Nissan maintains that the GT-R is mechanized perfection that could never be improved upon (never mind that V-Spec over there), but that's not going to stop owners from attempting to extract every last bit of performance from Nissan's super coupe.
Enter GT-RR.com, an online distributor specializing in the importation of top shelf kit from Japan. Ben Schaffer, president of Bespoke Ventures, one of the men behind Bulletproof Automotive and blogger at The Real JDM, is behind the new site, bringing almost a decade of tuning experience and over 100 aftermarket components to GT-R owners here in the States. The site is currently in BETA testing, but that doesn't mean that GT-R drivers have to leave "good enough" alone.
GT-RR currently offers a nice assortment of parts – from seats to suspension components and exhausts to wheels – and while Schaffer and his team are currently farming out installation work to other reputable shops in the L.A. area, he's not ruling out a dedicated location for work on the GT-R. According to Schaffer, "Our sole focus is on what we do best. Fast and highly accurate logistics and distribution from Japan to both local tuning shops and directly to the end users." Although the aftermarket, along with the rest of the auto industry, is experiencing a downturn, there's little doubt that GT-R owners will be looking for something to turn up the wick on their rides. Thankfully, GT-RR will be there to answer the call.
The Nissan GT-R is a fire-breathing monster, both on the track and on the canyon roads of Southern California. It's been the biggest buzz vehicle of 2008 and could be the most impressive sports car in the history of Nissan. The GT-R is a media star that attracts attention everywhere it goes not on looks, but on the potential to send concrete crying to its mama. Why, then, would there ever be a reason for Nissan to issue a drop-top version of Godzilla? Convertibles add weight and reduce structural rigidity, which doesn't exactly help the GT-R hold up its standing as the king of the 'Ring.
No worries, though. The photo above is nothing more than a reasonably well done photo-chop that shows what the GT-R might look like as a cabrio. Now that we've seen it, we have one word to describe what Nissan executives should say if asked to remove the GT-R's fixed roof: No. Seriously, the GT-R is a functional beast that utilizes automotive science to defy the laws of gravity to beat lighter, more powerful vehicles. And Nissan will likely never satisfy demand for the rarefied coupe. Again, no.
Click above for our high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan GT-R
Nissan recently granted Autoblog four fleeting days with a red 2009 Nissan GT-R. While it seems every major automotive outlet has tested "Godzilla" on the track (including our First Drive), we chose instead to keep it on the streets to see if one of the world's most powerful and fastest accelerating cars could be domesticated by stop-and-go traffic, family errands, and carpool duty. Of course, we only stuck to that routine for a day or two... the rest of the time was spent on the famed canyon roads of Southern California. Follow the jump to read about our 100-hour experience in the Nissan GT-R and don't miss what very well may be the most beautiful gallery of high-res images we've ever published courtesy of our own Drew Phillips and all ready to become your next desktop wallpaper.
Top Gear has had its fair share of mishaps. There was that time the Stig took the Koenigsegg CCX on an off-track excursion, and of course Hammond's horrific crash in the jet dragster. The latest incident involves the one and only Nissan GT-R press car in Great Britain. Apparently it was involved in a fender bender in the Isle of Man after a photoshoot for Top Gear magazine. It seems that the GT-R wasn't damaged too badly, despite the pic of its naked arse above, and the same exact car ran up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed only a couple days later.
Check out our own just-published review of the 2009 Nissan GT-R. We managed to keep our press car in one piece.
Click above to watch the GT-R take on the Top Gear test track
It's the lap time that everyone has been waiting for. Just how fast can the Stig push the Nissan GT-R around Top Gear's test track? Those who couldn't wait could see the track time posted on Wikipedia a few days ago. Even after the entry was removed (it's since been added back in), Wikipedia still allowed users to review the revisions made to an entry. So while the GT-R's time may have been no secret, those with enough will power not to look can now watch the video of the GT-R lap the Top Gear test track and have the result still be a surprise. Even if you do know the time, it's still worth watching, and as an added bonu,s Clarkson wrings out the GT-R at the Fuji race circuit. Just follow the jump to watch the video.
This Sunday, Top Gear will finally get to test the mettle of the Nissan GT-R on the track. Well, "tracks" to be specific. Clarkson's appetite for tail-out antics wasn't satiated by last week's race against the bullet train, so he headed to a track in Japan to get a feel for the GT-R's capabilities at the limit and a chance to wring out Nissan's super coupe past its nanny-imposed 111 mph top speed.
