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The Official Car of Godzilla
By John Pearley Huffman, Contributor Email
Date posted: 10-17-2007
The 2009 Nissan GT-R isn't just entering the performance car market; it's detonating it.
Bulging with 473 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged V6, supported by an advanced rear-mounted transaxle, fortified by all-wheel drive and crafted around a high-tech chassis, the GT-R is built to shatter expectations, set new standards and, generally speaking, kick ass.
Due for its much-anticipated unveiling at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show, the 2009 Nissan GT-R will finally arrive in the U.S. next spring. Nothing will ever be the same again.
Supercar Quickness?
Nissan tells us the GT-R will run from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.5 seconds, slam through the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds and top out at 193 mph. These are numbers spectacular enough to shake the reputations of supercars like the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 911 Turbo. And it's the sort of performance that should easily transcend that of every previous Nissan GT-R dating all the way back to the original 1969 Skyline GT-R PGC10.
If Nissan even slightly over-delivers on its promise of performance, the GT-R could conceivably be quicker than Porsche's 911 Turbo. This car has been used by Nissan as the benchmark for the GT-R's development, and it runs to 60 mph in a scorching 3.4 seconds and rockets through the quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds at 118.5 mph.
Yet unlike previous generations of the GT-R, this new edition isn't based on a mass-produced automobile. This GT-R is its own thing; it's related to other Nissans in about the same way that the Porsche 911 is related to the Volkswagen Beetle. The new GT-R isn't just a Skyline hot rod.
Beyond all this, Nissan promises the GT-R's price will come in at just under $80,000 when it goes on sale early next year. This isn't cheap, but it lets this technological showpiece challenge the Corvette Z06 as the universe's greatest performance bargain.
Familiar Looks, Unfamiliar Engineering
How this car looks shouldn't be a surprise, since Nissan has been hinting at its general shape for almost seven years. Way back in 2001, the company's GT-R Concept previewed this car's aggressive dark grille, stiletto-sharp headlights, general roof shape and muscular fenders. A second GT-R Concept, shown during the 2006 auto show season, only differs from the production car in such details as bumper covers and a few tweaks of fender shape.
Familiar in appearance as it is, the substance of the new GT-R is astounding in its engineering audacity.
The basic unibody monocoque structure — including the roof — is built from steel, but carbon fiber makes up a portion of the front structure, including the radiator support. Forward of this, the bumper and grille are made of lightweight polypropylene plastic. The all-aluminum double-wishbone front suspension mounts to a die-cast aluminum subframe, while both doors are also built around die-cast aluminum frames. Aluminum skins are used for the hood, front fenders, doors and trunk lid. Finally carbon fiber appears again at the car's tail, where it's used for the underbody air diffuser.
The payoff, claims Nissan, is that while the GT-R's body has 10 percent more surface area than that of the Nissan 350Z, the new car's body-in-white is actually 10 percent lighter overall. And the GT-R has an almost ludicrously slippery 0.27 coefficient of drag (Cd).
At 183.1 inches overall, the GT-R is exactly as long as a new Infiniti G37 coupe. But while they're both 2+2 passenger packages, the resemblance is almost a coincidence. The GT-R's 109.4-inch wheelbase is 2.8 inches shorter than that of the G37, and its 74.6-inch width is 2.8 inches wider than the G37. In addition, the GT-R's overall height of 54.0 inches is almost an inch shorter than the Infiniti coupe. There is simply no way the GT-R will be confused with a G37.
Uncompromised Engine
Expectations have been that the GT-R would use a twin-turbocharged version of Nissan's justly acclaimed (and nearly ubiquitous) VQ-Series V6. In fact the new VR38 engine in the GT-R is related to the VQ in much the same way that Homo sapiens have evolved from Australopithecus — they might be related, but one is a more evolved species.
Each intercooled, twin-turbo VR38 V6 will be hand-assembled by one of 12 technicians for installation in the GT-R. As the name implies, the VR38 displaces 3.8 liters. It's built around an aluminum block, and the cylinder bores have been sprayed with a coating of plasma some 0.15mm thick to provide the sealing surface for the piston rings. This is in contrast to the normal practice of inserting 2.6mm iron cylinder liners for the same purpose. Nissan claims this process saves about 6.6 pounds in the weight of the engine.
