2013 & 2014 Nissan GT-R Premium, GT-R Black Edition & GT-R Track Edition Review: Godzilla Gran Turismo Racer!

Nissan GT-R interior view via an open driver's door	GT-R subwoofers mounted vertically in rear seat
2014 GT-R Track Edition blue leather trimmed high grip seating	Quilted cloth replaces rear seats on GT-R Track Edition to save weight

Interior: The GT-R’s interior features high-performance bucket seats, a racing-style instrument panel (cluster) with a large center-mounted tachometer. The interior trim includes aluminum and carbon-fiber pieces. There is also previously mentioned center dash mounted multi-function display, designed by Polyphony Digital, developers of the Gran Turismo driving-simulation video games, which features eleven pages of mechanical / driving information, navigation with XM NavTraffic and NavWeather, and additional entertainment features available via the interface screen.  An 11-speaker (9+2 subwoofers) Bose sound system that has its speakers mounted in rigid aluminum die-cast panels is standard equipment. The GT-R also includes a standard USB iPod port, streaming audio via Bluetooth, and the rearview monitor now standard equipment, along with cruise control, power outlets, power locks and windows, automatic climate control, and a self-dimming rear-view mirror among other things.

GT-R safety features: The Nissan GT-R interior safety features include seatbelts, driver and passenger front airbags, seat mounted side airbags, roof curtain mounted airbags, and an energy absorbing steering column and knee bolsters along with other strategically placed padding. Exterior structural safety features include heavy-duty door side impact beams, creases in the hood to aid in planned buckling during a front end crash, and other front and rear energy absorbing crumple zones built into the body. There is also the 4-wheel anti-lock braking system with "Electronic Brake force Distribution" which is capable of bringing things to a halt, or a well-controlled slowdown, in a near record-breaking hurry.

Also included with the 2013 GT-R is the vehicle security and immobilizer system to help reduce theft and insurance rates.

Gran Turismo Racer (GT-R) exotic car drivers instrument cluster

New for 2013 is the blue lighting treatment inside the tachometer ring which now matches the blue shift position indicator light to the right. Also, on the upper-middle face of the tachometer is upshift indicator lights (green, yellow, and red) which may be switched on or off by the driver. 

Red 2013 Nissan GT-R parked curbside car picture

GT-R nicknames and legends: The Godzilla reference, used as slang for the GT-R by many, began via a magazine article back in the 1980's when the Nissan GT-R was still a Nissan Skyline GT-R. The Godzilla moniker spread easily because of the popular Blue Öyster Cult song Godzilla, and because the eternal Godzilla pop culture movie icon, all blended well with the idea of the GT-R dominating nearly everything it went up against, and then some. Also, talk is cheap until you clock it on the Nürburgring New-uhr boo-org ring, and the GT-R regularly makes record runs on the Nürburgring, aka "The Ring". The Nurburgring 24-hour race was important in the evolution of GT-R. Nürburgring is also often called the "The Green Hell" which was coined by 'Jackie' Stewart (an earlier generation race car driver). The Nissan GT-R has been a Nürburgring top performer in the "Production street-legal vehicles" class since day one.

Next: GT-R Skyline history...