Nissan GT-R Track Edition: the verdict

This costs £88,560, so it’s nearer to the base model than it is to the £125,000 big one. That means you don’t get Nismo’s engine mods, but 542bhp and 466lb ft is enough to be going on with.

And what you do get is the top-speccer’s suspension package. Which is worth having, because it’s brilliant.

That should give you more chance than ever to make the most of the power thumped out by that 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6.

Thing is, though, this GT-R is just incredibly competent. You can’t really stretch it at all without heading for a racetrack. The clue is in the name.

The engine is mated to a six-speed dual-clutch box, and beyond that all four wheels are driven. And each of them works for its living, however hard you push it. It steers with grace, pace and precision, it grips the surface like a thing possessed and when you get on the throttle to exit a corner it gains speed fast enough to peel your eyelids back.

If there’s a drawback to its titanic ability, it’s that in the hands of almost any driver, the GT-R will have stacks of skill in reserve. So unless you’re verging on being a pro-standard racer, you can give it everything you’ve got and it’ll still feel like it’s going through the motions.

That might sound like a strange criticism. But a space-age degree of detachment isn’t necessarily what you want from a track car.

One thing you do want, though, is for your performance hero still to ride like a decent everyday drive. And that’s a trick Nismo pulls off with aplomb.

Despite being heavily upgraded, the suspension feels close to the standard GT-R in terms of ride. It’s firm, of course, but that just means you can feel how well it’s working. On bad surfaces, the answer is to push harder than ever – because the more you give it, the better it responds.

Few owners will ever outgrow the GT-R Track Edition. For those who do, the Nismo model awaits. But unless the extent of your talent outstrips even the size of your wallet, this latest addition to the stable is the one to have.

Nissan GT-R Track Edition engineered by Nismo

Engine V6, 3799cc, twin-turbo, petrol

Power 542bhp at 6400rpm

Torque 466lb ft at 3200-5800rpm

Gearbox 6-spd dual-clutch auto

Kerb weight 1740kg

Top speed 196mph

0-62mph 2.7sec

Economy 23.9mpg (combined)

CO2/tax band 275g/k, 37%