Road and Track Magazine - 4 Track Free For ALL

Road and Track Magazine

4-Track Free-for-All:

* El Toro Autocross
* Streets of Willow
* Willow Springs
* The Oval

The point-and-shoot choice? Clearly the Nissan GT-R (40.63 sec.). "As soon as you're even remotely straight," said Gary, "you can go to full throttle and it's just gone, where the other cars are just spinning tires and making smoke." Corner entry and apex phases, though, can be challenging with the driveline's computer "shifting power around based on what it thinks you want to do. If you catch it out," continued Gary, "it gets into an expected all-wheel-drive, heavy-car push, but then it's gone in the middle of the corner." Minimal turbo lag, massive power and a flat-as-Kansas cornering stance help the GT-R, as do the sticky optional Dunlops.

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Remember the command performance of the Nissan GT-R in our May 2008 cover story, in which it "spanked" the Z06 and 911 Turbo at Buttonwillow? Well, our second experience with the GT-R proved it indeed is for real, one of only three cars to lap the Streets in the 1:08s.

How did the portly Nissan manage? The recipe is simple — it's an impressive mix of power and grip, integrated into a well-balanced rear-biased awd chassis with monstrous brakes and quick paddle shifters.

Steve's favorite trait of the GT-R — its consistency. "It feels really good. Just so solid...it gives you a lot of confidence, and you can push very hard." In the slow constant-radius skidpad turn leading onto the front straight, however, Millen said he struggled to "set" the GT-R, which is necessary to get the car rotated.

The results are clear. You want to go to the track? Buy a Viper ACR and destroy the competition for roughly $100,000. Want to amaze your friends by defying physics? Get a Nissan GT-R. Desire to be as smooth as James in Monaco, the DBS — no question. Me, I'm partial to lime green and exhaust notes that wake the neighbors.