First UK GT‑R Nismo delivered with added thrills
The first UK customer to take delivery of the new Nissan GT‑R Nismo has been treated to a vehicle handover every bit as special as his new supercar - a one-to-one track tutorial with Nismo racing driver Jann Mardenborough.
Nick Coombes of Plymouth collected the 600PS model - the most powerful GT‑R to date - from leading South West dealer and Nismo specialist, JFE Nissan in Exeter, before being whisked to Thruxton racing circuit in Hampshire.
There, GT Academy graduate Mardenborough, who will race Nissan's GT‑R LM Nismo at there year's Le Mans 24 Hour, was on hand to give the ultimate product walkthrough before hitting the track to show just what the GT‑R Nismo can do.
Only 24 examples of the Nissan GT‑R Nismo will be delivered in the UK and all have already been sold.
The £125,000 model has been developed by Nismo's legendary engineering team at racing circuits worldwide and features enhanced styling, optimised aerodynamics, suspension and powertrain.
All this combines to deliver a major performance boost on the standard Nissan GT‑R - itself so ferocious it's known as ‘Godzilla' in motoring circles. This enhanced performance allowed the GT‑R Nismo to set a new record lap time of 7:08.679 at the Nurburgring.
Speaking after his Thruxton experience, retired haulage company owner Mr Coombes, said: "Once you've owned a GT‑R nothing else will do. This is my third GT‑R and as soon as I knew the GT‑R Nismo was being made I knew I had to have one."
He added: "Being the first customer in the UK to take delivery just makes the thrill of owning this incredible car even more special.
"And having a young man with as much talent and as bright a future as Jann show me what the car can really do has been awesome. This is a day I'll never forget."
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Notes to Editors
About Nissan in the UK
- Nissan Sunderland Plant produces the Nissan Qashqai, Note and Juke and the 100% electric Nissan LEAF
- Production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles began in 2012
- Total plant volume since 1986 stands at more than seven million units with 80 per cent of production exported to 100 markets worldwide
- Total investment made and announced since then is over £3.5 billion
- 500,238 units were produced at Sunderland plant in 2014
- In 2014, one in three cars built in the UK was a Nissan.
- Sunderland Plant currently employs more than 6,700 people
- Nissan's European Design Centre is located in Paddington, London and employs around 65 people
- Nissan's European Technical Centre is based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire and employs around 1,000 people
- Nissan's sales and marketing headquarters in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire employs around 190 people
About Nissan in Europe
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 17,600 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last financial year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 675,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, small cars, SUVs, commercial vehicles and electric vehicles, including the Nissan LEAF, the world's most popular electric vehicle with 96% of customers willing to recommend the car to friends. Nissan now offers a strong line-up of 23 diverse and innovative models in Europe under the Nissan and Datsun brands.