Nissan GT-R - Too fast to race?
click above image for a great gallery from the 2007 NISMO Festival
While top billing at the recent annual NISMO festival went to next year's Super GT500 GT-R, the surprise appearance made by the GT-R prototype that set the 7:38 lap time at the Nurburgring earlier this year got the most attention.
First Nissan had the masked maverick run a slalom course, flat out, down Fuji Speedway's mile-long main straight, demonstrating the preternatural abilities of the latest ATTESSA-ETS system. It then ran a quick 1/4-mile drag race against a 2007 Super Taikyu Class 1 350Z race car, which it didn't just win, it won by several car lengths. Unfortunately, the run wasn't timed and neither were the following laps, where the GT-R out-classed the endurance racer in every section of the circuit.
Follow the jump for more.
Gallery: 2007 NISMO Festival
This begs the question: Where will Nissan race its road cars in Japan next year? Igor Sushko, who is currently contesting Super Taikyu Class 3 in a Z, can't see the GT-R being homologated even for the endurance series' Class 1, as it would simply embarrass the 911 GT3s, Zs and BMW Z4s now racing in that category.
If, as we reported earlier, GT-Rs are indeed heading to the Grand Am series, they may not be welcome for long. Could we see a replay of the R32's utter dominance that led to GT-Rs being banned from Australian Touring Car racing in the early 1990s?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
why not the LS2/LS7? 5:20PM (12/08/2007)
If being faster than a 350Z is too fast to race, we'd have no racing in the US.
Grand Am is an equalized series. Just like the current cars are limited in performance, the GT-R will be to.
In a way I'm very happy to see ludicrously n00b statements like those in this article. It shows the GT-R is making a lot of people who never looked at sports car racing take a look at it.
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wormyguy 5:39PM (12/08/2007)
"350Z race car"
Emphasis on race car. I think anyone could expect a GTR to beat a stock 350Z. While Super Taikyu is Group N, which is one of the more restrictive classes, it still is impressive, especially considering that WRC cars are Group N.
Temple 6:34PM (12/08/2007)
Super Taikyu Race cars usually are 480~510hp and stripped out to weight in the region of 1100-1200kg. A stock GT-R wouldn't have out run a ST Class 1 car or wouldn't have beat Class-3 around the track (this is 1/4 mile test afterall), but its very impressive for a stock vehicle.
http://www.automotivearticles.com/123/printer_super_taikyu_fcj_renault_igor_sushko.shtml
http://www.so-net.ne.jp/s-taikyu/
naggs 6:59PM (12/10/2007)
from wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_N
"Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class"..."
...The category is still used in circuit racing all over the world, notably in Japan who has the long running Super Taikyu"
oh big whoop, its faster than a "showroom class" 350z. you will struggle to find a $70k sportscar that isnt.
phillip 5:39PM (12/08/2007)
[sarcasm]wow, what an impressive feat for the GT-R, please hold me before I faint[/sarcasm]
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Enok 5:47PM (12/08/2007)
This car does not excite me. It looks too ordinary.
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Danny Boy 5:54PM (12/08/2007)
I say it should race worldwide. How cool would that be, seeing the GT-R going up against the 430s and the GT3 race cars.
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phillip 6:00PM (12/08/2007)
That will never happen because Nissan will never make such a factory effort. If it did it would expose all of Nissan's phony Ring' lap times and other carfully orchestrated advertising efforts.
Richard 9:32AM (12/10/2007)
Boy, someone is out just to hate an automaker for making a superior car.
Who exactly are you a fanboy for?
hentaiboy22 8:55PM (12/08/2007)
GT-R FTMFW
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Andrew 6:09PM (12/08/2007)
Please, enough with the articles on the GTR!!!!! I think Nissan pays Autoblog to put up an article on the GTR every other day. I am sick of this car already.
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Franz 7:06PM (12/08/2007)
You're sick of the stories, but yet you find time to click on it, scroll down (maybe even read it?) AND post a comment? I dunno, but I don't even take a second glance at the stories I'm sick of.
why not the LS2/LS7? 7:29PM (12/08/2007)
I think what he's saying (and I have said the same thing) is he'd rather autoblog spend their time finding stories about other cars. Just ignoring GT-R articles doesn't increase the useful content for a non-GT-R fan like the editors spending some time on other cars would.
Temple 10:52PM (12/08/2007)
@why not the LS2/LS7?
Autoblog/AOL weblogs has a league of bloggers (on the right hand side), posting one story doesn't distract editors of others. GTR coverage is all over the automotive press, not just on Autoblog; and for good reason. Don't like a GTR story, then don't click on it.
What astonishes me is the hypocrisy of some people. I'm sure the barrage of Z06/ZR-1 coverage isn't something you would complain about. The insecurity of some people with coming of competitive Japanese super-car is pathetic.
why not the LS2/LS7? 11:51PM (12/08/2007)
Actually, I did complain about the absurd run of Vette articles. Check my comment history.
And the Mustang-a-day stuff for a while.
How did I become the primary culprit here? I was explaining another person's post, not complaining myself (in this case).
Andrew 6:16PM (12/08/2007)
Also several indepent testers including Motor mag have confirmed that the 0-60 time for the GTR is 4 seconds and not even close to the 3.6 second qouted by Nissan. Looks like Nissan is up to there old tricks once again.
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tankd0g 6:29PM (12/08/2007)
The achieve claimed 0-60 times you have to fry the clutch in most cases, I'm sure Nissan would be happy to hand you a bill if you want to try it.
Temple 6:52PM (12/08/2007)
Uh, no; stop spreading FUD. Several magazines that have tested it including Car, Top Gear, Automobile mag, have said that they have no reason to doubt the claimed performance figures judging from the test-mule they drove.
Also, only the pre-production model is available for testing at this point and no magazine has conducted timed tests.
Car December:
"the GT-R dispatches the 0-62mph dash in around 3.5 seconds"
"We can't wait to try the production car. And we are dead certain the Euro-spec version will only confirm the impressions gathered in the hand-made mule. There is no doubt: Nissan has created a winner. You won't need to spend 911 money to go 911 chasing"
Quote from the January issue of Top Gear (the one with the Ferrari Scuderia on the cover):
"The GT-R hasn't just moved the goalposts, it's obliterated them."
"For all-round ability, I have no doubt the Nissan is the best car I have ever driven."
"The GTR turns in beautifully, whether neutral or under brakes, and grips forever - slippery surfaces seem to bring out the best in it. Time after time I left Turner (911 Turbo) behind as my four-wheel-drive system and traction control worked better out of wet corners - it wasn't just the fact that I could get on the power earlier. It was about confidence. The Nissan really is something special, and you get the impression that while a master driver could wring every last ounce of performance out of the 911, your mother could do the same in the GT-R....
Does the Nissan's ability reduce the driving pleasure? Not at all. You can turn all the systems off if you so choose, and it's still supremely well balanced, no doubt a delight for a racing driver on a track."
January Automobile Mag:
"The Nissan's steering, believe it or not, is better then the Porsche Turbo's. The 911's steering has great feel and communication but utterly lacks the precision of the GT-R's"
ambientFLIER 8:39PM (12/08/2007)
So 4.0 seconds is nowhere near close 3.6? Hah... Also, how can you fry the clutch of a dsg?
why not the LS2/LS7? 10:39PM (12/08/2007)
ambientFLIER:
The reason hard launches fry clutches isn't because people are doing it wrong. They're just hard on clutches. Even a computer controlled clutch is going to blow out with multiple high-rev dumps, especially through an AWD drivetrain.