In The GT-R's Driver's Seat
Walk up to the GT-R and you’ll notice its door handles are recessed. This isn't to look pretty or be cute. Nissan's engineers designed them that way to improve the car's aerodynamics. As you can imagine, reducing drag is important on a vehicle with a claimed top speed of 193 MPH. To open the door, press on the side with the raised bumps and pull on the handle.
Inside, you're welcomed by the first notable addition included with the Black Edition trim: supportive Recaro bucket seats appointed in red and black leather. Per Recaro tradition, they sport excellent side bolster support, and had no trouble keeping us planted during aggressive cornering. The seats are heated too, which was nice as we cruised through the cold Las Vegas nights.
We found the GT-R's front seats to be about as comfortable as could be expected, though after 300 miles each way, it was clear we weren't riding around in an Infiniti. There's only so much "let me grip your rear-end and not let go" that a 30-something-year-old tech writer can take.
Once you're planted into the driver's seat and look up, a basic set of analog gauges greet you. They include a speedometer, a tachometer, the fuel gauge, an engine temperature indicator, and a digital read-out that conveys the transmission's gear. There’s also a digital information center you can cycle through for trip information and gas mileage.
One of the coolest features we ran across just sitting in the driver's seat was the GT-R's tilt and telescoping steering wheel. While most cars with those features simply move the steering column and wheel, Nissan's engineers took the concept even further by moving the steering column and gauge clusters during adjustments. This allows the gauges to remain visible, regardless of the driver's position. The feature is great for track days.