Nissan GT-R — the best sports car of 2009

Super car Nissan GT-R became the winner in a nomination «Best sports car of the year», having filled up the collection of awards with the next honourable title. Results of the international competition «Car of year» have been declared on the International motor show in New York (NYIAS-2009).

One of the most prestigious awards Nissan GT-R — 56 judges from 25 countries have considered the best sports car of year as its most worthy of a title «Best sports car of year», having chosen it from the list of 23 sports cars, including Porsche 911 Carrera and Corvette ZR1. According to the international jury, "Nissan GT-R this year has eclipsed all competitors". Super car GT-R is equipped bi-turbo engine V6 in volume of 3,8 litres capacity of 480 h.p. and a twisting moment of 588 Nanometers. Unique tyre covers specially developed for this car allow to realise as much as possible superpenalty GT-R all possibilities of the all-wheel drive chassis, in particular on a racing track. Dispersal from 0 to 100 km/h occupies 3.6 seconds. With the advent of Nissan GT-R in body R35 Nissan shows intention to become the favourite of a sport track and as much as possible to use the possibilities, both on racing lines, and on public roads. It, perhaps, best sports car in the world in the price category».

LSD-doors for Nissan GT-R!

Studio LSD Design has published the information on new doors of own manufacture for car Nissan GT-R. Received rather creative name LSD Flügeltürbeschläge, they are the next short step on a way of the decision of a problem on an individualization of each copy Nissan GT-R descending from the conveyor forces of every possible tuning firms.

You will receive the specified doors for 1949 euros and rollers directing, guaranteeing accurate slippage at each opening and door closing. One more plus is ease of installation – the design firm asserts that for this purpose it is not required paints, welded works. To use doors also is much easier, than to say their name as for fastening it is used standard fixing points Nissan. Therefore at an exit it will be necessary only hardly to push away a door outside and to allow her to rise in air, and lock-up is carried out by one smooth movement of a hand. Doors already in sale.

2009 Nissan GT-R Series II upgrade

Early details surrounding the updates for the Series II Nissan GT-R have surfaced on the web, which are expected to be introduced with 2009 production models. The official announcement is expected to be made by Nissan on December 8, with the most crucial change being a price jump of 10 percent - exceeding earlier reports that there would be a 5 percent premium for MY09 models.

Engine output is expected to rise, albeit conservatively by about 4kW and the Brembo brake callipers will be rebadged to Nissan with stiffer brake hoses. The fuel tank capacity will be increased by 2.8 litres while fuel economy has been slightly improved. Other changes include a slight revision to the GT-R’s colour palette, opting for the new Brilliant White Pearl over the existing Ivory Pearl White which it will share with the 370Z.

Ultimate Silver will also attract a price premium, up AUD$840 to AUD$5,880 in Japan. The wheel colour has also been slightly revised, although the extent of these changes is not yet known.

Finally, the Black edition will now be fitted with Dunlop tyres as standard with the Bridgestone tyres becoming an option.

Unconfirmed changes suggest JDM models will receive upgrades from their overseas counterparts such as European specification suspension and iPod connectivity from the US version.

© Source: caradvice
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Nissan GT-R Carbon Fiber Body Kit To SEMA

As proof the body kit isn't what's responsible for the "most hideous Nissan GT-R ever" from a few weeks ago, Zele has released pictures of their upcoming SEMA special carbon fiber GT-R aero kit, complete with brilliant orange paint.

All the Zele pieces are individually available to add as much or as little of the upcoming Spec V look as you like, or you can get the whole package including orange paint, Rays forged alloys and an upgraded ECU sans-JDM speed limiter. Pricing for individual pieces runs from about $500 up to $1,100, while pricing for the entire upgrade package appears to still be in the works.

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Nissan GT-R Official Details

In a press conference the Managing Director of Nissan Australia, Mr Dan Thompson, ended the speculation about just how much the GT-R will cost Australian buyers, announcing that their would be two grades of GT-R. The Nissan GT-R will cost $148,800 and the Nissan GT-R Premium will cost $152,800. He said these would be the only versions of the GT-R to be imported into Australia and they would be sold through 11 Australia-wide Nissan High Performance Dealers, which he said would have 200 cars to sell next year. Mr Thompson admitted that demand for the GT-R was expected to be much greater but that number was “supply constrained”.

