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Nissan

Nissan GT-R – MY11 specs released

Nissan GT-R

Nissan has just confirmed details of the MY11 changes made to its all-conquering GT-R. No car can show its face these days without LED daytime running lights, you see.

Of course, Nissan’s engineers went further than that, also trimming 10kg from the GT-R’s portly weight. Fuel consumption has been improved, along with a reduction in CO2 emissions. Minor tweaks have also been made to Godzilla’s suspension and brakes. These are complemented by new forged alloys from Rays.

Inside gets a once over, as well. Usual stuff like a revised instrument panel and nav display have been thrown in. But there are big changes, too. The steering wheel emblem now has “a new velour-like coating, expressing a glossy texture”. Amazing!

Outside has seen some cosmetic tweaks, notably the front spoiler can now feed in more air. These revisions also increase downforce by about 10%. Two new exterior paint colours—Jet Black and GTBlue—have been added to the colour palette.

However, the big news is more power. Quite a bit more actually. At its initial launch the GT-R had 353kW/588Nm. Well, now the little (big) Nissan that can boasts 390kW/600Nm. That’s quite a significant increase.

Australian deliveries for the MY11 model are expected from March next year.

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Motorsports News Nissan

Nissan GT-R to lead touring cars, again

R35 Nissan GT-R

The good old days of the Nissan GT-R leading the best Australian touring cars in the land are coming back. The GT-R will be leading the way for the V8 Supercar field during 2009 after signing on to fill the vacant Safety Car position following the departure of the Chrysler 300C.

I know what you’re thinking, and no, the GT-R probably won’t be quicker than the purpose built racing Falcadores. That said, it’d be kinda fun if we were given a chance to see just how close a $150K Nissan would go against cars from the premier Australian racing category.

Rumours that Jim Richards will be driving the Safety Car in 2009 remain unconfirmed (more info after the jump).

Source: CarAdvice

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Nissan

Nissan GT-R Spec V details announced

Nissan GT-R SpecV

Details of Nissan’s GT-R Spec V were released today, as reported on AUSmotive in early December. Full marks to the chaps who originally broke that story, even their predicted date for today’s announcement was bang on!

While some details have been confirmed today, nothing official has been mentioned on increased power figures.

The modifications made to the Spec V that can be confirmed are, the addition of plenty of carbon fibre bits—including leather covered Recaro bucket seats, lightweight 20″ forged aluminium wheels, carbon brakes and, of course, a titanium coated exhaust. Until we get confirmation otherwise, we have to run with the 9kW increase mentioned in December’s leak. The increased power will be accessible from a boost control device, which increases boost for greater torque at mid-high revs. Interestingly, the press blurb doesn’t actually say this makes the car faster, but rather “a more powerful feeling of acceleration”.

To aid the weight loss program the rear seats have been removed. Erm, so why didn’t they lose the massive rear speakers too?

The GT-R Spec V is available in the usual GT-R colours, but also gets a unique hero colour called Ultimate Black Opal, as featured in the bulk of these pics.

At this stage the GT-R Spec V is only scheduled for Japanese sale, so that rules Australia out obviously. Japanese buyers will have to visit one of seven specially selected dealers in February to get their hands on a ‘V’. When they get there they’ll need to shell out a lazy Â¥15,750,000. On today’s exchange rates that’s about AU$242,00—remember the regular GT-R, available in Australia in two specifications, starts at AU$148,800 or AU$152,800 for the GT-R Premium.

I wonder how long we have to wait until Nissan torments Porsche by revealing GT-R Spec V’s best time around the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Extensive image gallery (click on each pic to load a 2000px super image) and Nissan Australia press release after the jump.

Update: Make sure you check out AUSringers for this video of the Spec V in full flight around the Nürburgring.

Update 9 February: You can also access information about the Spec V from Nissan Global. If your Japanese is up to scratch, why not go directly to the GT-R Spec V page on the Nissan Japan website.

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Nissan

Cobra Tuning gives GT-R more venom

Cobra N+ Nissan GT-R

“Power can only be substituted with more power.”

Well, that’s what the press blurb attached to this new Cobra N+ Nissan GT-R concept claims. The German funsters have upped the power from 353kW to 405kW (485hp to 550hp). Torque also gets a bit of a kick along, from 588Nm to 680Nm. The Cobra tuned Godzilla can sprint to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds on its way to a top speed of 320km/h (200mph).

Nissan reckoned their GT-R couldn’t be tuned, well the above power figures, reached in part through ECU tweaks, have put paid to that claim. Other usual tuning trickery such as revised air intakes and exhaust design have also helped to nudge GT-R’s power along.

