Nissan GT-R 2013 News

Nissan recently confirmed that its next NISMO model will be a more extreme version of the GT-R, and now we have the first spy shots of a prototype of just that car, caught while undergoing testing on Germany’s Nurburgring and some of the race track’s surrounding roads. The GT-R NISMO will be the flagship of Nissan performance partner NISMO and is expected to make its debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show in late November before hitting showrooms next spring, as a 2015 model. Helping with the car’s development is none other than the Williams F1 Team, well, the team’s technology offshoot, Williams Advanced Engineering. Their area of expertise is aerodynamics, simulation and material science (read advanced composites). A massive GT wing is seen in some of the shots and there are also new spoilers located around the car. Engineers have also added new intakes at both ends and it looks like the exhaust tips are new. Lighter weight and improved aerodynamics will be key to the car’s performance. NISMO product chief Hiroshi Tamura describes the aim of the GT-R NISMO project as being the pursuit of “pure” performance. Look for a stripped-out cabin, carbon fibre panels and plenty of handling mods. However, there will also be a healthy boost to power levels from the car’s twin-turbo V-6. The 2014 GTR is producing 406 kW r but this GT-R NISMO is tipped to have more than 425kWh and be capable of setting a new production car lap record at the Nurburgring (the GT-R’s current ‘Ring time of 7:18:6 is outmatched by cars like the Gumpert Apollo Sport, Lexus LFA and Dodge Viper ACR). In this initial round of testing the prototype has already achieved a sub-7:30 lap time, according to our photographer. The GT-R NISMO has even been reported to be capable of accelerating from 0-100kmh in approximately 2.0 seconds, faster than any production car in history, though the actual figure is more likely to be a Bugatti Veyron-like 2.5 seconds. Nissan has also said the GT-R NISMO would draw on lessons learned from racing the GT-R in various motorsport categories around the world, particularly in GT3 competition. In fact, Nissan’s GT-R NISMO GT3 race car is said to have directly influenced the aerodynamics package of the new model as well as the chassis. Look for the car’s six-speed dual-clutch transmission and suspension to have had significant work done. The car looks to be much closer to the ground than the regular GT-R, suggesting a very aggressive tune for the suspension. The wheels, brakes and exhaust are also NISMO-specific items. We’ll update the story as development progresses and stay tuned for the 2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO's full reveal in the coming months. www.motorauthority.com  

Nissan Motorsport V8 Supercar driver Rick Kelly will head a team of international drivers to compete in the 2014 Bathurst 12 hour race in February, driving a factory-entered GT-R GT3 racer. The car will be prepared and entered by Nissan’s factory racing arm, Nismo, as part of the Japanese carmaker’s expanding global motorsport activity. This now includes numerous racing categories around the world, including the formation of Nissan Motorsport and its team of Altima racers competing in the 2013 V8 Supercar Championship.Kelly has won the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercar race twice in the past (2003 and 2004) driving Holden-badged racers, but is yet to compete in the 12 hour endurance race at the circuit. “ I haven’t had the right opportunity. Certainly this one is the right opportunity, and it will be the first time I’ve driven something other than a V8 Supercar in a while.”The confirmation of the Bathurst 12 hour entry coincides with Nissan’s announcement of the Nismo Global Driver Exchange program, which will facilitate the sharing of factory Nissan driver’s among race categories around the world.The program builds on the existing Nissan GT Academy program, which fosters upcoming international driver talent. Aside from Rick Kelly, the Nissan/Nismo Bathurst 12 hour entry will utilise drivers from the exchange program, under the ‘Nismo Athlete Global Team’ banner. The remaining drivers will be finalised in the coming months.The Nissan team is expected to be one of several international entries in the 2014 12 hour event, as it strives to cement its place on the global endurance racing calendar. “In selecting the Bathurst 12 Hour as a key part of our 2014 racing program, Nissan has further cemented Australasia as a critical element of our global motorsport plans,” Nissan's global motorsport boss Darren Cox said.The production-based GT-R Nismo GT3 currently races in Super GT, FIA GT Series, and Blancpain Endurance Series championships around the world, and produces at least 405kW/637Nm from its production-based twin-turbo 3.8 litre V6. Unlike the 1699kg  road car, the racer has been stripped down to match the FIA’s 1300kg minimum weight for the GT3 category.The GTR nameplate has tasted victory at Mt Panorama in the past, famously winning the 1000km race twice in 1991/92 in Group A guise, before being banned from the local championship – a move that laid the foundations for the V8 rear-wheel drive formula used by V8 Supercars today.Privately-entered Nissan GT-Rs have competed in the 12 hour race in recent years in lesser categories, but the Class A Nissan entry will have its sights set on an overall victory. The 2013 event was won by the Erebus Motorsport Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 of  Alex Roloff, Bernd Schneider and Thomas Jaeger, and joined on the podium by a Ferrari 458 GT3 and a Porsche 911 GT3R. The 2014 Bathurst 12 hour will take place on February 9 next year.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

