Nissan GT-R 2014 News

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | $59,000-$100,000LUXURY CARSAudi A8: Audi will refresh its A8 flagship sedan lineup by mid-2014, with subtle styling tweaks and interior details, along with shuffled drivetrain options. (Approximately $188,000-$249,000)Audi RS7 Sportback: Essentially a five-door hatch version of the existing RS6 Avant, the RS7 will arrive in February with sleeker Sportback styling than the wagon, and the same 412kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. 0-100km/h is the same 3.9 seconds too. (Approximately $240,000)Bentley Continental GT S: While Bentley prepares its first SUV model, there’s not much else in store for 2014 from the legendary Brit aside from powered-up new S models added to the V8 Continental GT lineup. (Approximately $380,000)Jaguar XJR: Jaguar will add the new XJR to its XJ big sedan lineup in the first quarter, with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 performance flagship to sit above the existing Supersport range-topper. (Approximately $350,000)Lexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli: 2014 is set to be a big year for Maserati, with the new Quattroporte (Approximately from $250,000) arriving in V6 form in January, and V8 form in February, with the return of the smaller Ghibli sedan ( Approximately from $150,000) in March.Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Mercedes will cap its local S-Class sedan lineup in January, with the arrival of the $385,000 S63 AMG high performance model. The 430kW/900Nm twin-turbo V8 S63 will sit above the existing S350 and S500 models, and be joined by the diesel-electric S350 BlueTec hybrid and twin-turbo V6 S400 variants by June. (Approximately $250,000-$385,000)Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe: Mercedes’ upcoming S-Class Coupe is expected down under before the year’s end, with the yet to be officially revealed new model replacing the existing CL coupe models. A drop-top version is also planned, and a V8 and V12 petrol-only lineup is expected with an entry price north of $300,000 likely.Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid: The plug-in Panamera E-Hybrid is also due early in the year, with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and 70kW electric motor to enable 3.1L/100km fuel use with 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $296,900)SUV/4WDLand Rover Range Rover: Before mid-year, Land Rover will add a range-topping lineup (Approximately $250,000) with new hybrid versions of it and the Sport expected before the end of the year. (Approximately $102,000-$182,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAston Martin V12 Vantage S: Aston will add its fastest model this side of the ultra-exclusive One-77 in the first quarter of this year, in the form of the track-ready V12 Vantage S coupe. (Approximately $450,000)BMW M3 and M4: BMW’s new M3 and M4 mid-size performance heroes are set to arrive after mid-year, with the move to twin-turbo six power resulting in the fastest M3 to date, and matched by the renamed M4 coupe. (Approximately $124,000-$180,000)BMW i8: The i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is expected to arrive before the year’s end, blending grand tourer luxury with 4.4 second 0-100km/h acceleration and 2.5L/100km fuel economy. (Approximately $200,000)Ferrari 458 Speciale: The first of 60 Australian examples of Ferrari’s hardcore 458 Speciale are set to arrive before mid-year, with the lighter, more powerful track-focused special able to lap Fiorano 1.5 seconds faster than the old Enzo flagship. (Approximately $550,000)Jaguar F-Type Coupe: Jaguar will add the recently unveiled Coupe version of its stunning F-Type in the third quarter, with the 20kg lighter V6, V6 S and V8 S variants also expected to slightly undercut their soft-top counterparts on price. The Coupe-only F-Type R will sit at the top of the hardtop range, with the 404kW/680Nm spec V8 promising 0-100km/h acceleration in the order of 4.2 seconds. (Approximately $125,000-$200,000)Lamborghini Huracan: With the Gallardo now officially out of production, Lamborghini is keen to follow with its Huracan replacement to sit beneath the V12 Aventador models before June. The V10 Huracan is set to challenge Ferrari’s 458 with an uprated version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. From $428,000Nissan GT-R: Nissan will bring its latest incarnation of the GT-R performance coupe down under from March, with cosmetic upgrades the key changes for 2014. New LED headlights and taillights are changed for the first time since 2007, and mesh wheels keep Nissan’s giant-killer a fresh opponent for Porsche’s new 911 Turbo models. (Approximately from $170,000)Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3: Porsche will launch several key hi-po versions of the 991 911 to its Australian lineup in the first half of 2014, with the $359,800 Turbo and $441,300 Turbo S arriving first in coupe and convertible ($29,000 premium) guises, with the $294,000 track-oriented and now PDK-only GT3 soon after.Porsche 911 Targa: The new semi-convertible unveiled in Detroit will touch down in Australia before mis-year, with a new folding roof mechanism and all-wheel drive 4 and 4S versions. Both manual and PDK auto will be available, and prices will sit $2,300-$3,300 over existing Cabriolet models. (Approximately $247,900-$291,050)CONVERTIBLESAston Martin Vanquish Volante: For those who prefer their V12 Astons roofless and with a back seat, Aston will bring the Vanquish Volante to Australia in the first quarter of 2014. (Approximately $510,000)Bentley Continental GTC S: Like the hardtop GT, the soft top Continental GTC is set to score a powered up S model in 2014. (Approximately $420,000)BMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)   

