered him a turn behind the wheel and he actually hesitated for a second like he was about to take us up on it. In the end, he gave us a stern warning and bid us good luck at the drags tonight. Who says California Highway Patrol officers don't have a sense of humor?

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 444 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: On the Road Again



We’re back on the road again, this time headed to the Bonneville Salt Flats. We had a great time at the dragstrip last night, but we haven’t finished getting the video together just yet. It’ll be up shortly so you can see just how fast the GT-R runs the quarter mile after a 500 mile drive slog up the interstate. Until then, we’ll be piling on the miles and wondering if the “comfort” mode is really just a cruel joke by the engineering team.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 624 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Godzilla Goes Drag Racing



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



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Inside Line Reader Visit #2



Twenty-three-year-old Carlos Lago of Rocklin, California is a regular Inside Line reader, a CSU Sacramento college student and one of maybe 25 people in the United States of America that has driven a 2009 Nissan GT-R.

Carlos blew off a few classes last night to come out to Sacramento Raceway. I think he'll tell you it was a smart move. When our night of racing was over, Carlos became the second Inside Line reader in two days to get some seat time in the GT-R.

"Wow, the power surge is just fantastic," he said after his first real run through the GT-R's lower gears. "It just makes you want to go faster."

Being 11 pm, the roads were empty, so Carlos was able to lay into it a few times. "I've driven a Z06 Corvette, but this feels even faster than that," he added. "I really like the sound. It's quiet, but when you hop on it really sounds good. Nice scream."

Between bouts of laughter (Wouldn't you?), and hard runs through the second, third and fourth gears, Carlos turned his attention to the GT-R's interior. "The steering feels awesome, every car should have a wheel like this. And the seat is really nice. Good bolstering."

And when the ride was over, Carlos thanked us and jumped into his newly acquired 1999 BMW 328 coupe. Nice car, a super clean, unmolested example of a very desirable German sports coupe, although we'd bet a weeks salary it felt a bit sluggish after his run in the GT-R.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 770.4 miles



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: More Video From El Mirage



Here's some additional video footage of our time at El Mirage dry lake yesterday. Our GT-R is still caked in dust, but it looks tough so we've avoided car washes so far. Enjoy.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 789 miles



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Boredom on I-80



We got lucky with the law yesterday, so we weren't about to push our luck today. When we came up upon this local sheriff a few miles back, we decided to lay low and match his steady 70mph. Apparently nothing much was going on today in the northern Nevada desert as we ended up sitting behind this guy for at least an hour. It didn't do much for our average speed, but it did give us plenty of time to enjoy the supple massage of the GT-R's Nurburgring-tuned suspension.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 841 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Making Time in the GT-R



Bonneville isn't very close to Sacramento, a little over 500 miles according to our navigation system. We figured leaving at 8:00 would give us plenty of time to get there before the sun went down. Then we got behind our friend in the Expedition and Oldham had to stop and admire the scenery while sucking down a few Marlboros. Oh, and then we forgot that whole Mountain Time Zone thing and lost another hour. Needless to say, we were a little behind schedule, so we spooled up the twin turbos and stretched the GT-R's legs a little. Bonneville is closer now, much closer.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 933 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Running 11s at Sacramento Raceway



As promised, here's a quick video of last night's action at Sacramento Raceway. It's not bad, not bad at all.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 977 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Leaving Miller Motorsports



We're back on the road to Reno after spending the morning at Miller Motorsports Park. It's an unbelievable place. It may be in Utah, but we might want to move there anyway, it's that cool.

We'll have photos and video up later to give you an idea what's its like and how the GT-R performed on one of Miller's numerous road courses. For now, we'll be catching up with some posts from yesterday afternoon and last night's reader visit.

