Super GT 2021 So Far – Nissan GT500 GT-Rs at Round 1 and 2
Early this year Nissan Motorsports (NISMO) announced that four motorsports teams would field Nissan GT-Rs in the GT500 class of the Super GT series in Japan in 2021. These teams are:
- #23 NISMO (MOTUL AUTECH), driven by Tsugio Matsuda and Ronnie Quintarelli.
- #3 NDDP Racing/B-Max Racing (CRAFTSPORTS MOTUL), driven by Kohei Hirate and Katsumasa Chiyo
- #12 Team Impul (CALSONIC IMPUL), driven by Kazuki Hiramine and Nobuharu Matsushita
- #24 Kondo Racing, driven by Mitsunori Takaboshi and Daiki Sasaki
After a less than competitive 2020 season, NISMO is hopeful that weight reduction, and component reliability changes are going to help the most. In 2021 aerodynamic changes are frozen but NISMO has been able to tweak the engine to improve power delivery as well as the tire setup overall.
Round 1 – Okayama – 12th April 2021
However it wasn’t to be in round #1 as the Toyota Supra showed strength, dominating in qualifying and in the final outcome with a 1,2,3,4th place finish. The best result for the Nissan GT-R was back in 9th position where the CRAFTSPORTS MOTUL #3 GT-R improved from its 10th place qualifying position.
The #23 NISMO car driven by Quintarerlli started the race slightly stronger managing to climb to 6th position in the early race but after an incident involving some GT300 cars the race was sent into chaos. The ensuing battle for position ended up damaging the car and putting it out of the race.
The #12 Team Impul car finished in 10th place.
Round 2 – Fuji Speedway – 4th May 2021
Another troubled round for the NISMO MOTUL AUTECH #23 as it suffered engine trouble putting it out of the race on just lap 3 at the Fuji Speedway 500km race.
Photo: Masahide Kamio
While NISMO had more trouble, the #3 CRAFTSPORTS MOTUL GT-R was again the top placed GT-R finishing 5th overall on the circuit that favors the Nissan GT-R the least. All said and done, Nissan really needs to start pulling out wins at the next round this weekend at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit. Qualifying will start 10am on Saturday the 17th with the race scheduled to start at 2:10pm on Sunday the 18th July Japan time.
The next round was originally scheduled to be at Suzuka circuit but that race has been pushed until late August due to a COVID case surge.
Link: Nismo Press Release – Round #1
Link: Nismo Press Release – Round #2
Link: Nismo Photo Gallery – Super GT
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- Photo: Masahide Kamio
Nissan’s 2022 NISMO GT-R is a Handcrafted, 600ps, GT3 Turbo Powered Happy Meal
This April Nissan announced the latest evolution in the GT-R NISMO with a press release stating availability come October 2021. The 2022 GT-R NISMO features the same upgrades over the base GT-R that first debuted in the MY2020 car with some minor tweaks.
Firstly the most obvious is the new Stealth Gray body color. Supposedly inspired by the color of the tarmac the NISMO GT-R has set records upon, this color will be exclusive to NISMO GT-Rs.
NISMO Exclusive Stealth Gray
Next is the availability of a special edition. Buyers choosing this option will get a clear coated carbon hood allowing them that racecar aesthetic commonly seen in the aftermarket. They say doing this saves 100 grams of paint but we all know it adds at least 50hp ;)! While the hood remains the same shape and vent configuration of the previous MY, the upgraded aesthetic certainly sets the car apart from the previous generation.
Clear coat only hood option.
The special edition will use the same black, forged aluminum, 20″ RAYS wheels but these will now be accented with a red stripe matching the red accents around the rest of the car. It’s a smart looking stripe which doesn’t look out of place on the car.
Red accented RAYS wheels
On the rear of the NISMO GT-R we’ll find the brand new Nissan emblem which echos the brand’s new corporate image. The Nissan logo on the GT-R will be illuminated on the trunk but will also adorn the wheel center caps.
New trunk and wheel emblems
Along with those aesthetic, visual cues, the other changes for the MY22 NISMO GT-R will be high-precision, weight-balanced engine internals. Nissan are tweaking the piston rings, connecting rods, crankshaft, flywheel, crank pulley and valve springs for this engine. Each engine will feature tighter tolerances in order to eek more out of the GT3 racecar turbochargers that were also found on the 2020 NISMO GT-R.
MY22 GT-R NISMOs will feature some tweaked engine internals.