The cylinder heads appear to be a conventional DOHC design. But each cylinder bank has its own separate intake plenum and throttle body. Yet the crowning glories of the VR38 are its twin IHI turbochargers. These lightweight units spool up so quickly that Nissan says a full 434 pound-feet of peak torque is available from 3,200-5,200 rpm, while peak power is 473 hp at 6,400 rpm.
Not only does the VR38 promise to deliver epic performance, but it also happens to be gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that Nissan hasn't hidden it under plastic covers, and instead detailed it for display under the GT-R's hood.
The Nissan GT-R is a car that gets more charismatic as its body panels are stripped off.
Uncompromised Drivetrain
To put all the VR38's power to work, Nissan has conjured up a unique drivetrain. The rear-mounted transaxle incorporates the function of a conventional center differential for the all-wheel-drive system.
A carbon-fiber driveshaft extends from the back of the VR38 V6 to the transaxle, spinning at engine speed. The transaxle features a dual-clutch six-speed gearbox similar in configuration to Audi's DSG design. A computer analyzes various performance parameters — available traction, steering angle, vehicle speed and others — and then adjusts the front-to-rear torque split accordingly. The power for the front wheels then travels forward on a smaller carbon-fiber driveshaft set above and to the right of the primary driveshaft.
The torque split is reassessed and adjusted by the onboard computers every 0.2 second and varies between 50 percent front/50 percent rear to 100 percent rear-wheel drive.
The transmission can operate in fully automatic mode, but it's best enjoyed using the shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Nissan promises "F1 gearshift speeds," with downshifts assisted by synchronized, rev-controlled throttle blips to match engine and transmission speeds to further increase shift speed.
Suspended and Bound
Of course the GT-R uses a racecar-style suspension with cast-aluminum double wishbones at each corner. And the suspension operates in three damping modes: "R" for "Race," "S" for "Sports" (the default setting) and "C" for "Comfort." The Bilstein DampTronic shock absorbers have been developed especially for the GT-R.
Nissan says that the GT-R has the best braking performance ever measured during Japan's compulsory model approval tests. With massive 15.0-inch cross-drilled rotors at each corner clamped by six-piston Brembo calipers in the front and four-piston versions in the rear, the braking promises to defy the laws of physics — slam the brake pedal and the car ought to stop behind where it was.
Bridgestone and Dunlop will both supply run-flat performance tires for the GT-R, fitting 255/40ZR20s up front and 285/35ZR20s out back. Unlike current run-flats, Nissan avows that these tires have softer, more compliant sidewalls. And they're so very special that they're filled at the factory with nitrogen rather than that crummy air we all breathe, which ensures inflation pressure will be unaffected by humidity. (It's a racing thing.)
Go-Go Gadget
The GT-R's rear seats aren't meant to be occupied by actual human beings, but should be useful for transporting kids and parcels. On the other hand, the driver and front passenger are well cared for. Each gets an ergonomically aggressive throne in which to sit, plus elegant controls and switches to operate.
The centerpiece of the interior is a multifunction display in the dash that Nissan tells us was developed in conjunction with Polyphony Digital, the same company that developed the Gran Turismo video games for the Sony PlayStation.
The multifunction display can be used to monitor engine coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, transmission oil pressure, turbocharger boost pressure, torque split, throttle position, steering angle and longitudinal and lateral G-force. The display is also a data logger that can be used to improve driving technique and can display an optimal gearshift map for drivers obsessed with fuel economy. And, really, who would buy this car if they weren't determined to eke out the most mileage from every drop of gasoline?
Of course there's a satellite-based navigation system, while the onboard entertainment system can play every sort of media except maybe Beta video and eight-track audio tapes.
Iconic and Built To Stay That Way
From the four round lights and large spoiler on the deck lid to the tough muscularity of the front grille, every square inch of the 2009 Nissan GT-R reflects the carmaker's commitment to performance and the heritage established by the GT-Rs of the past.
And, best of all, the legend is on its way to America at last.
