Nama : Tuti Nurjanah
NPM : 27211201
Kelas : 3EB22
2014 Nissan GT-R Track Edition
Review
Track Edition models
are limited to the United States and they’re only building 150 of them, which
makes a special car even more unique.Regular GT-Rs benefit from a more
responsive engine at high RPM thanks to new fuel injectors, a retuned
suspension and a more rigid body. One snazzy feature is the addition of a placard
on the engine that bears the craftsman’s name that built it… by hand. The
engine-assembly process takes a full six hours and is completed by one of four
people. These gentlemen are called “takumi” in Japanese, which apparently means
master craftsman. This hands-on approach is done to guarantee precision and
quality.
THE DRIVE
From the driver’s
seat (or any seat for that matter) it’s easy to tell the GT-R Track Edition is
a beast. The way it sounds, turns and stops is utterly astounding.The car is
propelled by a 3.8-liter V6 engine with an iron lung (read: turbocharger)
hanging off each cylinder bank. The result is a monstrous 545 horsepower with
463 lb-ft of torque. It’s matched to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic
transmission and a cutting-edge all-wheel drive system that can rout 100
percent of the engine’s torque to the rear wheels or up to 50 percent to the
front axle.
Nailing the throttle
from a standstill results in a somewhat tepid launch. But once the engine gets
a few revs on the clock and the duet of turbos is spooled up, hang on. At
around 3,200 RPM the car explodes like a fertilizer plant in a wildfire, which
sends you – and your passengers – hurtling down the road at felony speeds.
At peak power the
G-forces at play are so strong it almost makes it feel like you’re having an
asthma attack. It gets slightly harder to breathe as the engine presses your
carcass into the seat until you get a split-second reprieve as the transmission
grabs the next gear. Have you heard of sleep apnea before? Perhaps doctors will
diagnose GT-R owners with driving apnea. The GT-R should come with a CPAP
machine.
FAST FACTS
1. 2014 models continue to be powered
by a twin-turbo 3.8L V6 engine making 545 hp and 463 lb-ft of torque.
2. The 2014 GT-R starts at about $100,000
with the Track Edition almost at $116,710 including destination.
3. Upgrades include a more rigid body,
revised suspension tuning and an even more responsive engine plus carbon fiber
brake-cooling ducts and a rear seat delete.
4. Just 150 Track Edition models will
be available in the US.
THE HANDLING
Underway there are all kinds
of whirring, clattering and whooshing noises, more ruckus than a prison kitchen
during a riot. It may be noisy but all of that technology is working overtime
to make you look like a rock star. Even the most capable driver owes a debt of
gratitude to all of the GT-R’s solenoids, clutch packs and sensors for
delivering an almost otherworldly experience. So much technology is working so
hard to make you look so good.
Pitch the car into a corner
and it goes; it’s almost like a video game in that it turns the rigid,
immovable, uncaring laws of physics into something malleable that can be bent
and twisted to the GT-R’s demand.
If there’s one downside to
this car’s performance it’s the ride. Our brief test drive took place on an old
runway; a surface you’d think would be pretty smooth, after all, airplanes used
to land on it and they’re far from off-road vehicles. Despite this inconvenient
fact the GT-R managed to find every bump, expansion joint, crack and crevice on
the runway and probably a few that weren’t even there. The car’s ride is
bumpier than falling down a flight of stairs, minus a closed-head injury, of
course
THE VERDICT
The Nissan GT-R is a great
performance car that keeps getting better with every turn of the calendar. As
in years past the 2014 model is still a giant killer that can spar with some of
the world’s greatest supercars and come out on top. Capable all-wheel drive,
unimaginable levels of grip and rocket-booster thrust only make it better,
while a hand-built engine is cooler than Pluto’s moon.
While the GT-R’s price
continues to rise with every new model year it’s still a performance bargain.
That’s even true when you add on the $16,000 premium for the Track Edition
model, which doesn’t just add performance, but also prestige.
LOVE IT
- Loaded with high-tech features
- Unassailable handling
- Brutal acceleration
LEAVE IT
