Reviews and impressions of the actual production US version of the 2009 Nissan GT-R are starting to come in. This is the real deal people. The GT-R that you and I can actually buy. Up until now the media has had access to prototypes and Japanese versions.

Before we jump into the various Nissan GT-R reviews that have appeared online, let’s try to arrive at a bullet point consensus.

• Amazing track performance
• Superior handling
• Top notch acceleration and speed
• About 17-18 mpg fuel efficiency (13-16 city and 20-23 highway)
• Best bang for your super car buck.
• Lacks some of the “soul” of other super cars like the Porsche 911
• A bit on the heavy side
• Exterior lacks “look at me” ooomph
• Interior lacks feel of luxury
• Distinctively Japanese
• Easiest performance car to drive
• Targeting the video game generation
• Drives “hard” for your typical daily drive

Now let’s move onto some of the reviews.

TV Crunch discovered that the Nissan Xterra which Dwight Shrute bought from Andy Bernard was on auction at e-Bay. However, it looks like the reserve for the auction was not met so no one wins.

After some complaints of Nissan’s current Maxima model too closely resembling their upper level Infiniti G35 sedan the designers at Nissan have given the 2009 Maxima a distinctive look all its own. The new Nissan Maxima is set to prevail its new skin at this months New York Auto Show.

For some of us the Nissan Maxima was once a pinnacle four-door sedan that embodied sophistication and class, but that seems long ago now. The 2004-08 body style of the Maxima does not possess the same distinction the bestows upon the onlooker what it once meant to be a Maxima. Maybe the 2009 Nissan Maxima can restore that imbalance.

The new Maxima, by appearance only, appears to fit in with the current sedan trends, but yet still is not a copy-cat of what the others are doing. There are still hints of the G35 and there are touches of the Lexus IS 250/350, but beyond those nuances the 2009 Nissan Maxima might just step out of the cookie cutter and back into some prominence.      …Photo Gallery and engine details to follow link…

As the arrival date of the first of 1500 Nissan GT-R’s bound for the states draws closer the inevitable is starting to take shape. Despite Nissan’s efforts to thwart it general economic principles are going to take the GT-R and run high with it. That is what the fellas at ExhaustNote learned in their survey of various Nissan Dealerships around the country. The high demand for the Nissan GT-R is running smack into a small supply here in the US and that is going to result in premium pricing. To put it simply… do not expect to pay that MSRP price of $69,000.

If you were finding a $69,000 price tag to be a reasonable price and nicely inside your car budget will it still be so with a $20,000 premium? How about a $40,000 premium? What about a mark-up of $60,000? Would a resulting sales price of $129,000 take the Nissan GT-R out of your reasonable car market even considering the high demand?

It seems impossible to fathom that I am the only perpetual car shopper who is always looking for that next fun auto. While there may be many who do not consider themselves perpetual car shoppers many may believe themselves to be car aficionados or appreciators of fine autos. For those of you who, like myself, have put off the purchase of that next fun ride, as well as for those of you who appreciate the promise of the next cool auto, I have compile MY list of the Most Lustable New Cars for 2008. If you have put off buying that new car for a while these are the cars that I feel will make all the waiting worth the while. Some of these cars are still coming from their concept stage and have yet to be road tested by people outside of the manufacturers engineers, so for some their ranking is based on the Promise of what the car will be.

The Nissan Forum Concept Design Team are not merely looking to challenge the mindset of the Mini-Van clans, but to remind everyone that “getting there” should be part of the fun. With plush aniline leather seats, a plethora of electronics and even a microwave such a transport may cause families to opt for the long way to any destination. The outside layers of the Forum Concept also strikes a bold pose with its striking front end, expansive views via the glass paneled cieling, and its railless sliding rear doors. There seems to be a lot more here to catch the here in the Nissan Forum than one would expect in the usual Mini-Van. And that is exactly what Nissan is hoping for when they showcase their Forum Concept in January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit. For more photos and the Specs for the Nissan Forum click Read More.