Although the GT-R will be on pre-sale from next week actual deliveries in Australia will not commence until April 2009. Mr Thompson said that the 11 dealers would be required to have dedicated sales and service personnel to deal with Nissan GT-R customers “ so that the whole GT-R experience is something special.” He added that Nissan would in no way be supporting “grey market” imports of the GT-R and he said buyers of these cars would not be able to obtain parts, service or support from the Nissan dealer network.

The Premium model adds black forged 20-inch aluminium wheels, Nitrogen-filled Bridgestone Potenza Run-Flat tyres, BOSE audio system and front black leather sports seats with red leather inserts. All models have a rear wing and carbon fibre rear diffuser, and a dark grey front grille. The standard equipment list features leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, adjustable steering column, high-back driver’s sports seats, with six-way power adjustment for the driver and four-way power adjustment for passenger. Front seats are heated and there are aluminium interior trim accents.

An intelligent key system allows access to the car and integrates with the push-button for engine start and stop. Safety equipment includes ABS with EBD, dual front, side and curtain airbags, while the sports-oriented dynamic stability system, VDC-R, is adjustable through Circuit, Normal and Off settings, selectable by the driver to suit prevailing conditions. There will be a choice of six colours, Super Silver, Vibrant Red, Gun Metallic, Black Obsidian, Titanium, and Ivory Pearl.

The supercar will feature true luxury performance equipment including a driver configurable Multi-Function Meter, which can display lateral G-forces plus acceleration and braking performance among 11 data screens available. The GT-R is powered by a hand-built twin-turbo VR38DETT 3.8-litre V6 engine delivering a mighty 353kW and 588Nm across a wide mid-range expanse from 3200rpm to 5200rpm. The 20-inch front wheels are shod with 255/40ZF 20 tyres while the rears are fitted with 285/35ZF 20s, with all tyre pressures monitored electronically.

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Steve Jones Nissan GT-R Targa West in-car

Only a few days ago, Steve Jones steered his legendary Nissan GT-R to victory at Targa West to become the youngest winner in the events history - narrowing out favourite Jim Richards in his Porsche 911 GT2 by 15 seconds. Now we can bring you some truly amazing in car footage from one of his stages. Also, the music you can hear is actually playing inside the car! How cool is that?



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Nissan GT-R Nismo tuning package

While tuners from every corner of the globe have been hastily showcasing aftermarket performance add-ons for the GT-R, Nissan’s in-house tuning arm has been completely quiet - until now. Nismo has today unveiled its official Club Sports Package for the legendary GT-R - and it will only cost you around $58,000 for the privilege.

The package consists of a new tire and wheel setup, suspension, Nismo branded race seats from Recaro and a new titanium exhaust system. The wheels are a lightweight 20-inch forged aluminium product from Ray’s finished in Gunmetal grey, saving a valuable 6kg all up.

These are wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE070R run-flat tires and incorporate a valve tire pressure monitoring system.The upgraded suspension package uses Bilstein Damp Tronic shock absorbers and Nismo-developed springs which have been engineered to suit the GT-R’s three distinct suspension modes.

The new driver and passenger race bucket seats were jointly developed with Recaro using a carbon shell wrapped in black leather which features embroidered Nismo and Recaro logos.

In total, they save a further 6kg each, and have been specifically designed to give added support through high-G turns - especially in the shoulders.

Finally, the exhaust system has been assembled from a mix of pure titanium and titanium alloy saving an additional 5kg while cooling has been improved with a new carbon fibre rear diffuser.

Fortunately, the entire package can be further divided into three distinct categories: chassis, seat and exhaust, which can be ordered separately - however there has been no official word on how these components actually effect performance.

© Source: seriouswheels
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Nissan GT-R to be revised for Europe

Nissan is fettling its GT-R before it goes on sale in the UK in April 2009. It might have just announced a new lap record at the Nurburgring – chief test driver Tochio Suzuki shaved nine seconds off the GT-R's previous record of 7min 38 – but Nissan's engineers are already working on upgrades to the everyman's supercar.

