Really. We know that this car is faster
round the Nuerburgring than a Porsche 911 Turbo,
which costs twice as much. We know it's faster across Japan
than the bullet train. But what we don't know, 'cause
last week I was on the public roads and it was fitted with
an electronic speed muzzle, is what it's like when
you really put your foot down. So, when the race was over, I stayed in Japan for an extra day
to see if I could find out. This is the Fuji race circuit. There's no speed limit here.
No traffic either. And best of all, no need to be worried
by the Nissan speed governor. On normal roads, all Japanese cars
are limited to 112 miles an hour. But the GT-R satnav system
knows when it gets to a racetrack... and simply turns the limiter off. First of all, I must apologise
for the sunglasses. This is because yesterday I picked up
a hideous eye infection. And I really don't think
you want to see it. This, though, I think you do want to see.
Flap your paddle gearbox into manual. We put the gearbox itself into race mode,
the suspension into race mode. We put that button down
to engage the launch control. Left foot on the brake. Build up the revs. Here we go! God! It's hard to say how much power
the GT-R develops, because each engine,
as I said last week, is hand built. Each one is therefore
a little bit different. But I think they put
a million horsepower in this one, because the acceleration
is just blistering. It's just savage! God! Face-ripping! With the launch control engaged, I did nought to 60
in three and a half seconds. And flat out, it's even more impressive. Partly that's down to the million
horsepower 3.8 litre twin turbo V6. And partly it's down
to the shape of the body. It looks like a discordant mess,
like Stravinsky designed it. But every crease and every angle,
even on the door mirrors, is there to channel air
to that big rear spoiler. The result is absolute stability
and a top speed of... Well, since this track
has the longest straight of any Grand Prix circuit, let's find out. 160 kph there. 90! 220... Come on! 240! Into sixth gear at 250 kph. 260... 275... I'm on the brakes. It will eventually do 193 miles an hour and that's impressive for a car
that's quiet and comfortable, a car with four seats and a boot. And it's especially impressive when you think it wasn't really
built for straight line speed. Mostly it was built to mash
your mind in the corners. The axles are assembled on hydraulic rigs
that replicate the weight of the car, so the geometry is bang on before the suspension
is bolted to the body. It uses its yaw sensor
and G-sensor to measure actual yaw rate, and can then adjust
the DampTronic shock absorbers and the four-wheel drive system
every hundredth of a second to bring the car into line
with a pre-ordained target. I don't understand any of that,
but I do understand this. The GT-R can corner
so fast and so violently, each wheel has a special knurling
on the rim to stop the tyres coming off. It is extremely hard
to explain how this feels. Agony is probably the best word. The on-board readout is telling me
that in that last corner I generated
one and a fifth more sideways gravity. I wish my collar had a knurled rim.
It would stop my head coming off! When you really get going
at this kind of speed, you expect to feel detached
from the action, like you're playing a video game,
just pressing buttons. But incredibly, it feels mechanical. It feels analogue, it feels human. It feels fan-bleeding-tastic! I thought when I drove
the Mitsubishi Evo-10 the other day that there was no way the GT-R
could be worth twice as much money. I just thought there's no way
it could be twice as good. But it is. And some! They haven't built a new car here.
They've build a new yardstick. Now at this point I was going to tell you about the incredible brakes
and the turbo whistle and how Lotus secretly developed
the spine of this car. But before I had a chance,
I had a bit of a problem. My neck's just gone. What I need is painkillers. Honestly, I hate to cause
a fuss because I think... You hopeless old fart.
A Datsun broke your neck! It was already weakened, from endlessly
craning down to listen to you. Amazing rescue service
they've got there, isn't it? I was very pleased to see that
someone had brought a lawnmower. And a bin lorry. The dustbin lorry did put
the fear of God into me. Much like I did with them actually
when I took my sunglasses off. "Oh, look at his eye! It's disgusting!" I'll tell you the problem.
You know a lot of modern cars now have those headlamps that swivel -when you turn the steering wheel?
-Yes Do you know why the GT-R
doesn't have that? Save weight? No, it's because the motors in
that sort of headlamp can't keep up with the speed that thing
changes direction. Honestly, it's just unbelievable.
It corners faster than electricity. Wouldn't it be great to know how fast
it would go round our track? Yeah, problem is, you think it's in Japan. But it isn't. We've flown it 9,000 miles
so it can be here today in the hands of our tame racing driver. Now, some say that he isn't allowed by law
within 100 yards of Lorraine Kelly. And that he's never seen
an episode of Top Gear, because he's a huge fan
of Midsomer Murders. All we know is he's called Bergerac. And he's off!
Now remember, this £53,000 car has monstered a 300g McLaren
round the Nuerburgring. But I doubt it will do that here,
because this is a power circuit. Very tidy through the first corner. Stig's neck, of course,
made of weapons grade titanium. And he's still all over Elton John.
Let's hope he showers afterwards. That is planted around Chicago.
A little wiggle on the way out. Hammerhead, will the big V6
upfront drag it wide? Not a chance. Look at that! The Stig,
four-wheel drifting for Japan even though he thinks
it's a fictional place. Okay, the follow through.
Bang up the double clutch gearbox. Sounds like a fighter jet
through the tires! Second to last corner, digital car
and analogue animal in perfect harmony. Gambon... Super tidy and across the line! Now... Now, I was expecting it to be around here. The Ferrari 430,
the Murcielago 1,22, 1,23. It did it... 1,19.7. That's a £53,000 four-seater saloon car. And it's quicker than
Carrera GT, McLaren SLR... Genuinely staggering.