The Official Car of Godzilla
By John Pearley Huffman, Contributor Email
Date posted: 10-17-2007
The 2009 Nissan GT-R isn't just entering the performance car market; it's detonating it.
Bulging with 473 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged V6, supported by an advanced rear-mounted transaxle, fortified by all-wheel drive and crafted around a high-tech chassis, the GT-R is built to shatter expectations, set new standards and, generally speaking, kick ass.
Due for its much-anticipated unveiling at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show, the 2009 Nissan GT-R will finally arrive in the U.S. next spring. Nothing will ever be the same again.
Supercar Quickness?
Nissan tells us the GT-R will run from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.5 seconds, slam through the quarter-mile in 11.7 seconds and top out at 193 mph. These are numbers spectacular enough to shake the reputations of supercars like the Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 911 Turbo. And it's the sort of performance that should easily transcend that of every previous Nissan GT-R dating all the way back to the original 1969 Skyline GT-R PGC10.
If Nissan even slightly over-delivers on its promise of performance, the GT-R could conceivably be quicker than Porsche's 911 Turbo. This car has been used by Nissan as the benchmark for the GT-R's development, and it runs to 60 mph in a scorching 3.4 seconds and rockets through the quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds at 118.5 mph.
Yet unlike previous generations of the GT-R, this new edition isn't based on a mass-produced automobile. This GT-R is its own thing; it's related to other Nissans in about the same way that the Porsche 911 is related to the Volkswagen Beetle. The new GT-R isn't just a Skyline hot rod.
Beyond all this, Nissan promises the GT-R's price will come in at just under $80,000 when it goes on sale early next year. This isn't cheap, but it lets this technological showpiece challenge the Corvette Z06 as the universe's greatest performance bargain.
Familiar Looks, Unfamiliar Engineering
How this car looks shouldn't be a surprise, since Nissan has been hinting at its general shape for almost seven years. Way back in 2001, the company's GT-R Concept previewed this car's aggressive dark grille, stiletto-sharp headlights, general roof shape and muscular fenders. A second GT-R Concept, shown during the 2006 auto show season, only differs from the production car in such details as bumper covers and a few tweaks of fender shape.
Familiar in appearance as it is, the substance of the new GT-R is astounding in its engineering audacity.
The basic unibody monocoque structure — including the roof — is built from steel, but carbon fiber makes up a portion of the front structure, including the radiator support. Forward of this, the bumper and grille are made of lightweight polypropylene plastic. The all-aluminum double-wishbone front suspension mounts to a die-cast aluminum subframe, while both doors are also built around die-cast aluminum frames. Aluminum skins are used for the hood, front fenders, doors and trunk lid. Finally carbon fiber appears again at the car's tail, where it's used for the underbody air diffuser.
The payoff, claims Nissan, is that while the GT-R's body has 10 percent more surface area than that of the Nissan 350Z, the new car's body-in-white is actually 10 percent lighter overall. And the GT-R has an almost ludicrously slippery 0.27 coefficient of drag (Cd).
At 183.1 inches overall, the GT-R is exactly as long as a new Infiniti G37 coupe. But while they're both 2+2 passenger packages, the resemblance is almost a coincidence. The GT-R's 109.4-inch wheelbase is 2.8 inches shorter than that of the G37, and its 74.6-inch width is 2.8 inches wider than the G37. In addition, the GT-R's overall height of 54.0 inches is almost an inch shorter than the Infiniti coupe. There is simply no way the GT-R will be confused with a G37.
Uncompromised Engine
Expectations have been that the GT-R would use a twin-turbocharged version of Nissan's justly acclaimed (and nearly ubiquitous) VQ-Series V6. In fact the new VR38 engine in the GT-R is related to the VQ in much the same way that Homo sapiens have evolved from Australopithecus — they might be related, but one is a more evolved species.
Each intercooled, twin-turbo VR38 V6 will be hand-assembled by one of 12 technicians for installation in the GT-R. As the name implies, the VR38 displaces 3.8 liters. It's built around an aluminum block, and the cylinder bores have been sprayed with a coating of plasma some 0.15mm thick to provide the sealing surface for the piston rings. This is in contrast to the normal practice of inserting 2.6mm iron cylinder liners for the same purpose. Nissan claims this process saves about 6.6 pounds in the weight of the engine.