Chief vehicle engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno told CAR Online that the GT-R models bound for the American market would benefit from a range of small tweaks, including three harder engine mounts and a stiffer transaxle mount to stop the mechancial parts from moving under extreme cornering. It's detail like this that enabled the new 7min 29sec...

Nissan GT-R: detail changes
'The new mounts make the car feel more together in extreme circumstances,' he said. 'We've also changed the spring rates front and rear – it's a minute change, they're just 0.1kg/sq mm stiffer. But it means the movement of the suspension and powertrain are more perfectly tuned.'

The same changes will be rolled out to every GT-R; this is a global model and one week after the US-spec modifications were made, they were applied to the domestic market cars. You'd still be a bit gutted if you bought one of the very first models off the line though...

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Video: Jay Leno’s Nissan GT-R

With a personal fleet of super cars ranging from original Bugatti’s to the McLaren F1, Jay Leno is the absolute King of cars. In this video, he gives his unique impression of what its like to own and drive the new Nissan GT-R.



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Nissan GT-R V-spec arriving in 2009 - Video

According to latest reports Nissan will be building an even more potent version of the GT-R but it won’t arrive until 2009, one year after the super-coupe is launched in most markets. The new model will carry the familiar V-Spec title, a badge used by the older R32-R34 series cars to denote the GT-R’s racing success as well as some serious performance enhancements.

A Nissan source has revealed to Edmunds that a V-spec version of the all-new GT-R will arrive in 2009 as a 2010 model. The new car is still under development but when it arrives it will be more powerful and lighter than the standard version, which suggest the rumored 7m 38s Nurburgring time could fall further.

Previous V-spec cars featured an improved brake package, lowered suspension, and plenty of carbon-fiber and aluminum. The latest GT-R series was also rumored to feature a high-performance ‘EVO’ model that was tipped to weigh up to 250kg less than the standard car and develop up to 530hp.



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Nissan GT-R V-Spec spied

Despite its immense performance, the new Nissan GT-R tips the scales at nearly two-tonnes - it is without doubt the only Achilles heel of this unstoppable beast. However even before the GT-R has made it into showrooms around the world, Nissan has been busy developing its trademark V-Spec series. The formula is simple - less weight, more power.

Best estimates at the moment rate the V-Spec edition with at least 410kW - up from 358kW in the standard GT-R.An equally substantial weight-loss is also anticipated, speculated to be at least 150kg lighter. In addition to a revised front splitter with integrated air intakes - presumably for the brakes, carbon fibre is expected to replace many of the major body panels to save weight.

The mismatched bonnet colour may also indicate a full carbon-fibre replacement.The golden Brembo calipers are a no-show on the V-Spec mule, instead revealing an enviable carbon-ceramic setup.

Already blitzing the competition around the now benchmark Nurburgring race track in Germany, Nissan’s objective for the V-Spec is a sub-7.25 minute lap time - 18 seconds faster than the current GT-R.

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2009 Nissan GT-R Review

Technically, the 2009 Nissan GT-R isn't a Skyline -- that distinction now belongs to what we know as the Infiniti G series, which is marketed as the Nissan Skyline in Japan. But we suspect that this distinction will be of little matter. From its familiar twin-turbocharged engine and all-wheel-drive layout to its telltale circular taillights, there's no mistaking the new Nissan for anything but a modern-day Skyline GT-R.

Of course, the big deal for Americans is that the 2009 GT-R marks the first time that this legendary performance car will be officially sold stateside. We also happen to be getting the best one yet; the great-granddaddy of the new GT-R, the "Godzilla" R32 Skyline GT-R produced from 1989-'93, was designed to equal the performance of the iconic Porsche 959. Nissan's benchmark for the 2009 GT-R? The mighty Porsche 997-series 911 Turbo.

