Tuesday, May 13, 2008

All Hail the New Nissan GT-R

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Nissan has released THE super car, something which would certainly be the cause of wet dreams for car addicts the world over. The heir to the skyline legacy comes with a brand-spanking new look and engine. Although, technically it no longer carries the skyline badge, the 2009 Nissan GT-R is still every bit the super car the old skyline was, and more. Nissan has introduced the skyline brand way back in 1969, and has since then perfected the formula which is clearly evident in their newest coupe.

The new GT-R no longer carries the straight-6 RB26DETT engine of its predecessor, but carries the all new V6 VR38DETT. Trust me; this car lives up to the hype. It debuted back in 2007 in the Tokyo motor show and has been wowing countless fans since then. Those with deep-enough pockets can get the GT-R for the low, low base price of $66,675. Although some might considered the price tag a bit steep, but again this car can easily compete with higher-end models with more expensive price tags. However, since Nissan only plans to build around 1000 models every month, you will notice that not every Nissan showroom will have one, all the more reason to appreciate the car should you be lucky enough to land one.

It has been confirmed that Nissan is planning to introduce a lighter and more powerful GT-R called the GT-R V-Spec or possibly Spec V. Nissan has said that this model will be available in the United States in 2010 and will have 550 hp (410 kW) (an increase of 77 hp (57 kW)). It will also be 150 kg (330 lb) lighter and come with carbon ceramic brakes. With these performance figures Nissan hopes to break the Nürburgring lap record for a stock vehicle. A prototype has allegedly been observed by spectators running lap in the 7 minutes 25 seconds range.

The Nissan GT-R is powered by the VR38DETT engine, a 3.8 L DOHC V6. Two parallel Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) turbochargers provide forced induction. Production vehicles produce at least 480 PS (473 hp/353 kW) @ 6400 rpm and 588 N·m (434 ft·lbf) @ 3200-5200 rpm. According to independent dynanometer tests, the GT-R produces 416 hp (310 kW) to 475 hp (354 kW) and 414 to 457 ft·lbf (620 N·m) of torque at the wheels. The engine also meets California ULEV (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle) standards. A curb weight of 1740 kg (3836 lb) or 1750 kg (3858 lb) with side curtain airbags is achieved using a jig welded steel chassis with aluminum used for the hood, trunk and doors. A rear mounted 6 speed dual clutch semi-automatic transmission is used in conjunction with the ATTESA E-TS system to provide power to all four wheels and along with Nissan's Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC-R) aids in handling and stability. Three shift modes can also be selected for various conditions. The drag coefficient is 0.27

Nissan claims a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph) and various sources have achieved 0-97 km/h (0-60 mph) times of between 3.2 and 3.8 seconds. Edmunds.com achieved a standing 1/4-mile time of 11.6 s at 190 km/h (118 mph) using the GT-R's complex launch control system. Edmunds also speculated that faster times may be achievable on better road conditions than provided by the runway which they used for the test. Evo magazine achieved a 0-100-0 mph time of 13.9 seconds, one tenth of a second quicker than a Corvette Z06 tested under identical conditions. AutoCar achieved a 0-100 MPH time of 8.5 seconds. With a lap time of 7:29 on standard Japanese market tires, the standard-spec GT-R is currently one of the fastest production cars ever to lap the Nurburgring circuit.

Those who are looking to add tons of aftermarket kits will be disappointed to know that the car doesn’t really leave that much space to customize. It’s that damn gorgeous! Really you wouldn’t have the heart to taint its already sparkling body with more accessories. I just can’t wait for these to hit the streets. I might just challenge one to a race, although there is a creeping feeling in my gut telling me I shouldn’t.

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