NISSAN GT-R
AN ENDURANCE RACING LEGEND... IN HIS OWN BEDROOM WHO: ROWAN HORNCASTLE, EDITOR-AT-LARGE
My first GT-R experience got me grounded. As a hormonally unstable prepubescent, I’d spent a whole week completing Gran Turismo’s enduro league to win the GT-R to beat all GT-Rs – the rarest road-going GT-R on the planet, the LM. But, having not seen sunlight in a week, my mother stormed in mid-six-hour race and yanked the plug out of the back of the PlayStation. At this point, I regretfully called her something I shouldn’t have. “YOU’RE GROUNDED!” she replied.
Fast-forward 15 years and I was lucky enough to have a one-on-one meeting with the homologation special that got me in the doghouse. I begged and begged to drive it but that was out the question. Even Carlos Ghosn – Nissan’s former chairman, president, CEO and newfound porridge enthusiast – was never allowed to get behind the wheel. But that didn’t stop me contemplating stealing it in order to see what it’s like to drive without a PlayStation controller.
THIRD PARTY, FIRE AND THEFT WHO: OLLIE KEW, RT EDITOR
I’m still not old enough to drive an R35 on Nissan’s insurance. So naturally I’ve raced one across an ice lake against a Tesla and driven one with 1,300bhp, set up to do the world’s fastest drift at an old RAF base.
’RING 24HR JISMO DRIVE BACK WHO: JACK RIX, DEP EDITOR
A Nismo to London, back from the Nürburgring 24hrs in 2014. Combo of a nuclear-grade hangover and no sleep thanks to a randy German in the next room (who insisted on shouting “Oh shizer” repeatedly) meant I’d felt fresher. Granite ride not my friend that day. Still hit 175mph on the ’bahn.
HORRELL’S ENTIRE GT-R CV, CRASHY IN PLACES WHO: PAUL HORRELL, CONSULTANT EDITOR
1997: Drove the first R33 in Britain. 1999: Went to Japan to the R34 launch. 1999: Visited Nismo and drove their R33 400R – bored and stroked, titanium exhaust, belligerent performance. 2001: Tokyo Show to see GT-R concept, which became R35.
2008: Drove first R35 in UK to and around Isle of Man. Reversed at some speed into Mr Barlow in the first Audi RS6 in the UK.
2010: Tested the face-lifted R35 in Buckinghamshire. Biblically wet. 2016: Drove 2017 update on a lap of Iceland, 900 miles, sunrise to sunset. Take yer pick...