Nissan GT-R – long-term review

Ten years ago, when the R35 GT-R was first launched, it was tarred by some as “a digital supercar”. With bleeding-edge tech like a newfangled dual-clutch gearbox, mind-scrambling four-wheel-drive system and a display from Polyphony Digital, this, apparently, made the car anodyne, soulless and easy.

Rubbish. All you need to do is fire the thing up and you’re engulfed in a cacophony of guttural whoomps, bangs and thuds. I’m of the belief that it’s one of the most analogue and mechanical supercars you can buy. You hear the diffs locking under you, gears swapping behind you and other oily bits clanging around, which adds a connection and makes it feel brutish. It’s not sophisticated, but it feels incredibly raw and evocative. Unlike, say, a Tesla.

 But, boy, does the GT-R still get attention. Never have so many thumbs been raised my way in pure admiration. Honestly, driving around, you feel you’re doing some sort of community service to future petrolheads. And that feels great.