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FIA-GT1 Nissan GT-R spied, LeMans specs rumored
Click above for a high-res gallery of the Nissan GT-R FIA-GT1
Japan's Auto Sport magazine has procured a handful of shots and some preliminary specs on the FIA-GT1-ready Nissan GT-R, and judging by the modifications and performance stats, Nissan is planning an all-out assault on the series and a possible campaign at LeMans.
In order to get the GT-R up to snuff, NISMO has fitted the super coupe with a full body kit, GT-style wing, plexiglass windows, upgraded brakes, wheels and ducting, along with a hood reminiscent of the unit fitted on the SuperGT GT500 class GT-R. Informed speculation says that Nissan has ditched the twin-turbo'd 3.8-liter V6 in favor of a V8, possibly the 4.5-liter VK45DE used on the SuperGT racer.
The Nissan GT-R LM is rumored to be putting out 542 hp and 448 lb-ft of torque with a curb weight of 3,417 pounds and a price tag somewhere in the ballpark of 18,000,000 yen, or just under $200k US. Production is rumored to be limited to 300 units total, with 10 vehicles being built each month.
The LeMans car would only be sold to teams competing in the enduro, with a price tag of 65,000,000 yen ($720k US), 592 hp, 506 lb-ft of torque and tipping the scales at 2,976 pounds. There's still no confirmation when Nissan will begin campaigning the GT-R in a series outside of SuperGT, but don't be surprised to see an LM-spec car in at least one series in 2009.
Gallery: Nissan GT-R LM, FIA-GT1
[Source: GTRCenter]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
thb_da_one 1:12PM (12/26/2008)
That's great!! Can't wait to see the GT-R LM kick porsche's ass.
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Mike Laney 1:58PM (12/26/2008)
This car will be a GT1 whereas Porsches will remain in GT2. So they won't really be in direct competition.
Mobius_1 3:40PM (12/26/2008)
@ Mike
Nissan are sick and tired of kicking Porsche asses (or engines) so they are moving on up to find some more asses to kick :P
Aston DBR9 and Corvette C6R are in GT1 right?
AZZO45b 11:30AM (12/27/2008)
Corvette will be a GT2 competitor after '09 LeMans. The world economy makes privateer C6-R's & the AM-DB9-R entries hit or miss in GT1. Most of those teams are ELMS or LM24 only....
... GT1 has been "dead-man walking" for a few seasons now. Teams like Corvette having inter squad battles... IMO not much of a RACING class.
Level 1:54PM (12/26/2008)
Thats what they should do to the existing GT-R sell it with a V8 and and a transmission thats not as fragile as the one it currently has.
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Mike Laney 2:00PM (12/26/2008)
The racing version of this car will surely have a fully race built sequential manual transmission from the likes of Hewland or X-Trac.
Mike Laney 1:57PM (12/26/2008)
Being a HUGE sports car racing fan, I'm VERY excited at the prospects of this car. However, I'm almost certain the 4.5L V8 will be scrapped for the 5.6L version the company uses in trucks.
The FIA GT's expected new regulations separate the classes by displacement and under these new regs, GT1s will have a displacement greater than 5.5L. The 4.5L motor would make this car a GT2 and I've been ensured by sources that it will be a GT1.
I'm also not very confident of it ever running at Le Mans. The FIA GT allows cars to race which have met much more lenient homologation rules, the ACO will not. So if this car is to race at Le Mans, a RWD, V8 production road car MUST be built. I suppose the ACO may let it run, but amidst heavy penalization ala the Saleen S7R from a few years ago.
One thing I'm worried about though is that with the FIA GT likely taking a very different route to GT racing than the ACO (the ACO will likely adopt 1 GT class), will FIA GT legal cars no longer be eligible to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans? If that's the case, than the FIA GT will have turned itself into a second class citizen in sports car racing as far as I'm concerned.
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TomP 5:18PM (12/26/2008)
Thats what I was thinking. I was under the impression that this coming season was the last for the GT1 class...
AZZO45b 11:21AM (12/27/2008)
Great post Mike...
...but another reason a LeMans/ ACO entry makes no sense? Entering it in GT1. After the '09 LeMans 24 the C6-R will be gone from GT1. The ACO has been considering dropping GT1... so IMO, Nissan should make it work for GT2 or just stick exclusively to FIA-GT.
moyoi 2:13PM (12/26/2008)
$200k?!? I'll take 1 ZR1 in black and spend 100k on a garage. Thanks
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Ryan 2:16PM (12/26/2008)
The GT-R LM is a fullly prepped race car. Comparing its price to that of the ZR1 is comparing apples to oranges.
Franz 4:08PM (12/26/2008)
Comparing an FIA-GT1 spec car to any road car = stupid as f*ck.
jcar302 2:40PM (12/26/2008)
Doesn't say much for their turbo engine if they swap it out for a v8.
Had this car come off the showroom floor with a v8 and a 6 speed manual transmission, i would of actually liked it.
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Mike Laney 2:49PM (12/26/2008)
Per the rules, turbocharged engines are at a great disadvantage in the GT1 class, there are really no turbo GT cars at all right now due to that.
Mike Laney 2:43PM (12/26/2008)
The $200,000 applies to the GT-R LM road car that would need to be produced in order to homologate the race car.
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tjon 2:55PM (12/26/2008)
Someone should tell Nissan the weight of most gt1 cars is 2400~ pounds.
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AZZO45b 11:43AM (12/27/2008)
I think Nissan is smart enough to read the ACO/GT1 rule book. The article says its cars are intended for FIA GT rules.
If a factory team went to LeMans... its weight would be the 2425-2450 required range. No manufacturer is that stupid to race @ an almost 500 pound weight disadvantage. PLEASE!!!
Jeff 2:57PM (12/26/2008)
Higher-res pics: http://www.gtrblog.com/index.php/2008/12/26/update-more-nissan-gt-r-fia-gt1-spec-spy?blog=4
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why not the LS2LS7? 6:22PM (12/26/2008)
You've got to be kidding me, running a non-turbo V8. You can call it a GT-R all you want, but it's not representative at all.
Ridiculous.
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Mike Laney 8:52PM (12/26/2008)
@ Mobius
As far as the Corvette C6.R goes, it will be eligible for GT1 next year, and then a new GT2 version (which will be in the ALMS in 09), will be available to customers from 2010 on.
The Aston DBR9 will be elligible only 1 more year and will be retired at the end of 2009. From there on, Aston's GT hopes will be pinned on the Vantage. The V8 version will be GT2, and should that V12 version be put into production, a GT1 racing version would be possible.
The MC12 and Saleen S7R also have just 1 year left in GT1.