Reports of Godzilla's invincibility are exaggerated.

Any aficionado of Japanese monster movies can tell you the giant lizard frequently gets its scaly green tail kicked back to the Marianas Trench, often by another monster and a resourceful Japanese Boy Scout.

I'm no Boy Scout, but the auto industry's other leading sports cars turn out to be more than a match for Nissan's legendary GT-R. "Legendary" isn't hyperbole, by the way; it's practically part of the fierce coupe's name: The words "The Legend Is Real" appear below the car's name on the window sticker.

The GT-R -- often called Japan's only super car, and never before sold in the United States -- gained mythic status thanks to breathless reviews by Japan-based journalists and starring roles in video games and movies.

The GT-R reached U.S. shores this year, and while it's very good, it doesn't surpass established leaders such as the BMW 650i, Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 and Porsche 911 Carrera 4 S.

Despite that, the car has a built-in audience that ranges from Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn to my video-gaming 8-year-old nephew Cormac.

Ghosn is a better prospect, and not just because he has a driver's license. Prices for the all-wheel drive GT-R start at $80,790.

All GT-Rs come with a 485-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 engine, all-wheel drive and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

I tested a GT-R Premium that stickered at $83,320 thanks to some extra standard equipment and one option: a $280 set of floor mats featuring the GT-R logo.

Seriously. The floor mats are an option on an $83,320 car, one of several brain fades -- no memory for seats and mirrors? -- that make me wonder how well Nissan understands BMW, Corvette and Porsche owners.

There's no doubt Nissan understands engines. The GT-R's twin-turbo V-6 is ferocious, with immediate throttle response and a seemingly endless well of power. The engine note is deep, serious and unique, nothing like the BMW and Chevy V-8s and Porsche's horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine.

The electronic all-wheel-drive system is equally superb, transferring power smoothly to all four corners and rocketing the GT-R through curves.

Two years ago, the GT-R's gearbox would have been state of the art, but dual-clutch technology is improving at an amazing rate, and the GT-R trails the current leaders.

It also lags other super coupes' fuel economy. The EPA rated the GT-R at 16 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway. The 505-horsepower Corvette ZO6 scored 15 city/24 highway, while the 385-horsepower all-wheel-drive 911 Carrera 4 S notched an outstanding 18 city/26 highway.

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