Nissan adds a new Nismo version of the 2015 GT-R.
A day before the formal opening of the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan is making headlines with the first official images and details of the next-generation GT-R sports car. For 2015, that will include a new “race inspired” Nismo version that will make a full 600 horsepower.
But even the “base” version of the 2-seater won’t be far behind as it adds another 50 horsepower over the outgoing Nissan GT-R. The Japanese maker promises the new version will enhance its “multi-dimensional performance,” which emphasizes handling as much as the GT-R’s raw power.
More curvaceous than the outgoing version of the sports car, the automaker bills the 2015 Nissan GT-R as more of an evolutionary, rather than revolutionary transformation. That covers not only the changes made to the V-6 powertrain but updates to the GT-R suspension, body and interior, where Nissan has focused on improving quality and comfort.
But as with any supercar, the numbers will be a major part of the story.
The "base" GT-R gets a number of evolutionary tweaks to its design for 2015.
The 2015 Nissan GT-R will churn out a whopping 595 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque. That’s up from 545 hp and 463 lb-ft on the old model – and was made possible through such steps as the switch to larger turbochargers and the revision of key intake and exhaust components.
The new Nismo GT-R edition takes things right up to the limit, Nissan adds, before it wouldn’t have been able to get the gearbox to handle any additional power. The new, ultimate edition makes 600 hp and 481 lb-ft using what Nissan says is “know-how… gained from participating in such events as the world-renowned Nürburgring 24 hour race.” That includes high-flow, GT3-class racing turbochargers, along with individual ignition timing control for each of the 3.8-liter V-6 engine’s cylinders.
Notably, the Nissan Nismo GT-R turned a neck-snapping lap time of just 7:08.69 during testing at the legendary ‘Ring in September.
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The GT-R now uses LED lighting, front and back, including more distinctive taillamps.
The maker is not quoting specific 0 to 60 times, top speed – or price – yet, though the Nismo GT-R is expected to nudge up to somewhere below $200,000 when it goes on sale in the months to come. The 2015 version of the sports car will reach Japanese showrooms on December 2nd before beginning its worldwide roll-out.
The GT-R is expected to serve as a halo car for the overall Nissan brand, with the Nismo edition set to help kick-start an expanding line-up of limited-production, high-performance versions of more mainstream Nissan models.
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The Nismo GT-R will ride on 20-inch alloy wheels shod with specially designed Dunlop run-flat tires that promise more grip than before. Buyers will be able to order a new carbon fiber body kit with such aero-enhancing parts as a front splitter and rear spoiler. Nissan says it has taken steps to lightweight all versions of the new GT-R, but the Nismo track package will shave off another 143 pounds. And beyond the cuts in mass and aero improvements, the package also will include new adjustable track-rated Ohlins shocks.
A more sophsticated - and comfortable - interior.
Even the “base” car has undergone changes to its suspension, according to Nissan, meant to give it a “more sophisticated ride and better handling.” That should be welcomed by fans of the old GT-R who knew they’d traded off a lot of comfort for on-rail handling.
The 2015 Nissan GT-R will bring a number of exterior updates including revised front and rear-end details and the use of LED lighting. The multi-LED headlights now use an adaptive system to track the vehicle’s path. The taillights have been reshaped into a more cohesive and visually distinctive pattern, according to the maker.
As for the interior, Nissan says, “The steering wheel is trimmed in leather, for premium tactility, while the part-aniline leather seats are further embellished with stitched accents, giving the ambience of a genuine GT designed for cross-continental, first-class travel.”
The maker is expected to add a few more details about the 2015 Nissan GT-R during its formal roll-out at the Tokyo Motor Show on Wednesday.
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