The Nissan GT-R: Everyone Loves Dinosaurs

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So, what’s your favorite dinosaur? Stegosaurus, or, how about the little armed monster known as the T-Rex? Well, the fine men and women of Xtreme Xperience happen to have a favorite automotive dinosaur as well, and it bears three legendary letters: GT-R. 

Yes, the Nissan GT-R is a bit of a dinosaur in the world of sports cars/supercars/GT cars (I mean, what the hell is this thing anyway?) but like a bottle of fine wine, or a recipe passed down through the generations, it just works. Big, turbocharged horsepower, a killer all-wheel-drive system, and continually evolving electronic trickery make the GT-R as formidable and fun as it was when it debuted over a decade ago. Yes, a decade. 

Since we continually take a traveling circus of vehicles on the road that need to be repaired on-site, often with little notice, we also appreciate that the GT-R happens to also be the most reliable vehicle in our fleet. Unlike other supercars we’ve had in the ranks, the GT-R simply chews up the track without chewing up the patience of our techs. 

Let’s dive into why we love this monster.

The Nissan GT-R Is Bullet Proof 

When considering the good graces of a supercar, reliability rarely seems to come into the conversation. Whether it be your car-loving buddy or a car journalist, the supercar is always defined by looks and performance. Ah, but see, the GT-R isn’t really a supercar, nor was it ever designed to be one. It was designed to be a high-end GT car that could handle the track, the street, and the commute with equal amounts of verve. It also happens to have four seats and a decent-sized trunk, although the two in the back are best left for packages or tiny children. It’s a real everyday car and that’s exactly why it just happens to be so damn reliable: Nissan designed it that way. 

Designers for the GT-R wanted the new model to reflect the passion and history of the Japanese – only models that preceded it, such as the legendary 1969 Skyline GT-R. This unique model was derived from a Nissan Prince sedan and was originally designed to beat up on European cars at circuits all over the world, which it did. Yet, at the end of the day, the original skyline was a semi-practical vehicle. Over the years, Skyline models would evolve into a 2-door coupe style with R32, R33, and R34 model variants making JDM fans salivate, yet they always retained that semi-practical coupe design with four seats and a trunk. It also built and retained a reputation for unbelievable reliability, even when the vehicle was heavily, heavily modified. 

Anyone who ever played games like Gran Turismo knew that the Skyline vehicles were ripe for upgrades, and this concept wasn’t just for video games, it was real life. 

Huge Aftermarket Support

Although we run a completely stock Nissan GT-R here at Xtreme Xperience, the PM platform is one of the most commonly upgraded vehicles out there. Why? They can take the power due to their incredibly robust design. From the engine block to the incredible all-wheel drive system, the GT-R almost seems primed for upgrades, right from the factory. 

Remember a time when every single performance car didn’t come with a launch mode? Well, the GT-R does! While it wasn’t the absolute first car to have such a system, it was the first one to make it popular and it still works incredibly well. This means that intrepid speedsters could take the VR38DETT engine, strap on bigger turbos, better induction, better fuel systems, etc. and make some serious power. It isn’t uncommon to see GT-R’s out there with over 1000 horsepower with the standard block! Combine that with launch control and you see where this is going. 

GT-R engines utilize a closed deck block and an internal ladder frame within the engine to allow this sort of power. Nissan even designed the IHI turbos to be easier to tune, or easier to swap out for higher boost. The possibilities are nearly endless for what can be done to the GT-R, all you need is the will, the money, and the nerve to get it done. 

Influencers Love GT-Rs

One search of YouTube, Instagram, or any social media channel will bring up swaths of crazy GT-R videos from people all over the world. From 2000 horsepower GT-Rs that run the ¼ mile in under 8 seconds to famous influencers who load up their family of friends in order to scare the devil out of them on public roads, the content for GT-Rs seems to be just about everywhere. 

This sort of fanfare means that the GT-R has reached a sort of celebrity status of its own in the world of cars. Simply put, you expect someone to buy a GT-R, modify the heck out of it, and then put the antics all over social media. This builds credibility for the aging GT-R and keeps it fresh among people who are new to the world of fast cars. 

Not only do the speedy antics make great content, but it also shows just how reliable this thing is! For every big horsepower GT-R, there will be just as many videos out there of Lamborghini’s and McLaren’s that have smoked their motors after being tuned. Oftentimes in grand fashion.

No matter which way you look at it, social media has been very kind to the GT-R!

JDM 4 Life

These days, it seems like every car lover has to have a “thing” they love to follow, and JDM sports cars like the GT-R have a rabid, almost cult-like following among enthusiasts. Due to the massive power that’s delivered with the utmost mechanical precision, they possess an interesting aura for a performance car. We’ve chatted about this before, but let’s reiterate the fact that the GT-R has some serious pedigree. 

Unlike cars from Lamborghini or Ferrari, the GT-R has a somewhat understated and muted character, almost gentlemanly for lack of a better word. While the Japanese culture can have an ostentatious edge, it is mostly subdued to the casual observer, but a quick peek under the surface shows that the Japanese build things with true passion. I mean, the GT-R engines are only built by 5 people, how cool is that!

This unique identity makes the GT-R a darling of the JDM crowd and its fans only seem to grow in their love of this unique machine. 

What Are You Waiting For?

There’s only one way to truly experience the majesty of the GT-R, and that’s from behind the wheel. You’ll get to feel the rush of the turbos, and feel the tenacity of the all-wheel drive system scramble for traction underfoot as you push it around corners under the tutelage of one of our many fantastic instructors. The GT-R must be driven in a unique way, and our team of racing instructors is here to help you extract every drop of power. 

Sure, ours may not have 2000 horsepower on tap, but you won’t care a bit when you slide behind the wheel at your local circuit and start hitting the apexes. 

So, what are you waiting for? Come out and drive the legend that is the GT-R this season!