AMS is an American tuner with really only one skill: making monstrously powerful Nissan GT-Rs. Their Alpha 12 GT-R looks stock, even under the bonnet, but it makes 1,100 horsepower on pump gas, and up to 1,500 on race fuel.

To put this power to test, Motor Trend heads to an empty runway and set up their timing gear. This is a good way getting your head around the true meaning of 1,100 hp:

AMS Performance not only changes the engine’s intake and exhaust systems, they go deep into the block replacing most parts with higher performance versions, They tweak the turbochargers, they even replace the stock ECU with one that has the necessary algorithms to make big power. Then they get busy putting the power to the ground, working on the transmission, differential, aerodynamics, and finally, the wheels.