The cylinder heads appear to be a conventional DOHC design. But each cylinder bank has its own separate intake plenum and throttle body. Yet the crowning glories of the VR38 are its twin IHI turbochargers. These lightweight units spool up so quickly that Nissan says a full 434 pound-feet of peak torque is available from 3,200-5,200 rpm, while peak power is 473 hp at 6,400 rpm.
Not only does the VR38 promise to deliver epic performance, but it also happens to be gorgeous. So gorgeous, in fact, that Nissan hasn't hidden it under plastic covers, and instead detailed it for display under the GT-R's hood.
The Nissan GT-R is a car that gets more charismatic as its body panels are stripped off.
Uncompromised Drivetrain
To put all the VR38's power to work, Nissan has conjured up a unique drivetrain. The rear-mounted transaxle incorporates the function of a conventional center differential for the all-wheel-drive system.
A carbon-fiber driveshaft extends from the back of the VR38 V6 to the transaxle, spinning at engine speed. The transaxle features a dual-clutch six-speed gearbox similar in configuration to Audi's DSG design. A computer analyzes various performance parameters — available traction, steering angle, vehicle speed and others — and then adjusts the front-to-rear torque split accordingly. The power for the front wheels then travels forward on a smaller carbon-fiber driveshaft set above and to the right of the primary driveshaft.
The torque split is reassessed and adjusted by the onboard computers every 0.2 second and varies between 50 percent front/50 percent rear to 100 percent rear-wheel drive.
The transmission can operate in fully automatic mode, but it's best enjoyed using the shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. Nissan promises "F1 gearshift speeds," with downshifts assisted by synchronized, rev-controlled throttle blips to match engine and transmission speeds to further increase shift speed.
Suspended and Bound
Of course the GT-R uses a racecar-style suspension with cast-aluminum double wishbones at each corner. And the suspension operates in three damping modes: "R" for "Race," "S" for "Sports" (the default setting) and "C" for "Comfort." The Bilstein DampTronic shock absorbers have been developed especially for the GT-R.
Nissan says that the GT-R has the best braking performance ever measured during Japan's compulsory model approval tests. With massive 15.0-inch cross-drilled rotors at each corner clamped by six-piston Brembo calipers in the front and four-piston versions in the rear, the braking promises to defy the laws of physics — slam the brake pedal and the car ought to stop behind where it was.
Bridgestone and Dunlop will both supply run-flat performance tires for the GT-R, fitting 255/40ZR20s up front and 285/35ZR20s out back. Unlike current run-flats, Nissan avows that these tires have softer, more compliant sidewalls. And they're so very special that they're filled at the factory with nitrogen rather than that crummy air we all breathe, which ensures inflation pressure will be unaffected by humidity. (It's a racing thing.)
Go-Go Gadget
The GT-R's rear seats aren't meant to be occupied by actual human beings, but should be useful for transporting kids and parcels. On the other hand, the driver and front passenger are well cared for. Each gets an ergonomically aggressive throne in which to sit, plus elegant controls and switches to operate.
The centerpiece of the interior is a multifunction display in the dash that Nissan tells us was developed in conjunction with Polyphony Digital, the same company that developed the Gran Turismo video games for the Sony PlayStation.
The multifunction display can be used to monitor engine coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, transmission oil pressure, turbocharger boost pressure, torque split, throttle position, steering angle and longitudinal and lateral G-force. The display is also a data logger that can be used to improve driving technique and can display an optimal gearshift map for drivers obsessed with fuel economy. And, really, who would buy this car if they weren't determined to eke out the most mileage from every drop of gasoline?
Of course there's a satellite-based navigation system, while the onboard entertainment system can play every sort of media except maybe Beta video and eight-track audio tapes.
Iconic and Built To Stay That Way
From the four round lights and large spoiler on the deck lid to the tough muscularity of the front grille, every square inch of the 2009 Nissan GT-R reflects the carmaker's commitment to performance and the heritage established by the GT-Rs of the past.
And, best of all, the legend is on its way to America at last.
