Supercar reviews usually focus on a flurry of big numbers and superlatives to get the point across that the subject is a real mean machine.

But words alone simply can’t do justice to the awesome spectacle that is the Nissan GT-R.

It’s blitzed all its rivals in outright pace, price and desirability. And now Stuart Milne has put it to the test around the challenging test track at Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire.

It’s the most hyped car of the year, and I’m about to be one of the lucky few; one of a small handful lucky enough to be entrusted with the keys to a Nissan GT-R.

The car’s significance can’t be understated. It’s a hammer blow to those who insist using mechanical grip and clever aerodynamics is the secret to making a car blisteringly quick.

But after a few minutes in the GT-R, it becomes apparent they’re wrong. The secret is actually enough computing power to put a shuttle into space.

And it’s perhaps the perfect supercar for the credit crunch era, with its £50,000 price tag undercutting all of its rivals – the GT-R costs about half of a 911 Turbo.

Nissan boasts all kinds of techy highlights, including:

• An independent transaxle and advanced four-wheel drive system that continuously adjusts torque front-to-rear
• A new ultra-quick shifting six-speed paddle-operated dual-clutch gearbox
• A 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 engine, which generates 473bhp, 433lb/ft of torque and surprisingly good fuel economy for its performance – 22.7mpg
• A slippery body, registering just 0.27 Cd of drag, and that’s unusual on a supercar that offers such high downforce
• A body constructed using lightweight steel, carbon fibre and diecast aluminium
• Massive Brembo drilled ventilated disc brakes and fancy callipers
• Dampers, gear shift and ESP can be adjusted at the flick of a switch
• A multi-functional instrument display, designed by the people who created the Gran Turismo on the PlayStation
• A g-force meter in the instrument display, showing acceleration, braking and cornering forces

So that’s the oily bits discussed, so how does it drive?

Most reviews you’ll have read before will be based on Japanese-spec cars, but we’ve driven the same UK-spec machine you could buy from any of the 11 approved Nissan dealers throughout Britain. That makes a real difference, because UK cars have softer suspension, although the ride is still firm.

But the car is all about shaving seconds off lap times – it’s currently locked in battle with the 911 Turbo for supremacy at the Nürburgring – and we can report that it’s viciously quick – just 0.3 seconds slower to 60mph than the £1 million Veyron.

Zero to 62mph takes around 3.5 seconds, but some testers have found variances in this because each engine is hand built and its top speed is a staggering 193mph. Its cornering speeds are even more breathtaking and faster corners can be taken quick enough to feel the g-force – it’s an exhilarating feeling, if uncomfortable.

Its tyres are filled with nitrogen to minimise the change in pressure as tyre temperature builds, providing enormous grip.

At moderate to high speeds on track, there’s little understeer and no oversteer unless provoked, but it’s still easy to make the traction control light blink. The clever transmission is the star of the show, with it shifting power back and forth.

Like most performance cars, the GT-R’s setup can be tweaked via the dash, most noticeably the shift patterns through the twin-clutch semi-auto ‘box. Shifts vary from quick to eye-shatteringly quick, and it can manage jerk-free downshifts with ease; something that aids stability under braking. It’s not so happy at low speeds, with no creep function so the driver needs to be careful with the throttle.

We found the steering precise and communicative, especially when pushing hard. The brakes offer fearsome stopping power but are also very progressive.

On the test track, the GT-R proved comfortable and quiet, but we’ll reserve outright judgement until we get it on the road. The cabin isn’t pretty, but all the essentials are clear and well laid out and the seats are supportive. Its 2+2 layout means the kids can come soon, although adults won’t fancy riding in the back for very long.

At £50,000, nothing comes close to the GT-R in the performance stakes – in fact you’ll need two or three times as much to go as quick in a car this size. But how many can carry four, have a decent boot and the reputation for reliability the Nissan badge brings.

It’s simply a sensational tour-de-force of engineering.

Key facts

Models tested: Nissan GT-R 3.8 V6 Black edition 2-door auto
On the road price: £59,400
Price range: £54,900 – £59,400
Date tested: May 2009
Road tester: Stuart Milne