MY24 in terms of performance…
First, the styling. The MY24 has a power that cannot be described only by its huge rear wing, as it claims to have even better aerodynamics. The whole body has a tremendous machine feel. It’s not exactly a Porsche RS, but it would not look out of place in the race paddock of a circuit without a fight. In comparison, the MY22 is a little more docile. The MY22 is the ‘Huracan EVO’ and the MY24 is the ‘Huracan EVO2’, but the Huracan EVO2 is usually surprisingly grandiose.
I find the MY22’s face more GT-R-like, or rather Nissan-like, and while I have no feelings about the V-shaped grille, it’s a lot more intrepid than the MY24’s slightly bland, flatulent look.
Turning to the interior, it’s already a MY24. The carbon Recaro seats are cool. But as soon as I fired up the engine, I was a little put-off.
Of course, this is no longer the era of bombast. Even a 1,000-hp supercar would only want to wake up its engine once it’s on the main road. So there is no reason to complain that the V6 twin-turbo engine’s starting sound has been reduced a little, but for those of us who have been listening to the waking sound for 16 years, the MY24’s waking sound left us feeling a little unsatisfied. The GT-R was much more dynamic. Of course, the developers are not to blame, as this is a regulation compliance issue. However, there could have been a little more effort put into the tone.
Proud to be the best industrial product
The smoothness of the car when starting is on par with any of the model years. It is a world apart from my memory of having owned an early model, and the dynamic quality of the transmission is a world apart. What was even more surprising was the handling of the MY24’s front legs. Although the recent R35s have always been “light” to move, they have also been refined in terms of sensuality, such as suppleness and straightforwardness.
To put it simply, the nose of the MY24 moves like a ‘normal car’. Combined with an angular ride, it was a little less spartan, but instead had a more refined bodywork. In comparison, the MY22 still had the rush-heavy tank feel typical of the Nismo, or rather the R35.
Stability at motorway speeds was more than sufficient for the MY22, and the MY24 did not make a clear difference on the road. The front mechanical LSD and the new 4WD control system show their true value at speeds like those on the circuit.
The MY24 Nismo is easier to drive and feels even faster. It’s a natural evolution of a sports car, and it’s the best industrial product that can be made. When it comes to performance, it’s the MY24 without a doubt.
However, looking back over the R35 GT-R’s 17-year model life, we fondly remember how the “ton demo theory” of utilising weight for speed was put into practice, giving this Gundam-like car a very unique ride. If you want to enjoy the remnants of that, you’d better keep the MY22.
It was produced for an unusually long time and remained the first class of its day for all that time. There you can see the epitome of automotive evolution.
translated by DeepL
