People view luxury cars in different ways. But all the different definitions all boil down to what kind of car gives you the biggest grin, regardless of reason. For some people, it might be a Rolls Royce. For others, it would be a Nissan GT-R. Between these two, despite the difference in comfort and performance, there lies a similarity, and it’s usually none other than the service costs involved in owning either of them.

Take for instance the $2,000 regular service cost for a regular GT-R. For some people with the bucks, that’s loose change. But wait till you’re faced with a repair bill hiking up to almost ten times that amount. Ridiculous? Yes. Affordable? Maybe. But mind the circumstances. The driver of this Nissan GT-R found the hard way just what it means to own a luxurious sports car.

For him, it means having to shell out $18,355 in repairs. What happened was he was following, perhaps too closely, a tow truck which happened to be following another car which hit the brakes hard. The tow truck was able to avoid hitting the car, but the GT-R driver wasn’t so lucky. Despite the potential of his car, he couldn’t prevent it from tapping the tow truck’s hitch. It cracked his front bumper ever so slightly, but the chain reaction is what really mattered. The pedestrian safety system got triggered, raising the hood and totaling the hood hinges, hood rams and the system’s electronic computer. Include the price of the bumper and the bill instantly shot up to almost 20 grand.

So the moral of the story? Unless you’re a professional race car driver with loads of money, try not to drive an ultra-high performance sports car too near anything in traffic. It takes more than a good car to prevent accidents from happening.

So there you have it, folks. Another ridiculous traffic incident involving a sorry driver and his helpless Nissan GT-R.

Source: GTR Owners Club

Here’s a painful reminder that no matter how good of a driver you may think you are, you should always respect a car until you get a feel for it.

The driver of this Nissan GT-R learned this the hard way when he lost control of his R35 and slammed into a Credit Union ATM in Vancouver, Canada. Fortunately, no one was hurt, except for the R35, the building and the driver’s ego. Police reports say the car almost hit innocent bystanders while skidding out of control at horrific speeds.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, another R35 met its demise in the hands of a famous celebrity in the Philippines. This incident happened just a few hours before dawn. Police reports say the R35 was rounding a dark, narrow bend when it lost traction. Since the GT-R is known for its highly-advanced stability and traction control systems, the crash only proves that a good car doesn’t automatically make you a good driver. The crash spared the life of the actor, who was on his way home from taping a show, but unfortunately killed his personal assistant who was riding shotgun, without his seatbelt fastened.

Both of these cases show that if you can’t handle the R35, you’re better off keeping your hands off it. Even if you can afford it, you’ll only be putting yourself at risk, including other people. You don’t want to be labeled as a rich kid trying hard to be a cowboy, and miserably failing.

This serves as a warning to the general public as well, and applies not only to super cars or sports cars, but basically all types of contraptions on wheels. Every time you hold a steering wheel, you should be responsible for every one around you, not just your ego Never, ever drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, obey traffic rules, never use your mobile phone and always, always fasten your seatbelts, including your passengers’.

Source: Jalopnik, GTR Blog

The Tokyo Motor Show is nearing, and among the rumored vehicles in the works right now for the said show is the second upgrade to the Nissan GT-R. The GT-R had been introduced in the Tokyo Show back in the year 2007, and it received a performance upgrade in the form of the GT-R SpecV that was launched January this year.

There are rumors online that for the coming Tokyo Motor Show next month, Nissan is planning to introduce a more luxurious version of the GT-R, dubbed the SpecM. These rumors have been here for too long, but there’s no confirmation from Nissan yet.

What is available at the moment is a photo rendering by the Carmode magazine of the GT-R SpecM. The upcoming model is said to pack the SpecV’s aero kit and wheels, although the car will have a softer suspension and more options for customization to cater to luxury car lovers.

[Source: Carscoop]

It sure must have been tough, but after all the evaluations Motor Trend has finally decided to give the calipers to the Godzilla—the sports car Nissan GT-R. This Motor Trend pick has created such a buzz, with arguments arising as to whether it is worthy of the award or not.

The GT-R truly defies all the other contenders, and probably a lot of the Americans, in the 2009 Motor Trend COTY. It doesn’t go with the times. It’s focused on a single goal—power. And considering the fact that power is placed a few steps lower in the ladder of the average motorist’s priorities today, it is no wonder its winning is quite controversial. First there’s the price. And then fuel economy. And then a few more issues.

Let’s take a look at the criteria Motor Trend used in judging the contenders and (possibly) see the reason behind the winning of the GT-R:

“1. Superiority. We look at engineering excellence, advancement in design, utilization of resources, and safety. Vehicle concept and execution are important, as are use of materials, packaging, dynamics, styling, and fuel consumption.

2. Significance. How well the vehicle does the job its maker intended and impacts its particular market segment, influences consumer perceptions, and transforms product-development trends.

3. Value. How each vehicle compares against its direct rivals. A vehicle with a low sticker price might not be as good a value as a more expensive vehicle that delivers outstanding performance, quality, and functionality.”¹

Okay… Sure the Nissan GT-R has superior engineering. In the sports cars or super cars industry, the GT-R stands up to many of the renowned names. It is also advance in design, being the first all-wheel drive production car with a transaxle at the rear. Plus, its engineering has been geared toward speed from the start, with its engine even hand built. In terms of significance, the GT-R may not appeal to the general public. But, it sure does to sports car enthusiasts because of its power. And when compared to all vehicles of its class, it’s got real value in terms of price. Although average drivers may find its price way above their range, it’s got real value when compared to those in its class, with approximately the same price but with way more power.

Well yeah, I was disappointed the Fit or the Genesis or the A4 didn’t get it, but looking at the GT-R not from my “love-of-luxury point of view” but from a more objective one, it sure does deserve the calipers. Congrats Nissan!

NOTE: Photos courtesy of AutoSpectator and 6autos