The Nismo team's philosophy of improving functionality and cutting weight by eliminating the unnecessary holds throughout the GT-R's interior; nearly everything, save for the dash exterior and center console, was stripped and disposed of. A (one) carbon fiber bucket seat and airbag-less Nismo steering wheel were dropped in for the front OE units, and where the switches for the climate control and audio systems used to be, Nismo fabricated a carbon switch-panel for the electronics. A closer look reveals a polished, production-ready look to the components; something we hope to see adorned in the upcoming V Spec (or Spec V?) model.
Chassis prep and structural enrichment of the GT-R began in the interior as well. A bolt-in roll cage was added for extra safety and rigidity, and modified to accommodate an air jack system. Surprisingly, no stitch welding was performed on any parts of the chassis, as Nismo believes the stock shell is stiff enough from the factory. On the exterior, a one-off carbon-fiber hood, trunk lid and side mirrors shed more weight and reduce drag, and even the small, rear side glass was replaced with lighter acrylic items-all totaled, good enough for a 100kg weight savings over stock. The OE coilover suspension, despite its aggressive spring rates and electronically-adjustable dampers, was replaced by Nismo-spec Bilstein double bump- and rebound-adjustable stand-ins, with undisclosed spring rates and damper settings-it is, afterall, a competition car.
The whole front section was redesigned to not only offer increased airflow-thanks to the new vents-but to also protect the newly added cooling devices, and channel incoming air where it could be put to best use. Small carbon air intakes were carved into the front lip/splitter and wheel arches to direct cool air towards the front brakes; brakes that, surprisingly, were left stock, aside from the addition of high-endurance pads. Bridgestone supplied Nismo with full 20-inch versions of their Potenza RE-55S semi-slick R-compound tire, 255/40 up front and 285/35 in the rear (same size as OEM rubber), mounted to all-new Nismo six-spoke wheels, forged by Rays Engineering; the same rims that have been seen fitted on the V Spec test mule that decimated Nurburgring records a few months back, and ones with which we hope Nissan elects to endow the car come production. For all you current GT-R owners, fear not; the rollers are available as part of a new Nismo "Chassis Package", which also includes an aggressively tuned suspension and a fresh set of RE070 tires-all for a bargain of $22,150. And if you really want to go crazy, you can get yourself the full "Club Sport Package" which adds the titanium exhaust system, the Chassis Package, and a pair of carbon-fiber Nismo leather buckets, for only $32,850 more. A little steep, but hey-if it's good enough to battle 24-hour endurance races, think of what it can do for your daily commute.
Behind The Build
Head to the message boards
at www.importtuner.com to chat
about this feature Vehicle
Name.
Nismo/motul
Age.
O.G.
Hometown.
Tokyo, Japan
Occupation.
Making your car better
Hobbies.
Winning races
Build Time.
Less than a year
Feedback.
N/A
Quote.
"Performance creator, 24 hours at once!"
'08 Nissan GT-R
Output 480 PS @ 6,400 RPM 60 KGM @ 3,200 RPM~5,200 RPM
Weight 1,640 KG
Engine Standard VR38DETT, Blocked off recirculating blow-off valves; Nismo titanium exhaust system with heat wrapping, secondary large-core oil cooler, braided oil lines and aluminium fittings all round, A/C removal, radiator overflow tank, quick-fill fuel system; Motul lubricants
Drivetrain Nismo transmission & rear differential cooler; Motul lubricants
Suspension Nismo-spec fully adjustable Bilstein suspension
Wheels/Tires Rays Engineering Nismo 6-spoke wheels (20x9.5 front, 20x10.5 rear); Bridgestone Potenza RE55 tires (255/40-20 front, 285/35-20 rear)
By 2NR Staff
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