2009 Nissan GT-R Ultimate Road Trip Feature Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published October 26, 2009

3:12 min

We�ve been jonesing for some extended seat time in Nissan�s new GT-R ever since our Inside Line preview back in November. Now that we finally have the keys to a pre production GT-R we figured we should put the car to good use � we�re talking about the ultimate Inside Line GT_R Road trip. Inside Line Editors Scott Oldham and Ed Hellwig set out early in the morning leaving the Santa Monica pier and sluggish LA traffic in their wake. First stop, the El Mirage Dry Lake Bed in California. No one in their right mind would take a $70,000 super car and get sideways on a dry lake bed but that�s exactly what we did. Next stop � Sacramento Raceway in Sacramento California. Unfortunately, there isn�t much between El Mirage and Sacramento but straight blacktop � which can get a little boring in a car like the GTR. To pass the time, we spooled up the Nissan�s twin turbos on California�s Interstate 5. But apparently, the CHP wasn�t amused � we got off with a warning. Later that night, the GT-R ran 11.8 seconds at 118 miles per hour under lights in Sacramento. We leave Northern California and head for the Bonneville Salt Flats. Sadly, when we get there we find the salt covered with water � there�s not going to be any 193 mph top speed run this trip. But we�ll be back. After more straight asphalt and several drive thru meals, we hit our next destination � Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. This is what the GT-R was made for � tight turns, long straightaway and no cops. Perfect. As we head back to LA we ponder the GT-R�s final road trip tally � we burned 115 gallons of gas, used 8 bottle of octane booster, ate about a ton of fast food and covered roughly 2000 miles. But here�s the point - The 2009 Nissan GT-R is an incredible car. Fast, relatively comfortable and dead reliable. Nissan's new super car is a real workhorse that can be driven to work, on the racetrack or across the country. And it likes to go fast.