At this years Turkey Run auto show in Daytona Beach, Fl there were a number of fantastic and interesting hot rods and classics, but one car stood out as a modern classic that was stealing some of the spotlight. This 1998 Nissan Skyline GT-R may have been overlooked by some as some strange import, but there were plenty of people on hand who drew a bee-line straight to this tuners delight upon seeing it. Few other Asian imports command the respect and awe that the Skyline GT-R does.

The right-hand drive Skyline GT-R is coveted by many and this particular 1998 is available to anyone willing to put forth the $39,000 asking price. As the day came to an end on Saturday it had not appeared that any takers were in attendance at this years Turkey Run. If you are on the look-out for your own Skyline GT-R or cannot afford the new Nissan GT-R then this might just be the winner for you. Follow the link for additional photos.

The teasers are officially over as Nissan makes public its worse kept secret with an official Press Release and in person unveiling of the GT-R at the Tokyo Auto Show. It is almost sad to see the speculation depart like this, but it is nice to see the real thing just as Nissan intended it to be. The GT-R goes on sale in Japan on December 6th of this year and will be supported by the newly created Nissan High Performance Center. So much is riding on the GT-R that Nissan has created a maintenance group around the car.

As you will read below and may have read before the Nissan GT-R is powered by a 3.8 Liter twin-turbo V6 “VR38″. The power coming from that engine rates 473-hp and up to 433-ft. lbs of torque. Take a look at the photo gallery below for the official photos released by Nissan and after the gallery and for further details on the GT-R read from Nissan’s Official Press Release.

While many of us auto-philes with a penchant for gaming are awaiting our chance to run some laps on the track in a 2008 Nissan GT-R some real laps on the Nurburbring track are opening some eyes. It is being reported that the Nissan GT-R produced lap times that were a full 2-seconds faster than the current model Porsche 911 GT2. The Porsche GT2 has a recorded time of 7:32 on the same track, and the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera has a track time of 7:38. That would give the Nissan GT-R an official, hand-held timer, track time of 7:30.

Ofcourse track time is not everything, but when you factor the sales price listed for the compared cars to that track time you gain a whole different perspective. The Porsche 911 GT2has a sales price of $191,700. The Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera can be yours for $220,300. The Nissan GT-R will have 3 variations when it hits the streets late this year. The base model will be a 480-hp supercar selling for $57,000, the V-Spec model will be listed at $67,000 and the top of the line EVO-Spec with its 530-hp will be available for you to drive home at a mere $94,000.

Ofcourse to the basic car buyer the Nissan GT-R may be priced far out of range, but in the realm of supercar shoppers the price and performance available for under $100,000 makes for quite the bargain.

Source[MotorAuthority]

We have said it before and we will say it again, product placement in movies, video games and sports stadiums when done properly is pure marketing genius. Having your car in one of the greatest racing video game franchises ahead of its release is a good move to help build the hype for its unveiling. Yet Sony has done Nissan even better by placing the Nissan GT-R within the downloadable demo of the new Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. They also moved up the date of the demo’s release to coincide with the 40th Anniversary of the Tokyo Auto Show.

On October 20th those eager fans that download the demo to Gran Turismo 5 for the Playstation 3 will be the first car fans to climb (digitally) behind the controls of the new Nissan GT-R. The car in the game will be the actual production model and should contain the proper performance figures for the car.

Sony has also moved up the release date of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue to December 13, 2007. It is not clear how much of that release date change is Nissan (unlikely) and how much of it is the makers of Gran Turismo 5 just being ready with the game ahead of schedule. Either way it is a nice Christmas bonus for the fans of the racing video game.

To get YOUR hands on the controls of a new Nissan GT-R ahead of its official release call up your buddy with the PS3 and request he download the demo on October 20th (expect a call, Todd).

 Source[egmCarTech]