Nissan GT-R
Encyclopedia
The Nissan GT-R is a sports car produced by Nissan
released in Japan on December 6, 2007, the United States on July 4, 2008, and the rest of the world in March 2009.
range called the Nissan Skyline GT-R
. This car proved to be iconic for Nissan and achieved much fame and success on road and track. The Nissan GT-R, although no longer carrying the "Skyline" badge, has heritage in the Nissan Skyline GT-R. Like the Skyline GT-Rs R32 through R34, the Nissan GT-R is all-wheel drive with a twin-turbo 6 cylinder engine; however, the evolutionary, incremental changes between Skyline models R32 through R34 have been done away with. The four-wheel-steering HICAS
system has been removed, and the former straight-6
RB26DETT engine has been replaced with a new V6 VR38DETT
. Because of the GT-R's heritage, the chassis code for the all-new version has been called CBA-R35, or 'R35' for short (where CBA is the prefix for emission standard), carrying on the naming trend from previous Skyline GT-R generations. The GT-R has also retained its Skyline predecessor's nickname Godzilla
.
Two concept vehicles were displayed at motor shows prior to the unveiling of the production model. The first concept was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show
in 2001 to preview what a 21st century GT-R would look like. At the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan unveiled a redesigned concept, the GT-R Proto, stating that the production GT-R would be 80-90% based on this concept.
, launching in the Japanese market on December 6, 2007. The U.S. official launch was 7 months later on July 7, 2008. Universal Nissan in Los Angeles provided a customer with the delivery of a new GT-R, fresh from the production line at 12:01 a.m., on July 7, 2008. The Canadian launch was also in July 2008. Europe became the third consumer market, where it launched in March 2009. The large disparity in initial marketing between these regional releases is due to Nissan having to build GT-R performance centers where the car is serviced. Also the engine
and rear-mounted dual-clutch gearbox are built by hand, thus limiting production to around 1000 cars a month.
Nissan’s VP of global product planning Andy Palmer has confirmed that the current GT-R (R35) will be replaced by 2013.
The Nissan GT-R is powered by the VR38DETT
engine, a 3799 cc DOHC V6 with plasma transferred wire arc sprayed bores. Two parallel Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) turbochargers provide forced induction
. Production vehicles produce a manufacturer-claimed engine output of 485 PS at 6400 rpm and 434 lbft at 3200-5200 rpm. The engine also meets California Air Resources Board
Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
(ULEV) standards. A curb weight
of 1730 kg (3,814 lb) or 1736 kg (3,827.2 lb) with side curtain airbags is achieved using a jig welded steel
chassis with aluminum used for the hood, trunk, and doors. A rear mounted six-speed BorgWarner
designed dual clutch
semi-automatic transmission
built by Aichi Machine Industry is used in conjunction with the ATTESA E-TS system to provide power to all four wheels and along with Nissan's Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC-R) to aid in stability. Three shift modes can also be selected for various conditions.
Nissan claims the GT-R can reach a top speed of 193 mi/h, Motor Trend
recorded a top speed of 195 mi/h. It has been tested to achieve 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) times as low as 3.2 seconds with "launch control" and 3.8 seconds without (improved to 3.5 seconds in models produced since March 2009). Nissan's chief vehicle engineer [Malcolm Noronha] has indicated that he has never used the term "launch control
", which refers to the act of turning off vehicle dynamic control (VDC) and launching the car at around 4500 rpm. However, Nissan's director of product planning John Wiener clearly stated in an interview with Jay Leno
that "we (Nissan) actually offer a 'launch mode'". The GT-R user's manual states that turning off the VDC is only meant for escaping low-traction situations such as mud or snow. Nissan has re-programmed the 2010 model year GT-R to reduce the engine speed at launch to around 3,000 to 3,500 rpm with VDC enabled, which is meant to improve acceleration times. The new programming was also installed on old 2009 vehicles still in Nissan's inventory, and is available for existing 2009 vehicles.
The new facelifted GT-R however now has a launch mode, which Nissan calls "R-Mode Start", and is activated by setting the Transmission and VDC to "R" mode (the Suspension settings can be left in normal mode), holding the brakes, then the throttle, and finally releasing the brakes. The engine speed is now held at 4,000 rpm in this mode, and it no longer voids the warranty. However, the system allows a maximum of 4 consecutive hard launches before locking itself out, after which it can be unlocked by driving normally for 1.5 miles. Tests by Edmund's Inside Line have shown the 2012 GT-R to achieve 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds with R-Mode Start activated and did the 1/4 mile in 11.2 seconds going 122.7 MPH.
Motor Trend
achieved a standing quarter-mile time of 11.6 s at 120 mph (193.1 km/h). Autocar achieved a 0-100 mph (160.9 km/h) time of 8.5 seconds.
With a manufacturer claimed lap time of 7:26.7 on the base model's Dunlop tires and previously 7:29 min on standard Japanese market tires, the GT-R is currently one of the fastest production cars to lap the Nürburgring circuit, although Porsche
accused Nissan of falsifying those claims in September 2008. Porsche claims to have conducted their own test of the GT-R using no modifications and stock tires and achieved a best time of 7:54. Nissan officially disputed Porsche's claim in October 2008. The German magazine sport auto achieved a time of 7:50 on the Nürburgring with a car supplied to them by Nissan during an initial short test in 2007, while testing by Drivers Republic
of a GT-R and GT2 in stock form resulted in times of 7:55 for the GT-R and 7:49 for the GT2 respectively. Both tests were conducted in partially damp conditions and by automotive journalists rather than professional track drivers. In 2009, in a full "super test" sport auto achieved a time of 7:38 minutes on the Nürburgring with a standard GT-R driven by Horst von Saurma
, identical to a later "super test" Corvette ZR1 time. In a first test with the facelifted GTR model, 'sport auto' recorded a lap time of 7:34 on the Nürburgring with a standard GT-R driven by Horst von Saurma
.
Autocar released a video comparison of the GT-R with the Porsche 911 GT3
and BMW M3
. Driven by test driver Chris Harris the GT-R was the fastest of the three. Autocar released another comparison test at the Isle of Man
on a 4.5 km closed public road with the Audi R8, Lotus Elise
, and Lamborghini Gallardo
LP560-4. The GT-R's time of 1:56:69 was behind the Gallardo's 1:55:99 time, however because the GT-R was Japanese-spec its top speed was limited to 112 mph, the reviewer noted the GT-R was stuck on the limiter for ~10–11 seconds and without the limiter would have "blitzed the Lamborghini". In CAR Magazine
's test with the 911 Turbo, BMW M3, and Audi R8 at Rockingham
the GT-R was the fastest. Evo tested the GT-R alongside the 911 GT3 at the Bedford Autodrome
circuit, the GT-R ran a 1:21.7 lap time compared to GT3's 1:22.6 time. In a Fifth Gear
test with the 911 Turbo, Bruno Senna
was able to achieve faster lap times in the GT-R. Car and Driver compared the GT-R on Reno-Fernley Raceway with the 911 Turbo and BMW M3, the GT-R's lap time of 1:26.7 made it the fastest on the track. Road & Track
was able to achieve quick lap times with the car on Buttonwillow Raceway
, clocking in at 1:56.9 which was over 5 seconds faster than the Chevrolet Corvette
C6 Z06 and 911 Turbo. In an Edmunds.com
6-way test on the Streets of Willow
and an improvised mountain road, the GT-R posted faster times than the Audi R8
and Porsche 911 Carrera. Auto Bild
compared the GT-R with the 911 Turbo and V10 Audi R8 at Contidrome, the GT-R's time of 1:30.95 placed it ahead of both the Porsche 911 (1:31.75) and the Audi R8 (1:32.11).
