Arrived: America's First GT-R
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G35x - RWD/AWD goodness
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From: Michigan
Arrived: America's First GT-R
JspecConnect.com is the first U.S. company to import a 2009 Nissan GT-R.
The black R35 didn't arrive as a complete car, but as separate unibody and drivetrain components.
The manufacturing sticker on the car's right side door jamb identifies it as a trans- axle- and engine- delete car body and not a completed vehicle.
COSTA MESA, California — This is the first 2009 Nissan GT-R in North America outside the steel grip of Nissan itself. It's a JDM version imported by JspecConnect.com to promote the company, to maybe — maybe — add to the subtly textured drama of the fourth Fast & the Furious film and because, well, they wanted to have the first R35 in the country.
Daryl Alison from JSpecConnect.com let Inside Line take it for a ride, including a triple-digit run up the Golden State Freeway. Don't let the cell phone photos fool you; this car is staggeringly gorgeous up close.
This GT-R's current home is JspecConnect.com's Costa Mesa, California warehouse. In fact, this black R35 didn't arrive in America as a complete car but as separate unibody and drivetrain components. The manufacturing sticker on the car's right side door jamb actually identifies it as a trans- axle- and engine- delete car body and not a completed vehicle.
Fortunately, however, Nissan sells the GT-R drivetrain over the parts counter. So once the shell and the drivetrain were in hand, it was straightforward for Steve Mitchell at M-Workz to put them together. And because the R35 GT-R is built as a one-spec car for the whole planet, it already had DOT-compliant headlights, glass and other elements. So the result is a complete JDM-spec, right-hand-drive GT-R that's registered and street legal here in the United States.
Our time driving the GT-R was brief but intoxicating. The car was just as awesomely quick around Costa Mesa as it was during our exclusive first test of a GT-R in Japan back in December. But it's an amazingly easygoing car with a transmission that's simply brilliant whether it's allowed to shift by itself or the driver is using the steering wheel paddles to trigger the gearchanges. It's also ridiculously comfortable, maybe a bit too quiet, and the brakes could stop a runaway Pentagon budget.
In short, now we want one — or two or three — more than ever.
What this means to you: You can still be the first on your block to own a GT-R, but someone else is already first in the country. — John Pearley Huffman, Correspondent
Daryl Alison from JSpecConnect.com let Inside Line take it for a ride, including a triple-digit run up the Golden State Freeway. Don't let the cell phone photos fool you; this car is staggeringly gorgeous up close.
This GT-R's current home is JspecConnect.com's Costa Mesa, California warehouse. In fact, this black R35 didn't arrive in America as a complete car but as separate unibody and drivetrain components. The manufacturing sticker on the car's right side door jamb actually identifies it as a trans- axle- and engine- delete car body and not a completed vehicle.
Fortunately, however, Nissan sells the GT-R drivetrain over the parts counter. So once the shell and the drivetrain were in hand, it was straightforward for Steve Mitchell at M-Workz to put them together. And because the R35 GT-R is built as a one-spec car for the whole planet, it already had DOT-compliant headlights, glass and other elements. So the result is a complete JDM-spec, right-hand-drive GT-R that's registered and street legal here in the United States.
Our time driving the GT-R was brief but intoxicating. The car was just as awesomely quick around Costa Mesa as it was during our exclusive first test of a GT-R in Japan back in December. But it's an amazingly easygoing car with a transmission that's simply brilliant whether it's allowed to shift by itself or the driver is using the steering wheel paddles to trigger the gearchanges. It's also ridiculously comfortable, maybe a bit too quiet, and the brakes could stop a runaway Pentagon budget.
In short, now we want one — or two or three — more than ever.
What this means to you: You can still be the first on your block to own a GT-R, but someone else is already first in the country. — John Pearley Huffman, Correspondent
Lexus Champion
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: California
Does it mean that if we could not get a left hand steering GT-R because of the very limited allocations for the U.S., there is still a chance to import some from Japan and still street legal, a right hand steering?
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I guess someone had to do it, but I would not want a RHD hot car like that over here!
Hartawan, wow - someone has a LHD (regular for U.S.) model here????
Looked at the pics at the link - wow.
Hartawan, wow - someone has a LHD (regular for U.S.) model here????
Looked at the pics at the link - wow.
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From: Michigan
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From: MA
Lexus Test Driver
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From: SF
I have seen this white car twice here in nor cal.
and this red one has been running around in Arizona for a while.
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 6,471
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From: SF
Good thing in Japan is that the dealers aren't allowed to marked up the pricing. But they do have the waiting list and I think the current wait time is from 6 months to a year. But you can always buy the used GTR around 10 million yen if you must have it right away.
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