Nissan GT-R Track Edition review

Spectacular exterior design still grabs attention

April 2016

Likes:

  • Spectacular exterior design still grabs attention
  • Incredible, relentless performance
  • Sharp handling is improved further by detail improvements
  • Even this more expensive version is a bargain

Gripes:

  • Improved ride still uncomfortable on poor surfaces
  • Cabin is better finished though still feels cheap in places
  • Standard seats are quite narrow across the middle
  • Badge will put off some potential buyers
The Nissan GT-R has achieved almost mythical status amongst performance car enthusiasts since the current generation R35 model appeared in 2007. Combining a wealth of high-tech systems to deliver supercar dynamics with dramatic looks and everyday usability, the GT-R has become a byword for usable performance. Now there's a Track Edition with some significant enhancements over the standard car with track driving in mind.

Few manufacturers outside the established European performance marques can trace a lineage right back to the 1960s, but with Nissan it was in 1969 that the first GT-R appeared. Ever since it has stuck to a familiar recipe of a six-cylinder engine and a coupe design, with increasing sophistication with each generation.

The GT-R Track Edition sits in the middle of the three-car range, with the standard version below it in price and the highly-specialised Nismo GT-R costing substantially more. The Track Edition gains some of the enhancements that debuted on the Nismo, but does without some of the more expensive elements such as the carbon-fibre bodywork.

The key changes for the Track Edition include a revised suspension set up, comprised of new specification dampers and springs. Although already offering a firm ride, the new set up is designed to improve wheel control. The Track Edition also benefits from Nismo-specification alloy wheels which reduced unsprung weight.

Although not offering any additional power, the twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine beneath the bonnet receives new injectors and software updates which improve power delivery at lower engine speeds. As a nod to the dedicated fans of the GT-R, each Track Edition model comes with a unique plaque attached to the transmission tunnel.

Our verdict on the Nissan GT-R Track Edition
Nissan GT-Rs probably spend more time on track than most rivals so the Track Edition model makes some sense. It is in no way compromised over the standard car - although no GT-R is always comfortable in ordinary driving - but at the outer limits the changes sharpen what is already a tremendously capable and exciting car. Unless you seek a more recognised supercar brand, the GT-R Track Edition is likely to tick all the boxes