In another Autocar comparison with the PDK 911 Turbo (997.2) and V10 Audi R8 on the Castle Combe Circuit
the GT-R's laptime of 1:14.6, was faster than the 911's time of 1:14.9 and the R8's 1:15.5 lap time. In December, Auto, Motor und Sport
published a comparison between the GT-R, PDK 911 Turbo (997.2) and the Audi R8 V10. Around the 'small' Hockenheimring
circuit, the GT-R achieved a time of 1:12.0 against the 911's 1:11.5 and the Audi's 1:12.3. The sport auto magazine had tested the GT-R on the 'small' Hockenheimring
circuit and had recorded a lap time of 1:10.7 during the full "supertest". In July 2009, CAR Magazine published a comparison of the revised 911 GT3 (997.2) and the GT-R at the Nurburgring. A time of 7:49 was achieved for the GT3 and 7:51 for the GT-R. It should be noted that these times are not directly comparable to previous Nurburgring tests, as they included a section of track near the pits normally excluded from timing. At Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch
Road and Track managed a 1:20.9 lap time compared to the ZR1's time of 1:20.1 and the 911 Turbo's (997.2) time of 1:21.3. In another Motor Trend comparison at the Streets of Willow, driver Randy Pobst
's laptime of 1:20.25 in the facelifted GT-R was slightly faster than the competing Corvette Z06 equipped with optional carbon ceramic brake rotors.
On Willow Springs International Motorsports Park
, Edmunds.com was able to achieve lap times of 1:25.09 with the 2009 GT-R compared to the Corvette ZR1's time of 1:23.87. On the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
infield road course, Motor Trend
was able to achieve lap times with the GT-R that were almost as fast as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and 911 GT2 and 1.2 seconds slower than a Corvette ZR1. The pre-2011 GT-R currently holds a lap time of 1:19.7 around the Top Gear Test Track
, with the Facelifted GT-R holding a time of 1:17.8, equalling the Pagani Zonda F, beating the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 by 2.6 seconds, and being the fastest Japanese car to lap the track. On Top Gear Australia
's test track the GT-R posted a lap time of 1:07.06, putting it in second place 0.14 seconds behind the 997 GT2. Top Gear laps are conducted from a standing start and under varying conditions.
Nissan chief creative officer, Shirō Nakamura, has likened the new GT-R to the eponymous giant robots
of the Gundam series
. Nakamura stated: "The GT-R is unique because it is not simply a copy of a European-designed supercar; it had to really reflect Japanese culture."
Nakamura noted that the GT-R's square lines and vents were influenced by Gundam robots. Nissan's American designers sculpted the rear three quarters of the vehicle, while their European designers sculpted the roofline.
Polyphony Digital
, creators of the Gran Turismo
series of racing video games, were themselves involved in the development of the GT-R, having been contracted to design the GT-R's multifunction display.
Nissan introduced the GT-R SpecV on January 7, 2009 at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon
. Exterior changes from the base GT-R consist of a carbon fiber
rear spoiler, grille, and brake ducts, along with an exclusive Ultimate Black Opal paint job. Interior changes include a set of carbon fiber Recaro front seats with the rear seats being completely removed. Carbon fiber covers the center storage box, instrument panel, and replaces the majority of the interior trim.
The GT-R SpecV is powered by the standard twin-turbo 3799 cc V6 with no increase in horsepower. A new high gear boost controller that allows a temporary increase in boost pressure to the IHI twin turbochargers, now larger than those on the standard GT-R, should deliver more torque in mid to high-range revs. Other mechanical changes include a titanium exhaust, reworked suspension, carbon ceramic brakes, and 20 inches (508 mm) NISMO
wheels. Overall weight is decreased by 132 lb (59.9 kg) over the standard GT-R.
Japan sales began on February 2, 2009 at seven pre-selected dealers who are staffed by mechanics with special GT-R SpecV training and are knowledgeable of racing circuit driving. Pricing is set at (over ). Nissan has yet to announce any plans to sell the Spec V in the USA.
In Auto Express
testing the SpecV posted a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds, pulled 1.12 g on the skidpad and 74.7 mph in the slalom. An earlier tested Corvette ZR1 (2011) resulted in an identical slalom speed but a lower 1.06 g on the skidpad.
Nismo
, the motorsport
arm of Nissan, entered the Nissan GT-R in the Super GT
race series in the GT500 class for the 2008 season, replacing the Nissan 350Z
.
The GT500 version of the car has a completely different drivetrain compared to the production car. The race car is upgraded to a VK45DE 4.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 instead of the twinturbo V6 VR38DETT. It uses a 6 speed sequential manual
gearbox and a RWD layout from its predecessor, the 350Z
race car.
A prototype was spotted testing around the Suzuka Circuit
as well as Fuji Speedway
in Japan. The car went on to win the opening race of the 2008 Super GT season at Suzuka scoring a one-two finish for Nissan. The dominant performances in the opening race has led to all GT-Rs being applied a 50 kg weight penalty in addition to the race weight penalty under the Special Adjustment of Performance under the Super GT regulations. In race two, the GT-R repeated their 1-2 result in Suzuka despite the race winning car of team Nismo
carrying a 100 kg weight penalty making it only the 3rd team in JGTC/Super GT history to do so. The last time this feat was achieved was 10 years ago by Nismo Skyline GT-R racing under the same number 23. Despite the weight handicap, it did in fact become the champion in this 2008 season through the Xanavi Nismo GT-R driven by Satoshi Motoyama
and Benoit Treluyer, as well as winning 8 out of 9 races driven by 4 different teams using GT-Rs.
The GT500 version scored 4 victories in the 2009 Japanese SUPER GT Series GT 500 class. In 2010 the VH45DE 4.5 litre engine was replaced by a newly developed 3.4 litre engine (VRH34A).
announced a partnership with British racing team Gigawave Motorsports to enter a GT-R in four races in the 2009 FIA GT Championship season
. The entry will not be competing for championship points, but will be used by Nismo to refine the performance of the GT-R for future customer teams to use the car in the planned FIA GT1 World Championship
in 2010. Nismo driver Michael Krumm
and Gigawave driver Darren Turner
will co-drive the GT1 GT-R.
The Sumo Power
GT-R won the 2010 RAC Tourist Trophy
at Silverstone Circuit
as part of the FIA GT1 World Championship on May 2, 2010.
The 2011 season
saw Swiss Racing Team
switch to Lamborghini
which left Sumo Power run four GT-R's, two under the Sumo Power GT name and two under JR Motorsports. JR Motorsports won the drivers championship for the 2011 season.
tarmac rally
in April 2008, however it sustained damage early in the event and did not complete the rally. Later in 2008 a GT-R won the Competition Modern class in the Targa West
before returning to Targa Tasmania in 2009 to take the outright win in the Modern class. In 2009 Nissan's GT-R won the One Lap of America
competition. In 2010 the GT-R finished 2nd over all in the One Lap of America
competition.