Stay tuned.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 1120 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Yes, the GT-R Even Has Usable Cupholders



A nutritious meal on the road is hard to come by. Knowing how far we were behind schedule, a drive thru lunch was the only option yesterday afternoon. Needless to say, we’re pretty sure it’s the first time a GT-R has navigated a gut busting, house of calories like Burger King. We’re happy to report that the cupholders in the center console are some of the best we’ve ever seen in a car with over 450 horsepower. And when we were finished, the ample door pockets held two crumpled up bags of trash without a problem despite the fact they were already bulging with beef jerky wrappers and flash card readers. Yes, the GT-R really can do it all.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ approx. 949 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Bonneville Bust



When we finally arrived at the Bonneville Salt Flats late yesterday afternoon, we found most of it covered in five inches of water. The GT-R may have achieved mythical status over the years, but even the R35 can't walk on the wet stuff.

There was, however, a long, desolate access road, so we decided to shoot a quick video of the launch control in action from inside the car. Hope it gives you some idea how violent it is when this thing takes off. We'll have to come back later to see how the GT-R feels at its top speed of 193 mph.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 989 miles





2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Inside Line Reader Visit #3



After the third full-on, full-throttle, all-out, wheel spinning, launch control abusing hole shot in the parking lot of the Sandy City, Utah police station last night I realized something: "It's fun to hang out with the cops."

We were there to let Inside Line reader and Sandy City policeman Eric Cunningham drive the 2009 Nissan GT-R we've been living in for the last two days. The 29-year-old is an 8-year veteran of the Sandy City police force. His days are spent busting bad guys in either a front-wheel-drive Impala (for the snow) or a full-pack Harley-Davidson (even in the dead of winter), so the GT-R was going to feel quick.



And Eric wasted no time. He pulled out of the cop shop and nailed it. Let's face it; he wasn't exactly going to get a ticket. Three full throttle upshifts later he said this: "It's amazing. I can't get over how quick off the line it is. It feels faster than my friends Lamborghini Murcielago. Smoother power delivery, too. For a six it's incredible."

What about the ride? "It isn't as stiff as I thought it would be, but then again, I'm not driving it thousands of miles like you." Which is true. I also pointed out to Officer Cunningham that the city streets of Sandy City make a pool table look rough.

So is the GT-R worth the asking price? "Definitely," Cunningham said while further exercising his over the local speed limit privileges. "I'd pay $100,000 for this thing if I could."

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 1,150 miles



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Inside Line Reader Visit #4



After Officer Cunningham's go it was Nigel Williams' turn. The 47-year-old software development manager is originally from Tasmania, but now lives and works in Provo, Utah with his wife and children. His daily ride is a new BMW 335 Xi.

Just a few minutes on the road and Nigel was already commenting on the GT-R's firm ride. "The ride is certainly challenging, but I like how it feels nailed down. And the steering is nice and direct. Reminds me of a tuned-up Subaru WRX STi or the old 1999 STi before they got fat, quiet and well-mannered."

Out on the I-15 between Sandy and Salt Lake City, Nigel redlined a few gears. "Wow. It is fast. I see what people mean when they say the engine is seamless. I'm also impressed by the visibility. You can see out of it, unlike some supercars."

Then he adds with a laugh, "If I could find a Nissan dealer willing to sell one at MSRP then I would buy one. And then I'd find a good chiropractor to fix my back after a long drive."

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 1,158 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: How's it on Fuel?



Just topped off the GT-R's tank for the 7th time. As you may have noticed from previous posts, we haven't exactly been feathering the throttle. It hasn't killed our overall average though as it now stands at 17.54 mpg. We did leave out the tank we used this morning while lapping at Miller Motorsports Park as it seemed to disappear at an alarming rate. Still not bad for a supercar.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 1,581 miles

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Running Hot Laps at Miller Motorsports Park



Got up early this morning to head over to Miller Motorsports Park in the city of Tooele (that's Two-ella) just east of Salt Lake City. We've seen this relatively new track on TV a few times before, but not even a good HD telecast could do justice to the almost surreal facility in the Utah desert. It's easily the most modern, well thought out race track we've ever seen.

John Gardner, Media Manager for Miller Motorsports Park, invited us over to stretch the legs of the GT-R around the West Loop. It's just over two miles long and features 10 turns. John then introduced us to Mitch Wright, Director of Racing, who gave us a few tips on the correct lines before letting us loose at full speed.



