Launch control systems are far from a novelty in the automotive world, with the Nissan GT-R being one of the first to adopt it.
It’s no big deal, really, you just push the button on the steering wheel, put your left foot on the brake, press the gas pedal, then release the brake and… off you go.
In a throwback to their Top Gear days, there’s a video of James May sampling the launch control of the Japanese supercar. Captain Slow seemed amazed at how the GT-R’s electronics executed the perfect launch; so much so, that he tried it again and again, and each time the system performed flawlessly.
Now, the whole procedure puts quite a stress on the transmission, so repeat runs are best avoided in order to keep it in good health, but the Top Gear Grand Tour crew has little mechanical empathy anyway, so…