During the 2010 SCCA World Challenge season, a pair of GT class GT-Rs were campaigned by Brass Monkey Racing and driven by Steve Ott and Tony Rivera.
On June 4, 2010, Nismo
announced a Club Track Edition GT-R available via its Nissan supported Omori aftermarket factory. This domestic market trim is a non-street legal, race ready variant equipped with a 6 point roll cage and upgraded with Nismo race package developed through its Tokachi endurance racer program.
On June 25 and 26, 2011, the #71 Schulze Motorsport Nissan GT-R took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2011 driven by Michael Schulze, Tobias Schulze, Kazunori Yamauchi
and Yasuyoshi Yamamoto. The car finished the race in 36th place overall, achieving a victory in the SP 8T class after overcoming several technical problems.
It was the first time a Nissan GT-R took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
On July 7 2011, a Nissan GT-R was spotted testing at the Ciudad del Motor de Aragón
for a possible FIA GT3 European Championship
entry. Not much is known about the car currently: the car appears similar to the GT1 car, but it is likely the internals will be far different due to GT3's much lower power restrictions.
for both the 2008 Japanese Super GT, and the 2009 Australian V8 Supercars series before a dispute over alcohol advertising
led to the arrangement being discontinued after four rounds.
has since been hacked by several tuning houses.
COBB Tuning was the first company to access the GT-R's encrypted ECU. With their AccessPORT anyone can reprogram both the engine and transmission control units with off the shelf or custom maps. Mine's
also has limited control of the ECU, and others (MCR, HKS, and Top Secret) have bypassed the unit. They have been seen testing modified GT-Rs with the former two having conducted tests at the Tsukuba Circuit
.
Japan based tuner Mine's has created the VR38DETT super response engine which uses lightened engine internals like titanium rods, lightened pistons and many other components that allows the engine to rev-up fast. The Mine's R35 GT-R has always been one of the most sought after GT-Rs in the world for its highly responsive driving feel with the right amount of power at 800ps.
Japan tuners like Mine's, HKS, Jun, Greddy, MCR, Top Secret, and more focus mainly on overall balanced performance for the GT-R that can perform at the circuit, mountain touge, short courses, and streets whereas US based tuners mainly focus only on high horsepower applications and straightline speeds.
In a review by Motor Trend
editor Scott Kanemura, it was revealed that the GPS system fitted to the GT-R would remove the 180-kilometer per hour (112 mph) speed limiter
when the car arrives at a race track, but only on tracks approved by Nissan. Aftermarket ECUs have been developed to bypass the speed limiter, in addition to stand-alone speed-limiter defeaters. The GPS check will not be implemented in American models.
In August 2008, Nissan's official motorsport and tuning arm Nismo
announced the "Club Sport" tuning package for the GT-R . The package, which is also fitted to the SpecV, includes Bilstein Damptronic compatible dampers, 20" forged aluminum wheels from Rays Engineering, Bridgestone
run-flat tires, Recaro
carbon fiber-shelled bucket seats, a titanium exhaust, and a revised rear diffuser with an added cooling duct. The package is supported by a warranty and saves over 20 kg.
United States based tuner AMS Performance has pushed the R35's power levels and performance numbers. Their Alpha 12 performance package for the R35 boosts output to over 1500 horsepower and boasts 60-130 mph times of just 3.3 seconds. An AMS tuned R35 GT-R was the first in the world to post an 8 second quarter mile time at 169 mph. The Alpha 12 GT-R is also capable of doing a 0-60 MPH (0-100 KMPH) time of 2.1 seconds.
Recognition
Nissan Motors
, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....
released in Japan on December 6, 2007, the United States on July 4, 2008, and the rest of the world in March 2009.
History
Between 1969 and 1974, and again between 1989 and 2002, Nissan produced a high performance version of its SkylineNissan Skyline
The first Skyline was introduced in April 1957, by the Prince Motor Company, and was marketed as a luxury car. It featured a 1.5 L GA-30 engine producing 44 kW @ 4400 rpm. It used a de Dion tube rear suspension and was capable of 140 km/h . The car weighed around 1300 kg...
range called the Nissan Skyline GT-R
Nissan Skyline GT-R
The Nissan Skyline GT-R is a Japanese sports car based on the Nissan Skyline range.The first GT-Rs were produced from 1969–1973. After a 16 year hiatus since the KPGC110 in 1972, the GT-R name was revived in 1989 with the Skyline R32. This car was nicknamed "Godzilla" by the Australian motoring...
. This car proved to be iconic for Nissan and achieved much fame and success on road and track. The Nissan GT-R, although no longer carrying the "Skyline" badge, has heritage in the Nissan Skyline GT-R. Like the Skyline GT-Rs R32 through R34, the Nissan GT-R is all-wheel drive with a twin-turbo 6 cylinder engine; however, the evolutionary, incremental changes between Skyline models R32 through R34 have been done away with. The four-wheel-steering HICAS
HICAS
HICAS is Nissan's rear wheel steering system found on cars ranging from the more recent Skyline and Fairlady Z iterations to smaller models like the Nissan Cefiro , 240SX/Silvia /180SX and Nissan Serena/Nissan Largo. It is also found on models from Nissan's Infiniti division, such as the Q45,...
system has been removed, and the former straight-6
Straight-6
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
RB26DETT engine has been replaced with a new V6 VR38DETT
Nissan VR engine
The VR engine is a 3.8 L V6 piston engine from Nissan. The engine is the product of further development of the widely successful VQ engine series, in particular drawing experience from the JGTC racing engines as well as Nissan's VRH engines from vehicles such as the Nissan R390...
. Because of the GT-R's heritage, the chassis code for the all-new version has been called CBA-R35, or 'R35' for short (where CBA is the prefix for emission standard), carrying on the naming trend from previous Skyline GT-R generations. The GT-R has also retained its Skyline predecessor's nickname Godzilla
Godzilla
is a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
.
Concepts
Tokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...
in 2001 to preview what a 21st century GT-R would look like. At the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan unveiled a redesigned concept, the GT-R Proto, stating that the production GT-R would be 80-90% based on this concept.
Production model
The production version of the GT-R debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Motor ShowTokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...
, launching in the Japanese market on December 6, 2007. The U.S. official launch was 7 months later on July 7, 2008. Universal Nissan in Los Angeles provided a customer with the delivery of a new GT-R, fresh from the production line at 12:01 a.m., on July 7, 2008. The Canadian launch was also in July 2008. Europe became the third consumer market, where it launched in March 2009. The large disparity in initial marketing between these regional releases is due to Nissan having to build GT-R performance centers where the car is serviced. Also the engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
and rear-mounted dual-clutch gearbox are built by hand, thus limiting production to around 1000 cars a month.
Facelifted GT-R
The revised GT-R (2012 model year for the US) features an engine with revised mapping, changes to valve timing, larger inlets and a revised exhaust system which boosts rated power to 530 bhp and 612Nm of torque from 3200 to 6000rpm. Changes also include a new more rigid front strut bar made from carbon composite, larger front brake rotors, new lighter and stiffer wheels, and revised Dunlop tires. Cosmetic changes include a new front bumper with integrated LEDs which adds cooling to the radiator and front brakes while reducing drag, a new rear diffuser which improves downforce, additional rear cooling ducts, and improved interior quality. The revised GT-R went on sale in Japan from mid November 2010 and February 2011 in North America, Europe and other regions.Nissan’s VP of global product planning Andy Palmer has confirmed that the current GT-R (R35) will be replaced by 2013.