That's a tall order under any circumstances, but Nissan's President and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, sent the degree of difficulty skyrocketing when he agreed to green-light the GT-R project on two conditions: first, the base price had to be about $70,000; and second, the car had to be profitable, i.e., not merely an image-boosting "halo car" that would be sold at a loss. Improbably, the GT-R has succeeded on all counts. Ghosn's conditions have been met, and we can confirm that the 2009 Nissan GT-R is indeed a match for its Bavarian benchmark at the track. Never before has such stratospheric factory performance been available at such a reasonable price; in fact, you'd have to look long and hard to match the GT-R's performance at any price.

How does the GT-R do it? As far as that bargain-basement price tag is concerned, we'd put it down to a mixture of modern mass-production techniques and magic. Performance-wise, the gnarly Nissan has a long list of co-conspirators to thank, among them a 473-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6, a thoroughly revised version of the previous GT-R's ATTESA ET-S all-wheel-drive system, a trick suspension with adjustable dampers and a dual-clutch transmission that ranks right up there with the best in the business.

Demerits are few and mostly insignificant next to the GT-R's colossal capabilities. First off, the car is a bit heavy given its sporting mission, tipping the scales at 3,800-plus pounds -- but in light of the GT-R's physics-defying cornering ability, who cares? Probably the only time owners will really notice the extra weight is at the pump, and folks who buy 473-hp sports cars aren't likely to lose sleep over a few miles per gallon. Likewise, the angular exterior styling isn't for everyone -- but then, when a $70,000 car can get you to 60 mph faster than any Ferrari or Lamborghini currently in production, does it really matter how it looks? At the end of the day, the only unequivocal complaint we can lodge against the GT-R is that it lacks a manual transmission option. As good as the GT-R's exclusive automated manual is, you can still shift many competing models the old-fashioned way if you want, and we wish the same were true of the GT-R.

© Source: edmunds
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Nissan GT-R reign begins at Super GT

So it begins. The Nissan GT-R has taken out first and second place in its Super GT debut in Japan in front of more than 32,000 spectators.

Of the five GT-R derivatives competing in the Super GT opening race at Suzuka, three dominated the field in qualifying for a clean first, second and third starting position on the grid.

The race was eventually won by the number 23 XANAVI NISMO GT-R driven by Satoshi Motoyama and Benoit Treluyer, whilst Michael Krumm and Masataka Yanagida brought the MOTUL AUTECH GT-R home in the 2nd place.

The Nissan duo crossed the line less than a second apart after a grueling 52 laps, with the PETRONAS TOM’S Lexus SC 430 entry more than 25 seconds behind in third place.

Unfortunately for the CALSONIC GT-R which started from third on the grid, it was hit from behind on the opening lap and forced out of the race.

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Nissan's GT500 GT-R to tackle SuperGT with V8 power

The debut of the production Nissan GT-R remains one of the hottest happenings in the automotive world this past year, but the return of the GT-R to Japan's SuperGT series is of equal importance. We've already seen what the new racer will look like as it gears up for its assault on the GT500 class, and today, Nissan finally released all the technical details about the SuperGT competitor. Let the bench racing begin.

As rumored, the GT-R will be powered by the VK45DE V8 that's been successfully campaigned in the 350Z over the last two years. The naturally aspirated mill produces 500+ hp and well over 376 lb.-ft. of torque. The 4.5-liter sends power to a six-speed sequential gearbox and on down to the rear wheels. Nissan opted for the V8 instead of the production GT-R's twin-turbo'd 3.8-liter V6 because the new mill is still too green to compete in the upper echelon of motorsport and the torque output isn't up to GT500 standards – something that's key to competing in SuperGT.

Nissan's Works program will be fielding five GT-Rs spread across four teams, with the first race set to begin March 15-16 at Suzuka.

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Full Test 2009 Nissan GT-R

We know you want the numbers and we're not going to waste your time. Neither is Nissan. Its 2009 GT-R hits 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, quicker than the last Dodge Viper, Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo we tested. Keep your foot pinned, and after another tap on the upshift paddle it will clear the quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds at more than 120 mph.