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2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Not Always the Loneliest Road in America



What can we say? The GT-R is popular with the law enforcement crowd. First it was the CHP, then one of Sandy City's finest. Yesterday, it was Officer J. Travis Keel of the Millard County Sheriff's office who just had to take a look. Actually, he clocked us at just over 90 mph on Highway 50, otherwise known as the Loneliest Highway in America, so his roadside inspection was more than just curiosity about the GT-R.

He asked about the car and what we were doing with it. We gave him the background story and apologized for not keeping better tabs on our speed. He then took a long, hard look at the GT-R's bug-covered nose and its Michigan manufacturer plates.

After a little background check to make sure our story checked out, Officer Keel came back to the window and delivered a firm warning with a surprisingly pleasant manner. "And make sure to tell everybody that the sheriffs in Millard County are all right," he said with a smile and a tip of his hat. "You can count on it," we replied with a sigh of relief.

So there you have it. Be honest and respectful if you get pulled over, and keep it safe when driving through Millard County. And if you see Officer Keel at the local café, buy him lunch and send us the tab; we owe him one.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 1,496 miles



2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: More From Miller Motorsports Park



After taking our hot laps at Miller Motorsports Park, we took a tour of the rest of the facility. It's a gearheads dream, and in this case, the gearhead's name is Larry Miller, a prominent local car dealer. He built the place with his own money and spared no expense in the process.

The main attraction is the road course which features four different loops, the longest being a 4.5-mile layout with 23 turns. There's also a nearly mile long go kart track with dirt sections on either end for running super motos. A row of world class pit garages sits on the 3,500 foot long main straight and well-situated grandstands are sprinkled throughout the edge of the course. The press box is as advanced as anything at Daytona and heck, even the bathrooms are impressively spotless.

2009 Nissan GT-R Road Trip: Wrapping up the Trip of a Lifetime



Here are the totals: We drove for three days, covered 2000 miles, killed 4,236,465 bugs, touched 170 mph, met hundreds of Inside Line readers, burned through 115 gallons of 91 octane gasoline, used 8 bottles of octane booster, talked our way out of two 91 mph speeding tickets, did donuts on one dry lake, raced at one drag strip and lapped one state-of-the-art road course. We broke speed limits in three states (California, Nevada and Utah), let four Inside Line readers drive the GT-R, ate $100 worth of fast food, stopped at one very flooded, very beautiful, very large salt lake bed named for Captain B.L.E. Bonneville, used the GT-R's launch-control 14 times, answered the question "Is that the new Skyline?" 2,677 times, used our Verizon wireless card a total of 23 hours, killed no one, crashed never and hit one car wash in downtown Reno, the trip's finish line.



Basically it was the trip of a lifetime. No, we didn't cover the 3,000 miles I originally predicted, but I should have known better. You can't do all the things we did and cover that kind of ground in just three days unless you never sleep. And I'm just too old for that sh*t.

But we did prove one thing: The 2009 Nissan GT-R is an incredible car. Fast, comfortable (relatively) and dead reliable. Nissan's new supercar is a real workhorse that can be driven to work, on the racetrack or across the country. And it likes to go fast.

Yesterday, near the end of the run, I drove the GT-R over 100 mph for several hours. Highway 50 through Nevada is just that kind of road: dead straight, flat and empty for hundred of miles. During this time the GT-R averaged over 17 mpg and kept us cool with its air-conditioning, safe with its stability and on course with its navigation system. Heck, at one point I set the cruise control at 112 mph. Modern cars are simply awesome, and the new GT-R is as good as they get.



And now here's the best part. We're buying one. That's right. Edmunds' Inside Line is buying a new GT-R. We've ordered a white one. A white GT-R Premium with a black interior, the optional floor mats and an iPod jack. We're even paying for it with our own money, no freebies on this one, and should take delivery in July. Then it will do a year's duty in our long-term test fleet and see weekly updates on our long-term test blog.

So there's more GT-R durability testing to be done, and we're looking forward to it. Hey, it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

And now I'm on a road trip kick. Where should we go next and in what car?

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 1,961.7 miles

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