Nissan Gtr Egoist Price
Nissan Gtr Egoist Price
Let me get the clichés out of the way first. The GT-R is an incredible feat of engineering, it's a physics-defying tool from the PlayStation generation, packed with as much technology as the Space Shuttle, allowing any ham-fisted driver to look like a pro behind the wheel. Ahhh, that's better! Right, let's forget about all those ready-made phrases that car journalist like to sprinkle their reviews of the GT-R with and talk seriously about a car that is the result of sheer obsession. You can't possibly begin to understand why the GT-R is so good unless you take the time to appreciate it in its details. The drivetrain, the transaxle dual-clutch gearbox, the powerful twin-turbo V6, the finely tuned suspension and geometry, the incredibly low center of gravity and of course the brains of the car that tie everything together. If this was a car made by a renowned manufacturer of exotics, everyone would be going crazy over all the technology and engineering solutions, but because it's a Japanese manufacturer it's all so easily dismissed as simple trickery, almost to the point of accusing the technology of cheating the performance out of the car. This is something that always plagued the previous generation of the GT-R, which I always found to be somewhat misunderstood outside of Japan. It was a generation of cars that were born and developed with the sole intent of going racing, reigning victorious for well over a decade in national championships.
But to the "outside world" the GT-R was something out of the Playstation generation, a car that was linked directly to a series of films that I will not mention here, left to bask in a somewhat cheesy light. I will never forget that time when a now-vanished Top Gear presenter, when doing a buying guide for the GT-R said that the brakes on these cars are prone to blowing up. That was the last straw for me, I never took any review of the car seriously after that, but rather continued to learn more about them as an owner and ever-growing fan of its history. Which brings me to the car you see here, the most expensive GT-R ever produced, the absolute pinnacle of the whole GT-R evolution, a car I was handed the keys to for a week.
There was a long wait which spanned a massive five years between when the BNR34 was discontinued in mid-2002, to when the R35 appeared undisguised at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. As soon as Carlos Ghosn took over the reign at Nissan he knew very well that the "R" badge stood for so much and made sure that the new car everyone would be expecting would represent the pinnacle of Nissan's engineering capabilities straight out of the box. Back in 1999 the BNR34 felt ballistic but in 2007 the 480 HP GT-R was on a totally new level, setting its sights on established supercar benchmarks like the Porsche Turbo. Now, five years on the R35 I am driving not only packs a massive 541 HP punch but has addressed some of the criticism of its apparently lacklustre cabin…at a "slight" extra cost. For close to $185,000, and if you live in Japan (as well as a very few selected other countries) you can go for the Egoist version, which mates that explosive performance with a fully customizable, leather clad interior and few other high-end choice accessories.
My first assessment consisted in spending a night cruising around the streets of Tokyo, hitting up neighbourhoods like Shimbashi, Ginza and Akihabara, where I enjoyed the Eogoist's luxurious cabin and the car's docile nature when driven gently as an everyday ride. A few hours of sleep later however I couldn't have been in a more different place, as I tackled some amazing driving roads on the mountains that surround Fuji Speedway.
It was there that once again I was blown away but how far this car has come, how Mizuno-san – the project leader for the GT-R – has been able to continuously evolve its capabilities. Every time I jump in an R35 the same thought comes into my mind, and that is a car this big and heavy has no right going this fast. But contrary to popular belief, Mizuno has actually used the weight of the car to increase its traction, grip and overall handling to the point that it amazingly masks all that mass. Through the somewhat slippery concrete-topped roads…
…the Egoist seemed to put its luxurious demeanour to one side, allowing that race-bread soul to shine. With the transmission in R mode and the suspension left in normal with all traction and stability controls off the GT-R sliced precisely through every turn, machine-gunned through every gear and catapulted out of every apex with impressive poise and precision. Those big 20-inch Dunlops offer so much grip and the variable AWD system so efficient that all the 541 HP the VR38 develops can be efficiently deployed to the ground. Once you recalibrate your driving style to the Egoist's capabilities you can start to play around, getting on the power a little earlier to voluntarily kick out the tail. It's all so progressive the GT-R never bites back…
…it just continues to reward. And then there are the brakes. For your 185-grand you also get the SpecV's carbon-ceramic brakes which are among some of the best I've had the pleasure of sampling. There is still a numbness when cold that plagues all such systems, but when you step on them they offer the most rewarding bite this side of a race car. They are progressive and easy to modulate and even on non-stop hard drives never seem to break sweat, a perfect addition to what is the best factory GT-R in existence.