Rumours of a hybrid drivetrain for Mitsubishi’s next-generation Evolution performance flagship are gaining momentum, with a new report by Japanese magazine Holiday Auto suggesting that the next Evo will maintain its traditional turbo petrol and all-wheel drive attributes with green-friendly plug-in hybrid power.According to the report, the Evo will benefit from technology developed for efficiency-focused models like the new plug-in Outlander SUV to improve on the current model’s combined fuel consumption of at least 10.1L/100km, while boosting performance to new levels.Porsche, McLaren and Ferrari have recently proven that the words performance and hybrid are not at all mutually exclusive with their 918 Spyder, P1, and LaFerrari fastest-ever models, and it’s only a matter of time before such tech trickles down to more affordable performance models like the Evo.The Mitsubishi is not the only bang-for bucks champion in line for hybridisation, with Nissan’s next GT-R also set to incorporate some form of efficiency-boosting electrification and Honda has confirmed a similar shift for its upcoming NSX.Holiday Auto suggests that the Evo will use a similar dual electric motor layout to the Outlander PHEV, but will ditch the SUV’s atmo 2.0-litre petrol engine for a smaller 1.1 litre turbo unit similar to that used by the XR and AR concepts shown in Tokyo recently.Mitsubishi is reportedly targeting outputs similar to a 3.0-litre aspirated engine for the Evo-spec 1100cc unit, which suggests something in the vicinity of 170kW, before electric power is factored in.   Such a 155kW/L specific output would mark a significant jump from the 108.6kW/L achieved from the 217kW 2.0-litre turbo unit in the existing Evo X, and exceed even the 133.1kW/L achieved by 265kW 2.0 litre four powering the Mercedes A45 and CLA45 AMG twins.Even with the Outlander PHEV’s dual 60kW electric motors, a circa-170kW petrol engine would have the potential to trounce the current Evo X, but these could be uprated in the pursuit of GT-R rivalling performance reported elsewhere.Also key to a hybrid Evo’s performance potential will be maintaining the Outlander PHEV’s battery system location ahead of the rear axle for the benefit of weight distribution.Other reports have suggested that the next Evolution will require a bespoke platform to deal with its unique packaging and performance demands, suggesting it could lose the Lancer name for the first time in the model’s history.Such a repositioning would mirror Nissan’s GT-R, which was distanced from the Skyline nameplate for the first time when the current R35 model launched in 2007.The next-generation Lancer is set to ride on a platform shared with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, but it is unclear whether this strategy extends to the mooted Evo replacement.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn

Godzilla got a dose of steroids for the Tokyo motor show, with Nissan debuting the Nissan GT-R Nismo, and the full details and images confirm the leaked information we brought to you yesterday.The GT-R Nismo's twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 engine will deliver 441kW of power and 650Nm of torque -- 37kW and 22Nm more than the current GT-R's 404kW and 628Nm -- although Nissan hasn't yet revealed whether the peak figures have moved from the 6400rpm and 3200-5800rpm rev bands respectively.Work on the engine has included revised intake and exhaust systems, upgraded fuel pump, bigger and harder-breathing turbos drawing on the GT3 race car, and improved individual ignition timing for each cylinder.The underpinnings have been given a decent going-over for imporved stability and handling, with new specially-tuned springs and custom-developed Bilstein DampTronic dampers front and rear, and three switchable settings: Comfort, Normal and (track ready) R.The front's double-wishbone has specifically-developed links that increase castor trail to improve performance and stability in high-G cornering and straight-line blasting, while a 17.3mm hollow rear anti-roll bar raises stiffness while trimming weight.Large high-rigidity bolts boost the wheel-hub attachment stiffness, and adhesive bonding in addition to spot welding increase the body shell's rigidity under load. Nismo 255/40 ZRF20 front and 285/35 ZRF20 rear tyres developed exclusively for the car wrap the black six-spoke wheels inspired by the GT500 race hero.Other race-inspired features add to the aggression and improves aerodynamics and road-gripping: a carbon-fibre wing, wider front bumper and engine undercover strake keep the drag to 0.26. The cockput gets ergonomic carbon-fibre backed Recaro seats, an Alcantara-wrappped three-spoke steering wheel -- with centre marking -- and red stitching to set off the carbon finish accents.The GT-R Nismo is said to have already logged a scorching Nurburgring lap time of 7:08.69 -- still behind the Porsche 918 Spyder's record of 6:57, but costing considerably less and claimed to be the fastest "volume production car" to date -- while fitted with the optional pack that trims 65kg and adds manually adjustable Ohlins dampers. The Nissan GT-R Nismo will go on sale overseas early next year, but there is currently no plan to bring it down under.

