Nissan has offered enthusiasts a very credible European supercar alternative for the last 13 years, in the guise of its GT-R.
The seminal Japanese performance car might be getting on in years, but it remains a crushingly accomplished performance car – and Nissan has announced some choice upgrades to keep it relevant.
Leveraging technologies developed by its engineers who work on the company’s GT3-specification racing cars, the latest GT-R Nismo offers even more overwhelming performance than before.
Distinguished by a range of aerodynamic styling features – which include a composite front splitter, bonnet, wheel arch ducts, and a fixed rear spoiler – the latest GT-R Nismo looks like a true road legal track car, which it is.
Nissan’s engineers have increased the volume of carbon-fibre surface components and managed to lighten the car’s overall weight by 20kg. Particular highlights of the GT-R Nismo’s design include the colour contrasting of its Italian sourced Brembo brakes (in bright yellow) and burnished titanium exhaust ends, which are metallic blue.
More rewarding driving machine
As with all GT-Rs, this new Nismo version is a car concerned with driving dynamics and speed – instead of appearance. Its 20-inch alloy wheels roll an evolved tyre, developed by Dunlop, which has fewer grooves and a wider tread, increasing contact patch and mechanical grip by 11%.
Nissan’s engineers have also recalibrated the GT-R Nismo’s steering system, to provide improved linearity – which requires fewer steering correction at speed. The claim is that this yields enhanced stability at velocities up to 300kph – which is the Nismo version’s top speed.
Powering the latest GT-R Nismo is a relatively unchanged 3.8-litre turbocharged V6, which boosts 447kW. What has improved is the turbochargers’ internals, which are now similar to those found on Nissan’s GT3 racing cars, making throttle response 20% more agile.
All the latest Nismo upgrades equate to a 2.5 second quicker lap time around Nissan’s own test track. For buyers who wish to purchase this latest chapter in the GT-R legend, local pricing and availability are still being decided.
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