Nissan will add a new Black Edition to its giant-killing GT-R lineup next month, sitting atop the local range with a price tag of $182,500.Joining the existing $170,800 Premium and $5000 greater luxury option, the new Black Edition is distinguished visually by its 20 inch Rays forged wheels and carbon fibre rear spoiler.These Nismo parts-bin exterior details are shared with the track-focused Nissan GT-R Spec V that was offered in Japan in 2009, and bring a marginal weight reduction over existing items.On the inside, the Black Edition features specific Recaro front seats with red leather accents that continue on the steering wheel, gear selector, and door trims.“The GT-R Black Edition has already proved popular in other markets, so we are pleased to introduce this exciting model to Australia,” Nissan Australia’s Managing Director and CEO William Peffer said.The Black Edition is otherwise identical to the existing revised-for-2013 GT-R, including its 404kW/628Nm outputs, and its capability to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 2.7 seconds.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

In the world of supercars, there are battles and then there are “battles.” This is one of the latter. In this rather dry and yet superficial look at the Nissan GT-R's snow-driving capabilities, Nissan sets up one heck of a straw man--or snow man, as it were. Testing slalom, acceleration, and braking ability in the snow (skip to 3:50)--on a common set of Dunlop tires, to make it fair--Nissan pits the GT-R against an Infiniti FX and a Nissan 370Z. Yeah, that makes sense... It seems Nissan is trying to show how practical the GT-R is with this video, even in the hands of a young staffer. The woman tasked with driving the GT-R to provide a “normal driver's” perspective owns a Cube, but only drives once or twice per year. Total. Yeah, that makes even more sense... The video gets even funnier when snowy hill starts are attempted on a 20% grade. As you might expect, the GT-R annihilates the competition. The poor 370Z rolls back down the hill, front and rear wheels spinning in opposite directions. To be fair to Nissan and the GT-R, the twin-turbo supercoupe proves its snow-driving mettle. The GT-R's balanced weight, low centre of gravity, and all-wheel drive system make for a capable snow car. Of course, the Audi R8, Lamborghini Gallardo (but maybe not the Aventador), and Ferrari FF--even the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible--are, too. Not to mention the Subaru WRX STI, E63 AMG all-wheel drive, and a horde of other all-wheel drive performance cars that might have made a better comparison point. Or, say, attempting a top-speed record for a stock production car on an icy lake. That would have made sense. www.motorauthority.com

Bentley's exploits in high-speed ice driving are well-known--and officially recognized. But for Nissan of Europe, the official Guinness certification apparently wasn't as important as going flat-out on Lake Baikal in a bone-stock GT-R. You see, the claim made with this video is for the unmodified production car ice speed record. Bentley's ice speed record runs were made in a specially-modified "ISR," (Ice Speed Record) Continental Supersports model, in the hands of Finnish rally champ Juha Kankkunen. Top speed: 330 km/h. Not long after, another Finn, Janne Laitninen, piloted an Audi RS6 to a top speed of 331.7 km/h on ice. Now, the Nissan GT-R, in the hands of Roman Rusinov, has crossed Lake Baikal's gorgeous crust of ice at a speed of... 295 km/h. That's not nearly as impressive as the cars modified to hit top speed on ice, but on the other hand, it looked like one hair-rising ride in a showroom-stock street car.  