Cobra’s tuning concept looks the business, too, on its 21 inch lightweight alloys, even if the paint detailing on the bodywork is a bit over the top. Eight-pot, yes eight piston, brakes at 405mm in diameter ensure the crazy speeds this car can achieve can also be brought to a halt.

But that’s not all, there is a race version in the pipeline as well. This will have over 455kW (620hp). Cool! Stay tuned for more info when the car hits the market sometime in the second quarter of 2009.

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Nissan

Nissan GT-R Spec-V details leaked

Nissan GT-R Spec-V

Another day, another leak. This time details of the Nissan GT-R Spec-V have surfaced on the net. The details are claimed to be confirmed specifications and suggest an official reveal for the Spec-V (or V-Spec, whatever tickles your Godzilla bone) will be 8 January 2009.

From what we can see on the GTRblog website there’ll be lashings of carbon fibre, lightweight 20″ forged aluminium wheels, carbon brakes and a moderate 9kW power upgrade, among other things (full list after the jump). Surely that power increase can’t be right, but that’s what the GT-R experts are saying, so we’ll run with it for now.

We probably won’t get the Spec-V in Australia at all, or for a very long time if we do. But the predicted base price in Japan is Â¥15,750,000 (approx AU$265,000). That’s over AU$100,000 more than the GT-R’s Australian list price. Ouch!

Source: GTRblog.com

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Nissan

Nissan GT-R V-Spec just weeks away



Nissan’s Nordschleife-busting R35 GT-R is about to get better. The upcoming V-Spec has been confirmed by Nissan and speculation suggests February 2009 for an official release, although nothing has been officially announced. It has been suggested, though, that the GT-R V-Spec could be revealed at the 12th annual Nismo Festival to be held at the Fuji Speedway later this month.

Shown above testing at Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife back in April, the V-Spec is expected to include the goodies from Nismo’s upgrade package, which has already been released for standard GT-Rs. The package includes undertray aerodynamic enhancements, light weight alloys and a titanium exhaust. The V-Spec will also employ carbon fibre body panels to help reduce overall weight and power is said to be increased by as much as 75kW. Such an improvement would take the GT-R V-Specto around 430kW (approx 575hp).

The regular GT-R retails for AU$148,800 and with speculation the V-Spec could be as much as Â¥15M, Australian pricing could begin around AU$240,000. That’s assuming the V-Spec gets an official Australian release.

The V-Spec looks like being an astonishing car. Porsche must be wondering what on earth they have to do next!

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Nissan

Nissan GT-R image gallery – Australian delivery from April 2009

R35 Nissan GT-R

Well, unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you’ll be well aware of the hype and publicity created by the Nissan GT-R. Now, in an official capacity at least, the GT-R will be heading down under. The country that gave the car its Godzilla nickname (courtesy of Wheels magazine) will be in Australian Nissan showrooms in April 2009. Okay, a select few Nissan showrooms—the GT-R will be sold at just 11 Nissan High Performance Centres.

The GT-R will be available in two specifications, GT-R ($148,800) and GT-R Premium ($152,800). The Premium model doesn’t add any extra power, just a few bling items like smoked alloy wheels, better sound system and the like. There will be a choice of six colours, Super Silver, Vibrant Red, Gun Metallic, Black Obsidian, Titanium, and Ivory Pearl.

Orders will be taken at the Australian International Motor Show from 9 October. For Nissan’s full release and a massive image gallery, comprising of 30 pictures at 2000x1320px, make sure you read below…

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Porsche Volkswagen

Porsche accuses Nissan of cheating at the Nürburgring

Nissan GT-R laps Nurburgring in 7 minutes 29 seconds

A few days ago a Porsche official made the extraordinary public claim that Nissan cheated when setting the GT-R’s amazing lap of 7 minute 29 seconds around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. And now Nissan is fighting back defending its honour. Read the story in full at AUSringers.com.

Or you can watch the lap below and decide for yourself…

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Nissan Top Gear

Top Gear – Series 11, Episode 5

Jeremy Clarkson couldn’t get enough of the Nissan GT-R so he kicked off Series 11, Episode 5 by showing us all why the beefy R35 is proving to be a pain in the neck for the big German bahnstormers (see above). Clarkson and James May then proved what pillocks they are by bringing London traffic to a standstill in their very own classic motors—James in a 1972 Rolls Royce (of course) Corniche and Jeremy in a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 600 Grosser. Quite entertaining chaps. A couple of rich blokes fanged around the track in the Lacetti, and one of them, in particular, was right on the money. Richard Hammond joined Jeremy in closing the show with a traditional fox hunt. In a Daihatsu Terios. For mine, this was a great, take it back to its roots, Top Gear episode. A shame then, that next week’s episode will be the last for Series 11.

Still, Top Gear Australia can’t be too far away. And, if nothing else, that will generate plenty of discussion.