Nissan has launched its own race academy at Silverstone in Northamptonshire and at the Nürburgring in Germany.

GT-R pre-order customers will all be invited to the academies throughout August and September to look at the new model in person before they take delivery of their own vehicles in March 2009.

Once the GT-R goes on sale the academies can be used for drivers to gain a racing licence.

Customers will get one-on-one tuition with time on the track with the GT-R and will also get the opportunity to learn how to drift in a Nissan 350Z.

The news follows an announcement from Porsche that it will be opening its own brand centre at Silverstone in September.

Nissan hopes the GT-R will poach sales from Porsche’s 911 and with the race academy and brand centre so close, both customers will be mixing very closley.