We know this because we've just returned from Japan where we tested a privately owned Nissan GT-R on an airstrip outside Tokyo. The car we tested was a Japanese-spec example with 1,500 break-in kilometers on its odometer. It's owned by Japanese journalist Jun Nishikawa and packs the same hardware the U.S. car will get: a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 that generates at least 473 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque. It had the same six-speed dual-clutch automated manual gearbox and the same adjustable dampers which, by now, you've read plenty about.

Controlling the Launch
Activating the Nissan GT-R's launch control is a matter of configuring its transmission, dynamics control and damping adjustments properly. The transmission and damping switches must both be set to the R mode and the VDC must be switched off completely by holding the VDC-R button down for a few seconds. Then it's just a matter of pinning the brake with your left foot and wooding the throttle with your right, not unlike the technique used to produce a tire-shredding burnout in that '85 Camaro you drove in high school.

The result, however, is quite different. The computer holds the engine at 4,500 rpm and waits for you to lift your left foot off the brake pedal. When you do the GT-R produces the most crushing acceleration of virtually any production car in the world. Our test was conducted on a fairly low-grip surface that produced lots of rear wheelspin before the GT-R's sophisticated all-wheel-drive system engaged the front wheels and it thundered down the track. Its 3.3-second 0-60-mph run and 11.6 at 120.9 mph performance make the GT-R the quickest car we've ever tested.

The Best Part
Perhaps more impressive than the Nissan GT-R's brain-cell-punishing acceleration or its stellar handling is its price. At just under $70,000 it's within reach of the upper middle-class enthusiast who insists on spending disproportionate amounts of his income on a car.
Plus, it will take an average driver and hurtle them into a realm of speed they couldn't buy with a 911 Turbo. It's world-class fast and relatively cheap. And that's a hard combination to beat.

© Source: edmunds
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First Drive 2009 Nissan GT-R

We're 20 feet from a production-spec 2009 Nissan GT-R at Sendai Highland Circuit, a raceway north of Tokyo. After years of staring at various concepts, prototypes and Nürburgring test mules of the GT-R, it's finally time to drive the finished product.An engineer waves us over after making his final checks, then hands us the keys with a smile so big you'd think he'd been knocking back Kirins since sunrise. We suspect he already knows what we came here to find out.

Does the 2009 Nissan GT-R really deliver the performance of the Porsche 911 Turbo for half the price? Time to find out for ourselves.

Getting Acquainted With Godzilla
Unlike most supercars, the GT-R doesn't sit only 2 inches off the ground, so it's easy to slide into the driver seat. This is a Japanese-market car, so we're on the right-hand side, which makes everything feel awkward. The seat is firm and narrow, and the high center console gives the cabin a tight, cockpit-style feel.

Start buttons aren't the novelty they used to be, but the GT-R's big red igniter just below the central shift lever does make us stop and think for a second. There will be 473 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque on tap once this sucker is running. It's also about 40 degrees F outside and we're on an unfamiliar track that packs 16 turns into just 2.5 miles of asphalt.

Ignore the Numbers
Into 4th gear and the cabin remains calm right up to 120 mph. There's no valvetrain clatter like a Corvette and the engine doesn't wail in your ear like a 911.A quick left-right-left through a chicane and the GT-R starts barreling back up a hill through a long, sweeping left-hander. It's the last thing we expected, but the GT-R feels surprisingly light and maneuverable despite its curb weight of 3,836 pounds. That's 342 pounds more than a Porsche 911 Turbo and nearly 700 pounds more than a Corvette Z06.

The GT-R should feel like a big, lifeless brick, yet here we are, barely finished with our first lap and already we're tossing the car from one corner to the next with confidence. The precise steering and nearly total lack of body roll make it easy to place on the road, and there's little dive when the big six-piston front calipers are clamping down on the 15-inch drilled rotors.

For an engine that thrives at 6,000 rpm, this 3.8-liter V6 feels just fine at 1,500 rpm, too. That's good, since the transmission's automatic mode heads for fuel-sipping 6th gear as soon as possible. Of course, the slightest nudge of the throttle kicks the gearbox down to 4th. Ask for more and we're met with a slight delay before all the clutch plates and gears get lined up. Then it's wham, and we're off at full boost, wondering what the local speed limit might be.

© Source: edmunds
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