Back in the UK, the Stig finally takes the GT-R around Top Gear's test track and that meant that members of the studio audience got a chance to see the GT-R's lap time. Earlier this morning, we received word that the time had been posted on Wikipedia. We saw it, our jaw dropped and then it disappeared. Wikipedia being, well... Wikipedia, means that we're taking the time with a grain of salt until the show airs on Sunday. While the lap isn't listed any longer, Wikipedia does allow users to view the revisions made to an entry. If you want to spoil it for yourself, feel free, just don't post it in the comments out of respect for the rest of us. We're willing to wait a few more days for confirmation.
The Nurburgring is the most famous and grueling track on the planet. In the past, the 'Ring didn't get much attention aside from track day hoons and the occasional manufacturer test, but lately the big test has been to get around the circuit with the best time possible. Nissan's GT-R lapped the 'Ring in a stunning 7:29:03, which blew the doors off of vehicles costing four-times as much. The 638 hp Corvette ZR1 became the new Nordschleife leader with a 7:26.4 time, but talk about the actual start time of both vehicles has kept message boards and our comments section popping.
The guys over at Garage419 settled the question by syncing up the two videos at the pit exit sign and playing them side by side. They also provided a single master timer to ensure that the times are as accurate as possible. Hit the jump to view both laps at the same time. It's fun to see which vehicle handles curves and strait-aways better, and a clear winner is established.
The Tokachi-bound R35 Nissan GT-R is on a carbon-rich diet, as evidenced by images captured by our new friends at GTR-World. On the outside, the trunk lid, hood and side mirrors have been replaced with carbon fiber bits and the rear-quarter windows have been swapped out in favor of lightweight acrylic pieces. The stripped cockpit gets a carbon fiber racing bucket, a fire suppression system (with a carbon fiber mounting bracket) and a C.F. gauge and dash surround that's expected to migrate to the Nissan GT-R V-Spec when it goes on sale next year (look for the dry-carbon mirrors too).
The only other additions needed to make the R35 ready for its 24-hour race are the on-board pneumatic air jacks, a new steering wheel, a racing harness and the bolt in roll cage, which is more for safety than stiffness. GTR-World is reporting that NISMO isn't doing any additional spot-welding to the body, as the stock GT-R's chassis is stiff enough to campaign in a production race class without modification. Look for more coverage of the NISMO/MOTUL GT-R when it hits the tarmac in Tokachi on July 20th and 21st, and rest assured that many of the carbon fiber pieces that have been developed for the race car will find their way to Nissan retailers as either dealer-installed options or on the forthcoming V-spec.
Click above to view our massive gallery of the 2009 Nissan GT-R.
Back in the late sixties, automakers sometimes purposely under-reported the true horsepower that their solid-lifter, over-cammed and over-carburetor'd monster V8 engines actually delivered. More recently, some manufacturers have overestimated the real power of their vehicles, which has led some to distrust factory horsepower numbers. Owners of the uber-impressive Nissan GT-R have been wondering if they've been lied to regarding real horsepower figures too. But in this case they may actually be getting more than the 480 horses that they had bargained for. In fact, after considering that the coupe is capable of hitting 123 miles per hour in the quarter mile and the fact that it weighs roughly four-thousand pounds, the New York Times Wheels blog estimates that the GT-R really makes 550-580 horsepower at the crank.
While we are certain that the rabid horsepower wars and the debate over the GT-R's true power as compared to its rivals will rage on, NYT's estimates are actually pretty much in line with what Motor Trend got after putting the Nissan supercar on the dyno, and that's a figure that really can't be argued with. Thanks for the tip, Pete!
By now we've all seen the spy shots showing Acura's NSX revival bombing around the Nürburgring in Germany. There's a reason those drivers are pushing their prototype hard enough to get air through the turns. Inside Line is reporting the Honda CEO Takeo Fukui wants his NSX to toast both the Nissan GT-R and the Lexus LF-A around the Green Hell. Considering that the GT-R has posted lap times on the 'Ring that utterly defy what it should be able to do on paper, and that the LF-A is still a moving target that's trying to best the GT-R too, Honda engineers have some serious work to do developing the NSX over the next two years. IL suspects the next NSX will get a 5.5L V10 producing 550 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque that's derived from a V8 that's slated for the next-gen, rear-wheel-drive Acura RL. They also surmise that it will use an 8-speed auto with paddle shifters, feature an advanced version of Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel-Drive system and use lots of aluminum in its construction to keep weight down. Unfortunately, by the time the NSX arrives, the GT-R V-Spec will have moved the bar again.
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