I still think it's ugly, but it is growing on me. When I got my M5, I similarly thought it was ugly, but now like it.

My best explanation of performance (apart from under-rated power) is just that they started with a clean sheet of paper and an unlimited budget. Every bit of the car is just a little bit newer/better/more efficient than the competition.

In contrast to the Cayman, R8, etc., I don't suspect the left much "on the table" for tuners. There are no other Nissan models in the price/perfomance range to protect (contrast R8 & Lambo, Cayman & 911...).

The V-Spec will shed some weight and up the boost a bit maybe, but I think this is just a refreshing example of a manufacturer releasing the best car they could make.

Oh, and Bodhii: if $150K is your budget and weight/power is your objective, can I humbly suggest you throw a 997TT+EVOMS 700 in there? 3600/700 = 5.14.