2007-2010
Nissan VR engine
The VR engine is a 3.8 L V6 piston engine from Nissan. The engine is the product of further development of the widely successful VQ engine series, in particular drawing experience from the JGTC racing engines as well as Nissan's VRH engines from vehicles such as the Nissan R390...
engine, a 3799 cc DOHC V6 with plasma transferred wire arc sprayed bores. Two parallel Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) turbochargers provide forced induction
Forced induction
Forced induction is the process of compressing air on the intake of an internal combustion engine . A forced induction engine uses a gas compressor to increase the pressure, temperature and density of the air...
. Production vehicles produce a manufacturer-claimed engine output of 485 PS at 6400 rpm and 434 lbft at 3200-5200 rpm. The engine also meets California Air Resources Board
California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board, also known as CARB or ARB, is the "clean air agency" in the government of California. Established in 1967 in the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Motor Vehicle Pollution Control Board, CARB is a department within the...
Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
Ultra Low Emission Vehicle
An ultra-low-emission vehicle is a motor vehicle that emits extremely low levels of motor vehicle emissions compared to other vehicles...
(ULEV) standards. A curb weight
Curb weight
Curb weight or kerb weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables , a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo.This definition may differ from definitions used by governmental regulatory agencies or other...
of 1730 kg (3,814 lb) or 1736 kg (3,827.2 lb) with side curtain airbags is achieved using a jig welded steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
chassis with aluminum used for the hood, trunk, and doors. A rear mounted six-speed BorgWarner
BorgWarner
BorgWarner Inc. is a United States-based worldwide automotive industry components and parts supplier. It is primarily known for its powertrain products, which include manual and automatic transmissions and transmission components, , turbochargers, engine valve timing system...
designed dual clutch
Dual clutch transmission
A dual clutch transmission, commonly abbreviated to DCT , is a differing type of semi-automatic or automated manual automotive transmission. It utilises two separate clutches for odd and even gear sets...
semi-automatic transmission
Semi-automatic transmission
A semi-automatic transmission is an automobile transmission that does not change gears automatically, but rather facilitates manual gear changes by dispensing with the need to press...
built by Aichi Machine Industry is used in conjunction with the ATTESA E-TS system to provide power to all four wheels and along with Nissan's Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC-R) to aid in stability. Three shift modes can also be selected for various conditions.
- Displacement: V6V6 engineA V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
3799 cc - Horsepower: 485 PS at 6400 rpm
- Torque: 434 lbft
- RedlineRedlineRedline refers to the maximum engine speed at which an internal combustion engine or traction motor and its components are designed to operate without causing damage to the components themselves or other parts of the engine...
: 7000 rpm - Drivetrain: Premium Midship AWDFour-wheel driveFour-wheel drive, 4WD, or 4×4 is a four-wheeled vehicle with a drivetrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously...
- Curb weightCurb weightCurb weight or kerb weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables , a full tank of fuel, while not loaded with either passengers or cargo.This definition may differ from definitions used by governmental regulatory agencies or other...
: estimated 3820 lb (1,732.7 kg)* - Top Speed: 193 mph (310.6 km/h)*
- Drag coefficientAutomobile drag coefficientThe drag coefficient is a common metric in automotive design pertaining to aerodynamic effects. As aerodynamic drag increases as the square of speed, a low value is preferable to a high one...
: 0.27* - MSRPSuggested retail priceThe manufacturer's suggested retail price , list price or recommended retail price of a product is the price which the manufacturer recommends that the retailer sell the product. The intention was to help to standardise prices among locations...
: USUnited States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$80,790 to $84,060**
* manufacturer claimed ** 2011 model year for North America
present (facelifted)
- Horsepower: 530 PS at 6400 rpm
- Torque: 612 N·m (451.4 ft·lbf) at 3200-6200 rpm, (632 N·m (466.1 ft·lbf) with high-gear 'boost' on SpecV only)
- Drag coefficient: 0.26* (~10% improvement in downforce)*
- Top speed: 315 km/h (196 mph)
- MSRP: US$89,950 (Premium) or $95,100 (Black Edition)****
* manufacturer claimed **** 2012 model year for North America
Performance
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
recorded a top speed of 195 mi/h. It has been tested to achieve 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) times as low as 3.2 seconds with "launch control" and 3.8 seconds without (improved to 3.5 seconds in models produced since March 2009). Nissan's chief vehicle engineer [Malcolm Noronha] has indicated that he has never used the term "launch control
Launch control (automotive)
Launch control typically refers to an electronic aid which is used to assist the drivers of various motorsports at the start of a race.Launch control also refers to an electronic setting on many modern sporting saloons and coupes which help the driver accelerate from a standing start, to gain the...
", which refers to the act of turning off vehicle dynamic control (VDC) and launching the car at around 4500 rpm. However, Nissan's director of product planning John Wiener clearly stated in an interview with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
that "we (Nissan) actually offer a 'launch mode'". The GT-R user's manual states that turning off the VDC is only meant for escaping low-traction situations such as mud or snow. Nissan has re-programmed the 2010 model year GT-R to reduce the engine speed at launch to around 3,000 to 3,500 rpm with VDC enabled, which is meant to improve acceleration times. The new programming was also installed on old 2009 vehicles still in Nissan's inventory, and is available for existing 2009 vehicles.
The new facelifted GT-R however now has a launch mode, which Nissan calls "R-Mode Start", and is activated by setting the Transmission and VDC to "R" mode (the Suspension settings can be left in normal mode), holding the brakes, then the throttle, and finally releasing the brakes. The engine speed is now held at 4,000 rpm in this mode, and it no longer voids the warranty. However, the system allows a maximum of 4 consecutive hard launches before locking itself out, after which it can be unlocked by driving normally for 1.5 miles. Tests by Edmund's Inside Line have shown the 2012 GT-R to achieve 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds with R-Mode Start activated and did the 1/4 mile in 11.2 seconds going 122.7 MPH.
Motor Trend
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
achieved a standing quarter-mile time of 11.6 s at 120 mph (193.1 km/h). Autocar achieved a 0-100 mph (160.9 km/h) time of 8.5 seconds.
With a manufacturer claimed lap time of 7:26.7 on the base model's Dunlop tires and previously 7:29 min on standard Japanese market tires, the GT-R is currently one of the fastest production cars to lap the Nürburgring circuit, although Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
accused Nissan of falsifying those claims in September 2008. Porsche claims to have conducted their own test of the GT-R using no modifications and stock tires and achieved a best time of 7:54. Nissan officially disputed Porsche's claim in October 2008. The German magazine sport auto achieved a time of 7:50 on the Nürburgring with a car supplied to them by Nissan during an initial short test in 2007, while testing by Drivers Republic
Drivers Republic
Drivers Republic was a digital automotive magazine and a niche social networking website for drivers. The title was privately owned and managed by British-based NewMedia Republic Limited...
of a GT-R and GT2 in stock form resulted in times of 7:55 for the GT-R and 7:49 for the GT2 respectively. Both tests were conducted in partially damp conditions and by automotive journalists rather than professional track drivers. In 2009, in a full "super test" sport auto achieved a time of 7:38 minutes on the Nürburgring with a standard GT-R driven by Horst von Saurma
Horst von Saurma
Horst von Saurma-Jeltsch is the chief editor of the German automobile magazine sport auto...
