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Goodwood FoS 2016

Video: it's a Nissan GT-R versus a drone. Obviously

Nissan pits 2017 GT-R against a 115mph drone. Result is actually quite exciting

Published: 23 Jun 2016

We know most of the internet has an opinion on the Nissan GT-R. Particularly when it’s pitted against other things in a traditional race format.

Like here. Except its rival is not a Porsche 911 Turbo, an Audi R8 or even something mildly obtuse like a Tesla Model S. It is something extremely obtuse: a drone. Y'know, like the ones that please amateur and professional photographers alike. Or terrify pilots landing at Heathrow…

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Why? Good question. Nissan has stuck some GT-R badges on the drone for starters. Less tenuously, though, the Japanese carmaker tells us that a drone was needed to help keep up with the new 2017 GT-R for filming.

That drone therefore needed to be fast, and so it transpires: made by Tornado XBlades Racing (world champions in the drone arena, as it goes), it has four propellers and weighs just 700g.

The combination of those two things yield a 0-62mph in 1.3 seconds. Yes, really. The GT-R hits back with a suddenly quite pathetic 2.8secs. Beyond that, though, the twin-turbo GT-R will monster on to 196mph, leaving the drone standing with its 115mph top speed.

For the sake of a promotional video, then, the track has been kept competitively tight to ensure a close result. And it’s actually surprisingly compelling to watch.

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Not convinced? Well just use it as an opportunity to see the latest generation of GT-R making lots of lovely noise and cutting some exuberant shapes, with a handy racing driver behind its tech-festooned wheel.

And if it whets your appetite to see the car in person, then it’ll be at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, celebrating all things GT-R.

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