To launch the new car Nissan teamed up with McDonalds and Tomica to produce some model cars that were available in April in Japan in Happy Meals. A Stealth Gray special edition NISMO GT-R toy was produced along with a gold bodied car with a McDonalds logo on the rear spoiler. At the launch Nissan also produced a gold wrapped GT-R which I’m calling the Maccas GT-R.
Happy Meal Tomica NISMO GT-Rs
The Maccas GT-R?
Click through the more link below for the full photo gallery…
Link: Nissan Press Release
Link: 2022 NISMO GT-R Launch Video
Kimbo – The 2,000hp 6 Second GT-R from The Shop Houston
Photo by 1320video
There is no easy pathway to running a 6 second quarter mile, a lesson hard learned by Houston, Texas performance automotive house, The Shop Houston. Yet in June 2021 that’s exactly what this 2000hp, 4.1 liter, billet stroker crank running a pair of just 68mm Boost Logic turbos GT-R achieved when it ran a 6.97s at 206mph quarter mile pass. This makes this car the fastest GT-R in the world running a 68mm turbocharger.
Tuned by Rob Tuned’s Rob Harper this most recent record comes after already holding the world record quarter mile pass with smaller 58mm turbo at 7.46s @ 190mph. It really is amazing what results we’re now seeing with the platform that has matured since I was in the scene last.
While this isn’t the outright world record quarter mile record pass, GT-Rs running faster passes then 6.97 are running in larger turbo size classes and are producing even more insane amounts of power.
Congratulations to all the folks involved in building and driving this car. Keeping it in one piece down the track looks like handful itself.
Link: The Shop Houston, Kimbo Spec
Link: The Shop Houston, Kimbo Introduction
Link: 1320video’s Youtube video
GTRBlog.com – Nine Year Update – Hello 2021
Well its only been 9 years since the last post, so obviously not much has changed in the GT-R world 😀 I’ve had some motivation (thanks COVID lockdowns!) to post again on the site so here goes. Let’s see how rusty I am at finding interesting GT-R posts. Surely the next GT-R is right around the corner?
I think I might start by posting a few things about what’s been going on in the GT-R world in my absence. I’m very interested in the Japanese SuperGT scene as it seems a lot has changed. Who would have expected the Toyota Supra to be a thing again 9 years ago!?
I’ve also tried to do some basic modernization to the site. I’ve fixed a load of broken images, broken links, broken videos. I’ve cranked up the image sizes overall and the width of the page. Monitors sure have changed since 2009-ish when I launched the last redesign of the site. Comments are disabled due to spammers but might re-enable them if people prefer to engage that way.
Anyway stay tuned! Let me know if anyone’s still reading, you can Tweet me @ctfkris or email me @gtrblog.com. I’ll gladly take photos of your GT-R projects to post. I know there’s a lot of beastly Godzillas getting around these days.
Mine’s Meeting 2012: Come Visit the Legendary Mine’s Workshop
No doubt that many of our readers have already all set to attend Tokyo Auto Salon which begins tomorrow. Many of you may be sticking around after the show to do a little sightseeing or enjoy your Japanese vacation. Mine’s let me know that, as usual their annual Mine’s Meeting event will be held this year from January 14th – January 21st 2012.
Mine’s has asked me to let our English speaking friends know that if you do want to visit, why not send them a quick note to let them know in advance so they can organize to have English speaking staff onsite:
While in Japan for the period of the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon from Jan 14 – Jan 21 all customers/fans are more than welcome to visit our shop in Yokosuka and see first hand where our work is done. To make your visit worthwhile we would like to prepare an English speaker for your visit and request that you give us notice beforehand by E-mail to the account below so we can make arrangements.
mines@mines-wave.com
If you do get along, say hi to the guys from me!
Link: Mine’s Website (English)
Link: Tokyo Autosalon Website
brand_RR: Dual HID Headlight Conversion Debut
After a number of years going relatively unchanged the GT-R’s headlights have now found their first significant upgrade. brand_RR recently debuted a new headlight upgrade which replaces the high beam bezel’s halogen bulb with a bi-xenon projector.
The headlights themselves receive extensive custom work to seamlessly adopt the secondary HID system. If no other modifications or custom painting is performed the results are comparable to what you would see on the Nissan showroom. Naturally however most people will want to do additional custom work while the headlights are under the knife. The white car shown is one such customer who optioned for nearly all of the available additions.
