Nissan GT-R Scores Record on the Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road

Nissan was already boasting about its new GT-R, labeling it as the perfect muscles car for "anyone, anywhere, at anytime" and now they have come with the evidence to support their sayings.

It seems that the new Nissan GT-R driven by expert driver Mohammed Ben Sulayem managed to establish a new record of 3 minutes and 39.008 seconds on a snake-like mountain road in United Arab Emirates, on March 2.

Sulayem, who is FIA Vice President and President of the Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE, used the car's electronics to the full on the famous Jebel Hafeet mountain road which rises approximately 4,000 ft (1,219 m) with 22 corners and three lanes (two climbing and one descending). For the GT-R adventure, only a 7 kilometer-portion of the road was used.

However, the Japanese car maker had to ask for permission of the Abu Dhabi authorities to close the road. The Automobile & Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE) and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) monitored the closed road and made sure the safety standards were acquired.

"That was fun!" exclaimed Sulayem at the conclusion of the run. "I have been familiar with the development of the GT-R for sometime now and to achieve this first ever officially recorded time on the Jebel Hafeet mountain road is a fitting event to mark the regional launch of what I believe is one of the most capable performance cars ever developed. This car is true to its design philosophy of being a super car for anyone, anywhere, at anytime. Timed "hill climb" events like these have been popular - especially in Europe - since the very early days of the motor car and when Nissan set a new record time around the Nordschliefe at the Nürburgring we immediately thought a similar feat in our region would be appropriate...and so it has proved," he confessed.

The new Nissan GT-R was given the "Most Advanced Technology Award (Car of the Year Japan 2008-2009)" and was named the "2009 Motor Trend Car of the Year (USA)." And now, judging by its new record, the car surely deserves all our praise.