All Nissan Australia will commit to is that Nismo “is under assessment”. But the hot versions of Nissan's models - currently the Juke, 370Z and GT-R - are being integrated into the company's productio

The continuing racetrack focus for the car called Godzilla means the upcoming model is a little bit quicker, has a little more responsiveness and strength, and even picks up a tiny change with a new oil baffle in the sump.It's all about on-track speed and according to GT-R engineers, the end result is a 2013 GT-R that is two full seconds faster around the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany."They are definitely learning a lot from the Nurburgring 24-hour race," says Peter Fadeyev, spokesman for Nissan Australia. The end result also picks up the price pace, as the updated GT-R will list for $172,000.That's only a little up from the $170,800 of the current car, but considerably more than the $155,800 sticker when the car first hit Australia in April 2009 and slammed a range of highly-rated rivals including the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.The 2013-model GT-R is the first update for two years and the last of the minor tweaks before a big revision, most likely with the first body changes since the GT-R was announced, sometime in 2013.The car was an instant hit with 238 deliveries in the first year, although that dropped to 77 in 2010, followed by 87 in 2011 and 68 so far this year. But Nissan says its GT-R owners are a committed group and many like to push their cars."The majority of Nissan GT-R owners are skilled professionals and independent business owners. Many are performance car enthusiasts who choose it as a personal reward," says Fadeyev. "It appears close to half of all Nissan GT-R owners would attend a track day at least once a year.Nissan is planning a special arrival in Australia for the 2013 car but is unlikely to repeat the Phillip Island drive day in 2011 that drew dozens of GT-R owners to the track and a meeting with its 'father', Kazutoshi Mizuno."We'll have the car on the first of February," says Fadeyev. The technical detail of the changes include extra response from the twin-turbo V6, suspension tweaks claimed to improve ride comfort, and slightly sharper handling. The engine gets new fuel injectors and a relief value in the turbocharger bypass, as well as revised springs, dampers and front anti-roll bar.

   

...developed together with its in-house tuner and motorsports partner Nismo. The first of these have already been revealed in the form of the Nismo 370Z sold in the U.S. and other select markets, and more recently the Juke Nismo, which goes on sale in Europe early next year, followed by the U.S. and Asian markets shortly after. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Nissan is also looking at more serious forms of tuning, particular for its performance models like the 370Z, GT-R supercar and a possible new front-wheel drive sports car. Using the ‘RS’ moniker, an abbreviation for Rennsport, the German word for motorsport, Nissan is thought to preparing a series of packages that will go a step beyond the suspension tune, mild power upgrades and aero aids of the standard Nismo kits. Speaking with Auto Express recently, Nissan’s product planning chief Andy Palmer hinted at RS versions of the GT-R and Juke, as well as the next-generation of the 370Z due in 2014. “The RS cars will be much more track-focused. You’ve seen the Juke-R, so maybe that would be a good place to start,” Palmer said. The latest comments tie in with those of GT-R chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno, who recently stated that Nissan’s participation in the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours endurance race with a stock GT-R was to help further develop the car over the remainder of its life. Mizuno himself hinted at more capable version of the GT-R with his comment, “By changing it to a racing specification to be implemented in the future, no matter what kind of super high performance feature or a new version is developed in the next five years, the durability and reliability in varying conditions can be verified in this race. I would like to make a promise that all this will be reflected in future GT-Rs." Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long to see the RS-spec GT-R as Nissan is expected to launch the model sometime next year. Stay tuned for an update. Pictured above (and below) is a GT-R fitted with some official tuner parts offered by Nismo. Released in 2008, the parts include adjustable dampers and stiffened springs, racing-style bucket seats, forged alloy wheels by Rays, and a titanium exhaust. www.motorauthority.com