Aside from the bi-xenon dual HID conversion, brand_RR states that the following options are available:
– Painted inside assembly (white car shown has satin black painted assembly)
– Painted headlight surrounds (white car shown as satin black painted surrounds)
– CCFL illumination surround on each projector (not pictured)
– LED illumination surround on each projector with integrated amber turn signal activated switchback (installed on white car)
– Painted interior headlight assembly bezel (white car has our one-off carbon fiber conversion to this piece)
– LED headlight turn signal with white LED and switch to amber led when turn signal activated (not pictured)
The GT-R from the factory has a HID low beam capable of good lateral range however they are lacking in brightness and distance. brand_RR’s approach is to increase visibility by keeping the lateral range unchanged from the factory low beam HID and adding the second bi-xenon unit for straight ahead brightness and distance (and also it can switch to hi-beam mode). The photo below illustrates:
For further information the product can be found and purchased here:
Mine’s Release Carbon Grille for 2012+ GT-Rs
Improving on the look of the new DBA-R35 is tough but Mine’s don’t back down from a challenge. Following in the path laid down years before for the CBA-R35 Mine’s have firstly tackled the grill to add a splash of carbon to the front end.
This wet carbon grille replacement is a straight fit item that will go on without modifications. It’s slightly different from standard in that it features three fins that give it a slightly aggressive appearance. It comes pre-applied with a UV protecting clear coat and will set you back around the 59,000 yen mark in Japan.
Link: Mine’s Official Website (English)
GT-RR Debuts New Suspension Package
The guys over at GT-RR.com have furthered their brand_RR lineup of parts with this new suspension. GT-RR has a history of working with the top producers for their projects, having also worked on collaborative projects with Amuse and Cosworth. In this case they’ve enlisted two of the leading suspension component producers to partner with them on the project. JRZ was sourced to provide the desired specification shocks for the system. Swift Springs of Japan was included to provide the 8 springs which are included (main and assist springs on each corner).
GT-RR calls this suspension their Ultimate Spec. They label it that because they’ve taken what they consider to be the best of the shock and spring world and combined it with a variable ride height lift system. The result they say is the ultimate suspension for GT-Rs which are used on both street and track. The suspension allows 3 inches of lift at the push of a button which allows for a low ride setting but for instant clearance upon demand. There is a video of their 2012 GT-R using the lift system which can be seen below.
Swift Springs out of Japan has been supplying Nissan’s official GT-R Super Taikyu team with springs and also supplies for Super GT race cars. GT-RR has told us that Swift and JRZ has both had a considerable hand in determining the final specifications of this suspension.
You can find more information on this system as well other JRZ and Swift products at GT-RR.
Link: Suspension kit
Link: JRZs on GT-RR
Link: Swift on GT-RR
FIA GT1 2011: Follow Nismo GT1 Driver Michael Krumm’s Video Diary
I think it’s great Nissan are improving the visibility of their FIA GT1 teams with more and more of this kind of social media. Michael Krumm is a fantastic ambassador for Nissan Motorsports in Japan, Europe and all over the world. This year he drives for the JR-Motorsports team in the #23 GT1 spec Nissan GT-R.
Take a tour with him from round 1 of the 2011 FIA GT1 World Championship season at Abu Dhabi where he’ll take you behind the scenes. Introduce team mates and other drivers and give some personal insights into the cars performance of late.
Link: Nissan’s Youtube Channel
AMS Performance: AMS Alpha12 GT-R Updates
It’s been an interesting couple of months for the AMS Performance crew. The culmination of a lot of hard work has seen the AMS Alpha 12 GT-R see a lot of results, especially in Texas. The TX2K11 Nationals event in March saw the Alpha 12 GT-R owned by Tim Sander’s show off it’s muscle to take the first place in the Dyno Comp GT-R Class with 1069 awhp.
In the days that followed they continued to push the GT-R to the limits and at the drag strip came away with another new record – a 9.1 @ 159mph pass. Despite the tune not being fully ironed out the Alpha 12 is still the quickest GT-R around.
There’s quite a lot of other GT-R happenings over at AMS’s blog and there’s more records lined up to fall soon. Two Alpha 12 GT-Rs are getting set to run the Moscow Unlimited event coming up in September. This year it seems the GT-R crowd wont be satisfied with second place in Moscow as it was in 2010.
Looking forward to hearing more as the Alpha12 gets closer to fully tuned. You can find out more from AMS at the links below!
Link: AMS Alpha GT-R Website
Link: AMS Performance Website
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