, identical to a later "super test" Corvette ZR1 time. In a first test with the facelifted GTR model, 'sport auto' recorded a lap time of 7:34 on the Nürburgring with a standard GT-R driven by Horst von Saurma
Horst von Saurma
Horst von Saurma-Jeltsch is the chief editor of the German automobile magazine sport auto...
.
Autocar released a video comparison of the GT-R with the Porsche 911 GT3
Porsche 911 GT3
The Porsche 911 GT3 is a higher performance version of the Porsche 911 sports car. It is the latest in a line of high performance models, beginning with the 1973 911 RS...
and BMW M3
BMW M3
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series, and sold with coupé, sedan and convertible body styles...
. Driven by test driver Chris Harris the GT-R was the fastest of the three. Autocar released another comparison test at the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
on a 4.5 km closed public road with the Audi R8, Lotus Elise
Lotus Elise
The 1996 Lotus Elise weighed . Because of its relatively low weight, it was able to accelerate 0- in 5.8 seconds despite its relatively low power output of...
, and Lamborghini Gallardo
Lamborghini Gallardo
The Lamborghini Gallardo is a sports car built by Lamborghini. The Gallardo is Lamborghini's most-produced model to date, with over 10,000 built in its first seven years of production...
LP560-4. The GT-R's time of 1:56:69 was behind the Gallardo's 1:55:99 time, however because the GT-R was Japanese-spec its top speed was limited to 112 mph, the reviewer noted the GT-R was stuck on the limiter for ~10–11 seconds and without the limiter would have "blitzed the Lamborghini". In CAR Magazine
Car Magazine
Car Magazine is a British automotive enthusiast magazine published monthly by Bauer Automotive. International editions are published by Bauer Automotive in Brazil, China, Greece, India, Mexico, the Middle East, Poland , Romania, Russia, South Africa , Spain, Thailand and Turkey...
's test with the 911 Turbo, BMW M3, and Audi R8 at Rockingham
Rockingham Motor Speedway
Rockingham is the UK's most modern motorsport venue and Europe's fastest racing circuit, hosting corporate driving days, driver training, conferencing & exhibitions, vehicle manufacturing events, track days, testing, driving experiences and motorsport...
the GT-R was the fastest. Evo tested the GT-R alongside the 911 GT3 at the Bedford Autodrome
Bedford Autodrome
Bedford Autodrome is based just north of Bedford, England, in the village of Thurleigh. It is owned by former Formula One driver Jonathan Palmer.-The autodrome:...
circuit, the GT-R ran a 1:21.7 lap time compared to GT3's 1:22.6 time. In a Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
test with the 911 Turbo, Bruno Senna
Bruno Senna
Bruno Senna Lalli is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver and the nephew of the late three-time Formula One world champion Ayrton Senna. His mother is Ayrton's older sister, Viviane. His father, Flávio Lalli, died in a motorcycle crash in 1996. He wears a slightly modified version of his uncle's...
was able to achieve faster lap times in the GT-R. Car and Driver compared the GT-R on Reno-Fernley Raceway with the 911 Turbo and BMW M3, the GT-R's lap time of 1:26.7 made it the fastest on the track. Road & Track
Road & Track
Road & Track is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, and is published monthly. The editorial offices are located in Newport Beach, California.-History:...
was able to achieve quick lap times with the car on Buttonwillow Raceway
Buttonwillow Raceway Park
Buttonwillow Raceway Park is a motorsports park in Kern County, California, north of the town of Buttonwillow and northwest of Bakersfield. Owned and operated by the California Sports Car Club, a region of SCCA, Buttonwillow is the "flagship" track of Cal Club, and is also the location of the...
, clocking in at 1:56.9 which was over 5 seconds faster than the Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Corvette
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car by the Chevrolet division of General Motors that has been produced in six generations. The first model, a convertible, was designed by Harley Earl and introduced at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept show car. Myron Scott is credited for naming the car after...
C6 Z06 and 911 Turbo. In an Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com
Edmunds.com is a provider of automotive information via Web sites, books, and other media. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and maintains an office outside of Detroit, Michigan...
6-way test on the Streets of Willow
Willow Springs International Motorsports Park
Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is located in Willow Springs near Rosamond and Lancaster, California, and is about an hour north of Los Angeles. It is a historic race track, in existence more than fifty years. Construction of the track began in 1952, with the inaugural first race held...
and an improvised mountain road, the GT-R posted faster times than the Audi R8
Audi R8
Audi R8 can refer to*Audi R8 *Audi R8 *Audi R8R, a Le Mans prototype built by Audi for the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans*Audi R8C, a Le Mans prototype built by Audi for the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans...
and Porsche 911 Carrera. Auto Bild
Auto Bild
Auto Bild is a leading German automobile magazine. It is published by Axel Springer AG, and first appeared in 1986.AUTO BILD with its worldwide licensed editions, of which more than 7 million copies are sold every month, is published in 36 countries. Foreign editions include France's Auto Plus...
compared the GT-R with the 911 Turbo and V10 Audi R8 at Contidrome, the GT-R's time of 1:30.95 placed it ahead of both the Porsche 911 (1:31.75) and the Audi R8 (1:32.11).
In another Autocar comparison with the PDK 911 Turbo (997.2) and V10 Audi R8 on the Castle Combe Circuit
Castle Combe Circuit
Castle Combe Circuit is a motor racing circuit in Wiltshire, England, approximately from Bristol. The circuit used to be the perimeter track of a World War II airfield, and opened to racing in 1950.- History :...
the GT-R's laptime of 1:14.6, was faster than the 911's time of 1:14.9 and the R8's 1:15.5 lap time. In December, Auto, Motor und Sport
Auto, Motor und Sport
auto motor und sport , often abbreviated to AMS, is a leading German automobile magazine. It is published fortnightly by Motor Presse Netzwerk subsidiary Motor Presse Stuttgart, a specialist magazine publisher that is 59.9% owned by the publishing house Gruner + Jahr.The magazine, originally...
published a comparison between the GT-R, PDK 911 Turbo (997.2) and the Audi R8 V10. Around the 'small' Hockenheimring
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
circuit, the GT-R achieved a time of 1:12.0 against the 911's 1:11.5 and the Audi's 1:12.3. The sport auto magazine had tested the GT-R on the 'small' Hockenheimring
Hockenheimring
The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix...
circuit and had recorded a lap time of 1:10.7 during the full "supertest". In July 2009, CAR Magazine published a comparison of the revised 911 GT3 (997.2) and the GT-R at the Nurburgring. A time of 7:49 was achieved for the GT3 and 7:51 for the GT-R. It should be noted that these times are not directly comparable to previous Nurburgring tests, as they included a section of track near the pits normally excluded from timing. At Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch
Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch
Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch is a race track located in Pahrump, Nevada. Currently owned by John Morris and Brad Rambo, the track hosts various auto races, driving schools, and a private motorsports club....
Road and Track managed a 1:20.9 lap time compared to the ZR1's time of 1:20.1 and the 911 Turbo's (997.2) time of 1:21.3. In another Motor Trend comparison at the Streets of Willow, driver Randy Pobst
Randy Pobst
Randy Pobst also known as "RFP" or "The Rocket" is an American race car driver, born 26 June 1957, in Dayton, Ohio.Currently active in the SCCA World Challenge GT series and the Grand American series' GT class, Pobst is the 2003, 2007, 2008, and 2010 SCCA World Challenge GT champion and is a...
's laptime of 1:20.25 in the facelifted GT-R was slightly faster than the competing Corvette Z06 equipped with optional carbon ceramic brake rotors.
On Willow Springs International Motorsports Park
Willow Springs International Motorsports Park
Willow Springs International Motorsports Park is located in Willow Springs near Rosamond and Lancaster, California, and is about an hour north of Los Angeles. It is a historic race track, in existence more than fifty years. Construction of the track began in 1952, with the inaugural first race held...
, Edmunds.com was able to achieve lap times of 1:25.09 with the 2009 GT-R compared to the Corvette ZR1's time of 1:23.87. On the Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
infield road course, Motor Trend
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
was able to achieve lap times with the GT-R that were almost as fast as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and 911 GT2 and 1.2 seconds slower than a Corvette ZR1. The pre-2011 GT-R currently holds a lap time of 1:19.7 around the Top Gear Test Track
Top Gear Test Track
The Top Gear test track is used by the BBC automotive television programme Top Gear. It is located at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, United Kingdom. The track was designed by Lotus Cars...
, with the Facelifted GT-R holding a time of 1:17.8, equalling the Pagani Zonda F, beating the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 by 2.6 seconds, and being the fastest Japanese car to lap the track. On Top Gear Australia
Top Gear Australia
Top Gear Australia was an Australian motoring television series based on the BBC series Top Gear.The show premiered on SBS One on 29 September 2008 at 7:30 pm AEST, with its first season consisting of 8 episodes...
's test track the GT-R posted a lap time of 1:07.06, putting it in second place 0.14 seconds behind the 997 GT2. Top Gear laps are conducted from a standing start and under varying conditions.
Design
Real Robot
is a genre of Japanese animation. The genre contains mecha robots that are powered by conventional power sources and weapons explainable by real world science, and that use ranged weapons and speed to survive battle situations....
of the Gundam series
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
. Nakamura stated: "The GT-R is unique because it is not simply a copy of a European-designed supercar; it had to really reflect Japanese culture."
Nakamura noted that the GT-R's square lines and vents were influenced by Gundam robots. Nissan's American designers sculpted the rear three quarters of the vehicle, while their European designers sculpted the roofline.
Polyphony Digital
Polyphony Digital
Polyphony Digital, Inc. is an internal video game developing company of Sony Computer Entertainment and is part of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios...
, creators of the Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo (series)
is a popular and critically acclaimed series of racing simulation video games developed by Polyphony Digital.Developed exclusively for PlayStation systems, Gran Turismo games are intended to simulate the appearance and performance of a large selection of vehicles, nearly all of which are licensed...
series of racing video games, were themselves involved in the development of the GT-R, having been contracted to design the GT-R's multifunction display.
SpecV
Tokyo Auto Salon
The is an annual auto show held in January at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for Performance and custom dress-up parts and technology display. Hosted by the Nippon Auto Parts Aftermarket Committee ....
. Exterior changes from the base GT-R consist of a carbon fiber
Carbon fiber
Carbon fiber, alternatively graphite fiber, carbon graphite or CF, is a material consisting of fibers about 5–10 μm in diameter and composed mostly of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are bonded together in crystals that are more or less aligned parallel to the long axis of the fiber...
rear spoiler, grille, and brake ducts, along with an exclusive Ultimate Black Opal paint job. Interior changes include a set of carbon fiber Recaro front seats with the rear seats being completely removed. Carbon fiber covers the center storage box, instrument panel, and replaces the majority of the interior trim.
The GT-R SpecV is powered by the standard twin-turbo 3799 cc V6 with no increase in horsepower. A new high gear boost controller that allows a temporary increase in boost pressure to the IHI twin turbochargers, now larger than those on the standard GT-R, should deliver more torque in mid to high-range revs. Other mechanical changes include a titanium exhaust, reworked suspension, carbon ceramic brakes, and 20 inches (508 mm) NISMO
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
wheels. Overall weight is decreased by 132 lb (59.9 kg) over the standard GT-R.
Japan sales began on February 2, 2009 at seven pre-selected dealers who are staffed by mechanics with special GT-R SpecV training and are knowledgeable of racing circuit driving. Pricing is set at (over ). Nissan has yet to announce any plans to sell the Spec V in the USA.
In Auto Express
Auto Express
Auto Express is a weekly motoring magazine sold in the United Kingdom published by Dennis Publishing. The Editor-in-Chief is Steve Fowler.Launched in September 1988, its 1000th issue was published on 20 February 2008. It's only weekly competitor in Britain is the long established Autocar...
testing the SpecV posted a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds, pulled 1.12 g on the skidpad and 74.7 mph in the slalom. An earlier tested Corvette ZR1 (2011) resulted in an identical slalom speed but a lower 1.06 g on the skidpad.
Super GT
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
, the motorsport
Motorsport
Motorsport or motorsports is the group of sports which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles, whether for racing or non-racing competition...
arm of Nissan, entered the Nissan GT-R in the Super GT
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
race series in the GT500 class for the 2008 season, replacing the Nissan 350Z
Nissan 350Z
The Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan from 2002 to 2009 and marks the fifth generation of Nissan's Z-car line. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model. The first year there was only a coupe, as the roadster did not debut...
.
The GT500 version of the car has a completely different drivetrain compared to the production car. The race car is upgraded to a VK45DE 4.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 instead of the twinturbo V6 VR38DETT. It uses a 6 speed sequential manual
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
gearbox and a RWD layout from its predecessor, the 350Z
Nissan 350Z
The Nissan 350Z is a two seat sports car that was manufactured by Nissan from 2002 to 2009 and marks the fifth generation of Nissan's Z-car line. The 350Z entered production in late 2002 and was sold and marketed as a 2003 model. The first year there was only a coupe, as the roadster did not debut...
race car.
A prototype was spotted testing around the Suzuka Circuit
Suzuka Circuit
, Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:...
as well as Fuji Speedway
Fuji Speedway
is a race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s and hosted the first Formula One race in Japan in 1976. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and national racing...
in Japan. The car went on to win the opening race of the 2008 Super GT season at Suzuka scoring a one-two finish for Nissan. The dominant performances in the opening race has led to all GT-Rs being applied a 50 kg weight penalty in addition to the race weight penalty under the Special Adjustment of Performance under the Super GT regulations. In race two, the GT-R repeated their 1-2 result in Suzuka despite the race winning car of team Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
carrying a 100 kg weight penalty making it only the 3rd team in JGTC/Super GT history to do so. The last time this feat was achieved was 10 years ago by Nismo Skyline GT-R racing under the same number 23. Despite the weight handicap, it did in fact become the champion in this 2008 season through the Xanavi Nismo GT-R driven by Satoshi Motoyama
Satoshi Motoyama
Satoshi Motoyama is a Japanese racing driver.-Career:He gathered an impressive résumé of results in his native country, winning the Formula Nippon championship in 1998, 2001, 2003, and 2005. He also competes in the Japan GT Championship and won that series title in 2003 and 2004...
and Benoit Treluyer, as well as winning 8 out of 9 races driven by 4 different teams using GT-Rs.
The GT500 version scored 4 victories in the 2009 Japanese SUPER GT Series GT 500 class. In 2010 the VH45DE 4.5 litre engine was replaced by a newly developed 3.4 litre engine (VRH34A).
FIA GT/GT1 World Championship
On February 27, 2009, NismoNismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
announced a partnership with British racing team Gigawave Motorsports to enter a GT-R in four races in the 2009 FIA GT Championship season
2009 FIA GT Championship season
The 2009 FIA GT Championship season was the thirteenth season of the FIA GT Championship for grand tourer cars competing in the GT1 and GT2 categories. The season began 3 May, and ended 25 October after eight races...
. The entry will not be competing for championship points, but will be used by Nismo to refine the performance of the GT-R for future customer teams to use the car in the planned FIA GT1 World Championship
FIA GT1 World Championship
The FIA GT1 World Championship is a world championship sports car racing series developed by the SRO Group and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It features multiple grand tourer race cars based on production road cars and conforming with the GT1 regulations competing in...
in 2010. Nismo driver Michael Krumm
Michael Krumm
Michael Krumm is an auto racing driver. At present, he competes in the FIA GT1 World Championship. Krumm married tennis player Kimiko Date on 1 December 2001 at St. Mary's Cathedral, Tokyo...
and Gigawave driver Darren Turner
Darren Turner
Darren Turner is an English racing driver. He was McLaren Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year in 1996. He is a former test driver for the McLaren Formula One team, but has raced primarily in touring cars and sportscars since 2000. He spent 2 years in the DTM for Keke Rosberg's...
will co-drive the GT1 GT-R.
Sumo power
Sumo Power is a British car tuning company based in Rye, East Sussex, England. Founded in 2002, Sumo Power specializes in custom tuning Japanese imports, including the Nissan Skyline GT-R and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, as well as the importation and sale of many Japanese performance parts,...
GT-R won the 2010 RAC Tourist Trophy
2010 RAC Tourist Trophy
The 2010 RAC Tourist Trophy was an auto race held at the Silverstone Circuit, Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, Great Britain from 30 April–2 May. The event, the second round of the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship season, was among the first to use the revised Arena layout of the Silverstone...
at Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
as part of the FIA GT1 World Championship on May 2, 2010.
The 2011 season
2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season
The 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season was the second season of the SRO Group's FIA GT1 World Championship, an auto racing series for grand tourer cars complying with Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile GT1 regulations. The championship comprises two titles: GT1 World Champion for...
saw Swiss Racing Team
Swiss Racing Team
Swiss Racing Team is an auto racing team based in Inwil, Lucerne, Switzerland. Formed by Othmar Welti and Erich Kolb in 2000, Swiss Racing Team initially competed in the German Formula Three Championship before also joining the Formula Three Euroseries from 2003 to 2004. Frédéric Vervisch won the...
switch to Lamborghini
Lamborghini
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., commonly referred to as Lamborghini , is an Italian car manufacturer. The company was founded by manufacturing magnate Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963, with the objective of producing a refined grand touring car to compete with established offerings from marques like...
which left Sumo Power run four GT-R's, two under the Sumo Power GT name and two under JR Motorsports. JR Motorsports won the drivers championship for the 2011 season.
Other categories
A production-based GT-R made its world motorsport debut in Australia's Targa TasmaniaTarga Tasmania
Targa Tasmania is a tarmac-based rally event held on the island state of Tasmania, Australia, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily...
tarmac rally
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
in April 2008, however it sustained damage early in the event and did not complete the rally. Later in 2008 a GT-R won the Competition Modern class in the Targa West
Targa West
Targa West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
before returning to Targa Tasmania in 2009 to take the outright win in the Modern class. In 2009 Nissan's GT-R won the One Lap of America
One Lap of America
The One Lap of America is a motorsports event in the United States that has been held since 1984. It is the successor to the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an underground auto race of the 1970s...
competition. In 2010 the GT-R finished 2nd over all in the One Lap of America
One Lap of America
The One Lap of America is a motorsports event in the United States that has been held since 1984. It is the successor to the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an underground auto race of the 1970s...
competition.
During the 2010 SCCA World Challenge season, a pair of GT class GT-Rs were campaigned by Brass Monkey Racing and driven by Steve Ott and Tony Rivera.
On June 4, 2010, Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
announced a Club Track Edition GT-R available via its Nissan supported Omori aftermarket factory. This domestic market trim is a non-street legal, race ready variant equipped with a 6 point roll cage and upgraded with Nismo race package developed through its Tokachi endurance racer program.
On June 25 and 26, 2011, the #71 Schulze Motorsport Nissan GT-R took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring 2011 driven by Michael Schulze, Tobias Schulze, Kazunori Yamauchi
Kazunori Yamauchi
is a Japanese game designer, professional racing driver, and most notably, CEO of Polyphony Digital and producer of the Gran Turismo series. He became the president of Polyphony Digital after designing his first game Motor Toon Grand Prix, a cartoon-inspired racing title similar to Mario Kart...
and Yasuyoshi Yamamoto. The car finished the race in 36th place overall, achieving a victory in the SP 8T class after overcoming several technical problems.
It was the first time a Nissan GT-R took part in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.
On July 7 2011, a Nissan GT-R was spotted testing at the Ciudad del Motor de Aragón
Ciudad del Motor de Aragón
The Ciudad del Motor de Aragón, also known as Motorland Aragón, is a race circuit located near Alcañiz, Spain.The circuit has been designed by well-known German architect Hermann Tilke in conjunction with the British architectural firm Foster + Partners...
for a possible FIA GT3 European Championship
FIA GT3 European Championship
The FIA GT3 European Championship is a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation and regulated by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . It is a championship derived from the international FIA GT1 World Championship, but meant to provide competition for more...
entry. Not much is known about the car currently: the car appears similar to the GT1 car, but it is likely the internals will be far different due to GT3's much lower power restrictions.
Non-competitive appearances
The GT-R was used as the official safety carSafety car
In motorsport, a safety car or pace car is a car which limits the speed of competing cars on a racetrack in the case of a caution period such as an obstruction on the track. During a caution period the safety car enters the track ahead of the leader...
for both the 2008 Japanese Super GT, and the 2009 Australian V8 Supercars series before a dispute over alcohol advertising
Alcohol advertising
Alcohol advertising is the promotion of alcoholic beverages by alcohol producers through a variety of media. Along with tobacco advertising, it is one of the most highly-regulated forms of marketing...
led to the arrangement being discontinued after four rounds.
Aftermarket tuning
Despite early concerns about the difficulty of modifying the Nissan GT-R, many aftermarket tuning parts are now available. The previously reported "untuneable" ECUEngine control unit
An engine control unit is a type of electronic control unit that determines the amount of fuel, ignition timing and other parameters an internal combustion engine needs to keep running...
has since been hacked by several tuning houses.