After annihilating a full tank of hi-octane gas I slipped the transmission into auto and calmly drove down the mountains towards Fuji Speedway, as the seat heaters did their thing. There I would stop for a few pictures…
…and to take a look at the Egoist in detail.
Along with the carbon-ceramic stoppers the Egoist is fitted with the same dry-carbon cooling ducts as the now-discontinued SpecV, offering much better cooling of the front brakes.
The Egoist comes in Ultimate Opal White, a very special 3-coat multi-flex pearl color that while hard to differentiate from normal white from a distance, when you get up close has all sorts of metallic green, gold and purple reflections depending on what sort of light hits it.
The VR38DETT hasn't been fettled with, the 541 HP that is offered throughout the range was deemed more than enough…
…for this special Egoist version. However…
…boosting the V6's growl is a full titanium exhaust system, the same that was fitted to the SpecV and the same that you can purchase from Nismo as part of their $66,485 "Club Sports Package."
Once you begin to notice these important yet subtle differences the Egoist begins to stand out, but it doesn't end there.
The rear end is spiced up with yet another SpecV addition, the extremely light, dry carbon trunk spoiler. This wing has become such a highly requested part that from this month, with the release of the 2014 GT-R, has been added to the options list, yours for a cool $9,200!
Here is closer look at the lightweight Rays wheels that come with the Egoist, again the same as used on the SpecV and available from Nismo. They offer a substantial weight advantage, shaving over a kilogram from each corner, lowering unsprung weight and therefore contributing to the overall handling and steering-feel improvements. Behind those chunky, almost TE37-like spokes, hide the sliver calipers, the same 6-pot front and 4-pot rears that equip the "regular" cars but sporting a special brake pad compound…
…made especially to be used with the carbon-ceramic discs.
All of these upgrades warrant that little "Egoist" emblem under the rear GT-R badge…
…except there is far more to this top of the line R35 than its exterior upgrades.
A big chunk of that $185,000 comes from the high-end, leather-clad interior that is available in 20 different color combinations. The press car I borrowed from Nissan went for one of the flashiest ones available, red for the dashboard and various other trims against grey for the seats, transmission tunnel…
…and the doors. Both the seats and main door sections are covered in diamond quilted stitching to offer a softer more padded surface…
…with the lower part of the doors, the headliner and pillars covered in grey and red suede, areas you just can't help but fondle more often than not.
Event the sills are upholstered in tight leather and finished off with a GT-R badge. Every time I got in and out of the Egoist I had to make sure I wouldn't scratch this particular area with my heels, but even when I accidentally scraped the bottom of my shoes along it, it seemed quite resistant to scratches.
The quality of the leather, the stitching and the overall fit and finish is on par with cars in this high price bracket…
…and it seems to fit in great with the unique design of the R35's interior. The center console is another area that Nissan has improved over the years, replacing that scratch-prone and rather cheap looking rubbery finish of the first cars with carbon fiber…
…and now even redesigned knobs for the A/C and A/V system controls.
Rear seat occupants get the same soft leathery treatment and can entertain themselves by running their fingers along the suede headliner and dry carbon subwoofer enclosure! Top of the line all the way!
Even the rear parcel shelf is covered in the same red suede as the headliner!
For those that crave the best of everything from their GT-R the Egoist is the perfect car. It further extends the long list of capabilities the R35 boasts by combining two opposite qualities; luxury and performance. It may not be for everyone, and Nissan knows that, but it's there for those that can appreciate it.
Nissan
-Dino Dalle Carbonare
Source: http://www.speedhunters.com/2012/11/the-luxury-rocket-gtr-egoist/
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