New 2009 Nissan Skyline GTR R35 Test Run @ Race Track

2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R: The most eagerly anticipated new performance car of the century

Brakes: Brembo 4 Wheel Disc
Differential: 1.5 Way Mechanical Limited Slip
Final Drive Rati: 3.70:1
Layout: Front Engine, AWD
Transmission: 6 Speed DSG Manual
Engine: 3.8 liters Twin Turbo 24V V6
Horsepower: 480 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 430 ft-lbs. @ 3200 rpm
Acceleration: 0 to 60mph in 3.3 sec

Born from a long line of Skyline GT-Rs dating back to 1969, this latest version — "R35" to the hard-core — promises to pack more turbocharged power, more all-wheel-drive technology and more sheer speed than any Japanese car ever to come to America.

For six years the 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R has been the subject of intense rumors and frenzied speculation. Frequent sightings of GT-R test mules help fuel the excitement. We've caught GT-R prototypes on the streets of L.A. and the Nürburgring test track in Germany. Nissan's engineers also made a trip to a couple California racetracks, bringing the GT-R to both Laguna Seca and Sears Point.

Why is this car followed so closely? Because the Skyline GT-R R35 is expected to be the ne plus ultra of Japanese performance machinery

The original Nissan Skyline GT-R
might have hit the street in 1969, but it wasn't until 1990 that the GT-R legend would be solidified. That was the year the Skyline GT-R was introduced to an utterly stunned Japanese market. It was the first of three twin-turbocharged, all-wheel-drive and all-wheel-steering Skylines (R32, R33 and R34) and it's the generation upon which the Skyline GT-R legend rests.

Though the R34 left production after the 2003 model year, it was so beloved that Nissan's Nismo division actually bought 20 used Skyline GT-R R34 V-Spec models during 2005 and completely rebuilt them into what is currently considered the greatest GT-R of them all — the $170,000, 500-horsepower Skyline GT-R Z-Tune.

So prominent had the Nissan Skyline GT-R become that in 2003's 2 Fast 2 Furious, the film's hero drove and raced one through the streets of Miami. And the actor Paul Walker, who played the role, bought his own and modified it.

Crazy gullwing-door Volkswagen Golf GTi

by Vijay Pattni
These are the first pictures of the craziest-looking Golf GTi Volkswagen has ever built – the Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance.
The Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance is a design study which the carmaker is showcasing at the annual Worthersee Tour.
The Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance study is a one-off car by the German carmaker which features crazy upwards-opening doors as found on the Lamborghini Murcielago and Lamborghini Gallardo.
View more images of the Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance
The Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance study also features a wide bodykit, lowered suspension and larger alloy wheels.
The bonkers Golf is on display at the Worthersee Tour, which is an annual gathering of Audi and Volkswagen enthusiasts and a platform for one-off VW models.
Last year Volkswagen unveiled the 6-litre twin-turbocharged Golf W12 650, which uses the engine from a Volkswagen Phaeton and produces a titanic 641bhp.
View more images of the Volkswagen Golf W12 650
This means the mid-engined hatch will accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.7 seconds and hit a top speed of 195mph – as quick as a Lamborghini Gallardo.
Volkswagen hasn’t released any official information on the one-off Volkswagen Golf GTi Performance study, but the pictures show two huge exhaust tips surrounded by wire mesh.
And Volkswagen has fitted two bottles of nitrous oxide – which instantly boost power at the touch of a button – into the boot, indicating an uprated version of the standard Golf GTi’s 200bhp 2-litre petrol engine.
The mad Golf gets a black and orange paint scheme with racing decals while the interior gets a three-seat interior.
Audi is also showcasing two crazy new models at the Worthersee Tour – but this one’s going into production.
The hot new Audi TT Clubsport Quattro is an open-top roadster with no fixed or folding roof and will come with a highly tuned 2-litre turbocharged engine said to “break the magical 300bhp barrier.”
View more images of the Audi TT Clubsport Quattro
Audi is also displaying the Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro at the Worthersee meet.
View more images of the Audi A3 TDi Clubsport Quattro
Check out the standard Volkswagen Golf GTi put through its paces: