2009 Nissan GT-R Media Coverage
From NAGTROC
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Road and Track 03-17-2007
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Photos of a masked Nissan GT-R lapping the Nürburgring last fall received more hits on the Internet than Miss USA did after a night out on the town. The reason: Despite its expected price tag of about $70,000, the GT-R will be the most alluring Japanese sports machine to come our way since the Acura NSX in the mid-1990s. Previously sold only in Japan, the GT-R (Skyline GT-R as it was formerly known) has been an icon to boy racers and aftermarket tuners alike since the R32 appeared in 1989. The upcoming version, which will hit dealer showrooms in late 2007 or early 2008, will be the first model marketed worldwide, thus the first official version available in the U.S. Nissan has remained mum regarding this sixth-generation model, but we have discovered some interesting new tidbits about the car.
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn confirmed that the GT-R will be built in Japan. The chassis will be assembled in the company's Tochigi factory while the powerplant will be produced at its Yokohama engine plant. The official logo for the car has also been released. As for the performance of the GT machine, here's what we know so far.
Power will come from a 3.7-liter version of Nissan's VQ powerplant. A pair of turbochargers will help it produce about 450 bhp and 360 lb.-ft. of torque. Because longtime fans of the GT-R are accustomed to more output via aftermarket tuning, Nissan has seemingly left some room on the table for buyers wanting to increase the power of their GT-Rs.
Stock boost pressure will be limited to about 10 psi, but we hear that the engine is capable of handling a lot more. A tamer version of this V-6, codenamed VQ37HR-TT, will make its way into the upcoming Infiniti G35 Coupe. Key differences between the engines are that the GT-R's VQ will have the twin turbochargers, lighter pistons and connecting rods, as well as a beefed-up crankshaft. Other custom parts may make their way into the engine, including racing profile camshafts and new valvetrain. It will come mated to a Getrag 6-speed transmission or a paddle-shift sequential automatic with seven or eight gears.
The GT-R will have awesome stopping power, especially if it wears the same brakes spotted during testing at the Ring. Gold-colored Brembo calipers sparkled in the sun as the GT-R attacked the famed Nordschleife. Upon closer inspection, the fronts appeared to be 6-pot calipers. As for the car's handling, we're pretty sure that it will be all-wheel drive, with a new version of Nissan's ATTESA system. For the record, the car had little trouble negotiating the Carousel at more than 110 mph. Its lap times were reported to be around 8 minutes flat, quite impressive for a test mule on a somewhat crowded track. Could it match or eclipse the Porsche 911 Turbo's time in the 7-minute-40-second range in an all-out effort? The answer awaits us in just a few months. — SM
Edmunds 10-09-2006
After getting teased with the GT-R Proto concept vehicle in Tokyo last year, our latest spy photos reveal the 2008 Nissan Skyline GT-R in near production trim. Scheduled for a debut at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the next-generation Nissan Skyline will be the first version of Nissan's supercar to make its way to the U.S. With as much as 450 horsepower and all-wheel drive, Nissan's high-powered sports car will slot well above the current 350Z.
Although Nissan has shown several Skyline concept vehicles, details on the engine and transmission configuration have yet to leak out. Expect a large V6 with displacement bumped up to as much as 3.8 liters and twin turbochargers so the Skyline can compete with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo.
Previous Skylines have used manual transmissions only, but there's speculation that this Skyline may use a seven-speed, paddle-shifted gearbox instead. Nissan also considered using rear-wheel drive given recent advancements in traction control technology, but has since settled on a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system.
Unlike its predecessors, this Skyline will ride on its own dedicated chassis which should help Nissan's engineers shed some of the weight that slowed down previous models. Some rumors even suggest Lotus was brought in to help tune the chassis. It looks like a diet may have already been started as this prototype is running wheels which look considerably lighter than those featured on last year's concept car.
Initial speculation suggested that because this Skyline could cost as much as $70K-$80K it would be sold under the Infiniti nameplate in the U.S. Those rumors have since been dispelled as Carlos Ghosn himself told dealers that it would be sold as a Nissan worldwide. With its debut scheduled for next fall's Tokyo auto show, expect to