COBB Tuning was the first company to access the GT-R's encrypted ECU. With their AccessPORT anyone can reprogram both the engine and transmission control units with off the shelf or custom maps. Mine's
MINE'S
Mine's is a tuning firm based in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Mine's was started by Tsuzo Niikura in 1985. It attracted attention in 1988 by being among the first Japanese companies to sell re-programmed ECU systems for popular Japanese sports cars...
also has limited control of the ECU, and others (MCR, HKS, and Top Secret) have bypassed the unit. They have been seen testing modified GT-Rs with the former two having conducted tests at the Tsukuba Circuit
Tsukuba Circuit
The Tsukuba Circuit is a motorsport race track located in Shimotsuma, a neighboring city of Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It is long, has 32 pits and the longest straight is long. There is a small chicane corner that is used for motorcycle racing only and increases the total length to...
.
Japan based tuner Mine's has created the VR38DETT super response engine which uses lightened engine internals like titanium rods, lightened pistons and many other components that allows the engine to rev-up fast. The Mine's R35 GT-R has always been one of the most sought after GT-Rs in the world for its highly responsive driving feel with the right amount of power at 800ps.
Japan tuners like Mine's, HKS, Jun, Greddy, MCR, Top Secret, and more focus mainly on overall balanced performance for the GT-R that can perform at the circuit, mountain touge, short courses, and streets whereas US based tuners mainly focus only on high horsepower applications and straightline speeds.
In a review by Motor Trend
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
editor Scott Kanemura, it was revealed that the GPS system fitted to the GT-R would remove the 180-kilometer per hour (112 mph) speed limiter
Speed limiter
A speed limiter is a governor used to limit the top speed of a vehicle. For some classes of vehicle and in some jurisdictions they are a statutory requirement, for some other vehicles the manufacturer provides a non-statutary system which may be fixed or programmable by the driver.-Mopeds:Mopeds in...
when the car arrives at a race track, but only on tracks approved by Nissan. Aftermarket ECUs have been developed to bypass the speed limiter, in addition to stand-alone speed-limiter defeaters. The GPS check will not be implemented in American models.
In August 2008, Nissan's official motorsport and tuning arm Nismo
Nismo
Nismo is the motorsports and performance division of Nissan Motor Company. Formed in 1984 as a result of a merger of two motorsport departments, Nismo cars have participated in JSPC, Formula Nippon, JTCC, 24 Hours of Le Mans and 24 Hours of Daytona...
announced the "Club Sport" tuning package for the GT-R . The package, which is also fitted to the SpecV, includes Bilstein Damptronic compatible dampers, 20" forged aluminum wheels from Rays Engineering, Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
run-flat tires, Recaro
Recaro
RECARO GmbH & Co. KG, commonly known as Recaro, is a German company based in Kirchheim unter Teck in the vicinity of Stuttgart, known for their automobile bucket seats...
carbon fiber-shelled bucket seats, a titanium exhaust, and a revised rear diffuser with an added cooling duct. The package is supported by a warranty and saves over 20 kg.
United States based tuner AMS Performance has pushed the R35's power levels and performance numbers. Their Alpha 12 performance package for the R35 boosts output to over 1500 horsepower and boasts 60-130 mph times of just 3.3 seconds. An AMS tuned R35 GT-R was the first in the world to post an 8 second quarter mile time at 169 mph. The Alpha 12 GT-R is also capable of doing a 0-60 MPH (0-100 KMPH) time of 2.1 seconds.
Awards and recognition
Awards- Top GearTop Gear (magazine)Top Gear is an automobile magazine published by BBC Worldwide, and named after the BBC's Top Gear television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published monthly at a price of £3.95. The major presenters of the television series—Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson—are...
Awards 2007 - Supercar of the Year 2007 - AutocarAutocarAutocar is a weekly British automobile magazine published by Haymarket Motoring Publications Ltd. It refers to itself as "The World's oldest car magazine".-History:...
- 2008 Drivers Car Of The Year. - Automobile MagazineAutomobile MagazineAutomobile magazine is an automobile magazine in the United States and is owned by Source Interlink. It was founded by a group of former employees of Car and Driver magazine, led by that publications’s former editor, David E. Davis, and originally published by News Corporation...
- 2009 Automobile of the Year - Evo MagazineEvo MagazineEvo is a British automobile magazine dedicated to performance cars, from hot hatches to supercars. The first issue was produced in November 1998 as an unofficial successor to Performance Car, which had been closed and integrated into Car Magazine by publisher Emap. "Evo" is published 13 times a...
- Car of the Year 2008 - Edmunds.comEdmunds.comEdmunds.com is a provider of automotive information via Web sites, books, and other media. The company is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and maintains an office outside of Detroit, Michigan...
- 2009 Edmunds' Inside Line Editors' Most Wanted Awards: Instant Classic - Motor TrendMotor TrendMotor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
- 2009 Motor Trend Car of the Year - 2008 Japan's Most Advanced Technology Award
- Popular MechanicsPopular MechanicsPopular Mechanics is an American magazine first published January 11, 1902 by H. H. Windsor, and has been owned since 1958 by the Hearst Corporation...
- Automotive Excellence Awards 2008 (Design) - Popular SciencePopular SciencePopular Science is an American monthly magazine founded in 1872 carrying articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. Popular Science has won over 58 awards, including the ASME awards for its journalistic excellence in both 2003 and 2004...
- Auto Tech Grand Award Winner - 2009 International Car of the YearInternational Car of the YearThe International Car of the Year awards are one of several annual "car of the year" awards around the world for new automobile models judged to be the best of their generation. This one is presented by the United States magazine Road & Travel Magazine. Awards are given under ten different...
- 2009 World Performance CarWorld Car of the YearThe World Car of the Year is an automobile award selected by a jury of 48 international automotive journalists from 22 countries. Cars considered must be sold in at least five countries on at least two continents prior to January 1 of the year of the award...
- 2009 Targa TasmaniaTarga TasmaniaTarga Tasmania is a tarmac-based rally event held on the island state of Tasmania, Australia, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily...
Modern Champion - 2009 Targa WestTarga WestTarga West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
Challenge Modern Champion - 2009 Targa WestTarga WestTarga West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
Competition Modern Champion - 2010 Redline Time AttackRedline Time AttackRedline Time Attack is a North American auto racing series that emerged with its first racing season in 2006. It is currently the leading time-attack racing series in North America. The basic format of time-attack racing is that production based sports cars compete for the fastest single lap...
Modified AWD Champion - 2010 Targa WestTarga WestTarga West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
Challenge Modern Champion - 2010 Targa WestTarga WestTarga West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
Competition Modern Champion - 2011 Targa TasmaniaTarga TasmaniaTarga Tasmania is a tarmac-based rally event held on the island state of Tasmania, Australia, annually since 1992. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily...
Modern Champion - 2011 Targa WestTarga WestTarga West is a rally event held in and around Perth, Western Australia. The event takes its name from the Targa Florio, a former motoring event held on the island of Sicily, as well as more recent Australian events including Targa Tasmania, now defunct East Coast Targa, Targa New Zealand and...
Competition Modern Champion
Recognition
- Yahoo- Listed as having one of the best resale values of any sports car. - July 2010