The next generation R36 GT-R scheduled for 2015 will use a hybrid system – which means we’re likely to see more track warfare break out as Nissan challenges the current king of the Nurburgring, the Porsche 918 Spyder. When the current R35 GT-R launched, Nissan triggered a series of lap time skirmishes with Porsche at the renowned circuit, as both brands repeatedly beat each other’s Nurburgring times, with Porsche famously accusing Nissan of cheating. In September, Porsche’s newly released 918 Spyder used a hybrid system to return a thundering 6 minute 57 second record lap. The ball is now in Nissan’s court, with Nissan’s motorsport branch NISMO leading development of the upcoming R36 GT-R. If Nissan falls short of the task, Ron Dennis has already vowed to claim the record with the McLaren P1 – another recently released hybrid hypercar. Last week, Ferrari’s own V12 hybrid hypercar, LaFerrari, was caught hot on Porsche’s lap time tail at the Nurburgring trying to shake up its German rival’s dominance. The NISMO version of the current generation R35 GT-R has also been testing at the Nurburgring, although Nissan is not saying what time it has achieved yet. Due next year, it will be the send off for the GT-R before the hybrid next generation takes over. Nissan’s vice president Andy Palmer told Autocar the brand is very happy with the time that former F1 driver Sebastian Buemi has achieved in the NISMO GT-R. "He was flat-out in places that other people brake in. His lack of experience at the ‘Ring didn’t hold him back," Palmer said. But without a hybrid drivetrain, Nissan may need to wait until the next generation GT-R for a chance to reclaim its glory. Palmer confirmed that Nissan will continue to use the Nurburgring as a benchmark for performance progress. This indicates the brand takes Nurburgring times very seriously, despite already being quicker than similarly priced competitors. The current $170,800 GT-R uses a 404kW, 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 to combat supercars that cost – in some cases – in excess of a million dollars. Kinishi Tanuma, lead developer of the next generation Nissan flagship supercar has already stated he wants the GT-R quality and value improved, hinting that the new model will remain relatively affordable. At a similar price as the current car, the next GT-R may not need to be king of the ring to prove its worth. But with Tanuma focusing on quality, NISMO has partnered with Williams Formula one team to focus on performance. When it arrives, the R36 GT-R may just steal the Nurburgring thunder from the million dollar supercar party one more time.  

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 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 

Earlier in the year Nissan finally announced motorsport and engineering firm Nismo as its official performance partner. At the time, Nissan also confirmed the launch of its fastest GT-R yet, a new Nismo-enhanced model that would hit the market sometime in 2014.Few details were provided, although Nissan did state that its GT-R Nismo model would draw on lessons learned from racing the GT-R in various motorsport categories around the world, and that it would also deliver more power than the standard model.Now Autocar has managed to come away with a few more details after speaking with Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer. Palmer revealed that Nissan had begun testing prototypes for the car and that a world debut was scheduled for November’s 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, meaning we’re likely to see it in showrooms as a 2015 model.He also boasted that the GT-R Nismo was expected to lower the Nürburgring production car lap record. The current record stands at 6:48, set by a barely road-legal Radical SR8 LM, though Palmer is likely referring to the 7:12:13 set by the Dodge Viper ACR in 2010.The key will be motorsport know-how taken from Nissan's Nismo race team, particularly in the area of aerodynamics. Pictured above is Nissan’s GT-R Nismo GT-3 endurance racer, which is expected to influence the design. "The majority of the exterior changes are aero and downforce related," Palmer said. "The production car record at the Nurburgring is the gold standard, and we expect to lower that."The current 2014 Nissan GT-R delivers 406 kilowatts and 628 Newton metres of torque, and will lap the Nürburgring in 7:18.6. With prototypes for the new 2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo already testing, we should have the first spy shots very soon.www.motorauthority.com 

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.  

The Japanese automaker has announced a new round of revisions for its giant-killing supercar. Coming in for the 2014 model year, the latest version of the GT-R has been enhanced with increased performance, improved ride and handling, and greater customization. You may recall that Nissan entered a stock GT-R in the Nürburgring 24 Hours this year, an endurance race in which the car emerged a winner in its class and 30th overall. As the car’s chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno explained at the time, the purpose of competing was to test reliability and durability issues in order to refine the GT-R over the remainder of its life-cycle. For the 2014 Nissan GT-R, this has led to improved engine response in both the mid- and upper-rev range, increased body rigidity, and numerous changes to the shock absorbers, springs and front stabilizer. Sadly, there’s been no increase in power so peak output remains at 404kW and 628Nm. Nevertheless, the vehicle's overall performance is said to have increased, high-speed stability improved, and ride quality made more refined. Nissan boasts the car's new Nürburgring lap time is 7:18:6--more than 20 seconds faster than the lap time of the original R35 that debuted in 2007. Specific changes to the powertrain include high-output fuel injectors that more precisely control fuel injection to improve mid-range engine response and acceleration at higher revs, revised turbochargers that help maintain boost pressure for longer at high revs, and improved circulation of the engine oil to reduce internal friction. Moving onto the chassis, Nissan engineers managed to reduce the car’s center of gravity by adjusting the suspension bushings and tires. This is in addition to revising the shock absorbers and front stabilizer. Cam bolts have also been installed on the front suspension to improve camber accuracy and maintainability of alignment settings, and a number of bolts have had their torque increased to improve reliability in track situations. Finally, reinforcements were added at two locations in the dash panel bar and instrument panel member, which Nissan says results in improved suspension performance and increased body rigidity. www.motorauthority.com