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Official Launch: MY11 (2012) Nissan GT-R – Nissan Opens Info Floodgates
October 18th is here already in Japan so Nissan have unleashed the full spread of details on the new DBA-R35 GT-R model including full performance details and photography. With the press release comes confirmation of much of what we’d been saying for months now and that is the DBA-R35 is a leap ahead of the previous GT-R in terms of performance.
The main bullet points of improvements across the board begins with improved power and torque, better handling, improved aero and updated look and feel are extremely welcome to GT-R fans. What is also great to see is that the model range continues to expand in size with the addition as predicted of the EGOIST to the existing SpecV, Club Track Edition, and standard models. With that news comes some dissapointment though as many territories where the GT-R is sold will miss out on the full lineup with the EGOIST and Club Track only being considered in Japan, Europe and the Middle East (EGOIST only).
Skip all the rest of the fluff (for now at least) though because what most of us want to know is the hard numbers and the GT-R is not dissapointing here in any way. 530ps (522hp) @ 6400 rpm is the official power figure with 612Nm (451 lb/ft) of torque available from 3200 rpm to 6000 rpm. Nissan say this horsepower bump comes from running more boost, tweaking the A/F ratio, valve timing and improving the air intake.
What this means to the Nurburgring lap time you’re wondering? Word is Nissan have slashed 6 seconds off their previous best of 7:26 for a mind boggling 7:2x flat spin around the Nordschleife. Update to this update: The Nurburgring laptime is not officially confirmed at this stage.
In terms of new colors, we had previously mistranslated this one it seems or maybe it was changed. Looks like Meteor Flake Black (pictured above) is the new black to go with the correctly predicted Aurora Flare Blue Pearl blue.
Coming up next will be some hi-res photos of the new Nissan GT-R EGOIST as well as the updated SpecV and Club Track Editions…
To read the full press release click the Read More link below…
Nissan Releases the 11MY Nissan GT-R
YOKOHAMA (October 18, 2010) – Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced the launch of the 11MY Nissan GT-R, which goes on sale November 17th at Nissan dealers nationwide in Japan.Nissan GT-R
For 11MY, GT-R features improved engine output and torque, greater fuel efficiency, revised handling, a refreshed exterior with improved aerodynamics, revised interior treatment and new wheels and tires. The large number of enhancements for the new model year is part of the continuous advancement of the GT-R design, technology and performance since its debut in December 2007. Nissan has also enhanced the level of after-sales support for GT-R owners, providing even greater value for customers.
The “World of GT-R” expands again this year with the addition of a racing circuit use-only “Club Track” edition and an ultra-exclusive “EGOIST” version that can be custom-ordered according to the precise desires of each individual customer. The complete 11MY Nissan GT-R model lineup now includes six versions – the “Pure edition,” “Black edition,” “Premium edition,” “SpecV,” “Club Track” and “EGOIST” – allowing customers to choose the exact level of dynamic performance and style to meet their various needs.
The 11MY Nissan GT-R will also be released in North America, Europe and other regions after February 2011. Nissan is considering introducing EGOIST in Europe and the Middle East, and the Club Track edition in Europe as well.
MotorTrend: 2012 Nissan GT-R Unmasked Spied at Nurburgring
There’s been a lot of the masked / camouflaged GT-R photos on various sites around the net this week. Unfortunately most of them gave us even less of an idea than we already had about what the facelifted 2012 GT-R was going to look like.
MotorTrend has changed that with the publication of some much more juicy photos clearly showing the front double canards and the rear diffuser updates.
It’s certainly a big departure from what I was expecting up front, I was assuming a more subdued front canard look. Nevertheless the rear end look appeals to me a lot.
Lots more photos at the MotorTrend website linked below…
Link/Source: MotorTrend: Nissan GT-R Prototype Spied
Nissan Owners Loyalty Update: Maintenance Relaxed and Nissan Sports Club Coming
A big update from Nissan Japan was dropped today in the form of an Owners Loyalty Plan update. Further to the 2010 Model Up Kit that we already gave GTRBlog readers a heads up on earlier in the month, Japanese GT-R owners are getting a couple more benefits for being faithful to Godzilla.
First up, the Model Up Kit has been extended to SpecV owners too. It’s a little different but it includes the following upgrades:
- Rear shock absorbers: a change to improve the rear suspension to ride flatter in the corners and provide a more comfortable ride
- VDC Actuator Unit: changes to improve the braking performance and front brake pad life span with some changes to the ABS and EBD control logic.
- Rear Brake Cooling Air Guides: Assist lowering the caliper temperatures in the rear
- ETS Controller: Update to the ETS control logic to improve torque distribution, even in severe weather conditions.
Pricing for the kit is laid out in the table below, see if you’re getting an idea of just how expensive a set of those brake pads for the SpecV‘s carbon ceramic brake system are and why you might be pretty keen to improve the lifespan with a VDC update…
| Part Name | Set Pricing | Set Pricing (not including Front Brake Pads) |
| Rear Shock Absorbers | 1,417,500 yen | 491,400 yen |
| VDC Actuator Unit | ||
| Rear brake cooling air guide set | ||
| ETS Controller | ||
| Front Brake Pads | – |
Nissan have also had another swing at lowering the GT-R’s ongoing maintenance cost by lowering the cost of OEM consumables including tires, brake pads and brake rotors. A set of Dunlop SP SPORT 600 DSST tires, commonly regarded as the best OEM tire available for the car, are down from an MSRP of 409,500 yen a set to 357,000 yen a set before labor and taxes.
Brake pads are similarly reduced from 176,085 yen per set down to 135,450 yen a set and brake rotors are cut from 409,500 yen to 388,500 yen a set.
The temperature thresholds when owners were recommended / obliged to change their transmission and differential oils has also been relaxed slightly. Nissan Japan are now using the following guidelines for these two fluid changes:
| Interval for Replacement | Updated Temp Threshold | Previous Temp Threshold | |
| Transmission Fluid | 60,000km | Not exceeded 120 deg C | Not exceeded 110 deg C |
| 5,000km | Exceeded 120 deg C but not 140 deg C | Exceeded 110 deg C but not 140 deg C | |
| Immediately After | (No Change) | Exceeded 140 deg C | |
| Differential Oils (front and rear) |
60,000km | Not exceeded 120 deg C | Not exceeded 110 deg C |
| 5,000km | Exceeded 120 deg C but not 140 deg C | Exceeded 110 deg C but not 140 deg C | |
| Immediately After | (No Change) | Exceeded 140 deg C |
Lastly, Nissan are establishing a sports club membership which will equip member GT-R’s with 4-point seat belt harness, roll bars, long life slick tires, and special edition Bilstein suspension. It’s the intention that members who get involved in this will be offered driving training days, track days and other get togethers. Nissan plan to roll out support for these Sports Club members via special service centers, the first three of which are already named to be:
- Nismo Omori Factory in Tokyo
- NOVA Engineer in Shizuoka
- Nordring in Saitama
A “long life slick tire” for the GT-R’s OEM 20″ wheel could be of extreme interest to the global community of track goers so I’ll keep a firm eye on that one to see what develops.
Source: Nissan Japan
Mine’s Release Cam Shaft and Titanium Straight Pipe Upgrades for Nissan GT-R
Mine’s continue leading the way in terms of GT-R engine tuning with the release of their latest hardware upgrades. The Mine’s Super Camshaft Shore PRO is a full camshaft replacement for the VR38DETT designed to unleash the full potential of the engine in terms of response and power.
The Mine’s camshaft profile on the intake side is 256 degree duration with 10.2mm of lift. On the exhaust side there’s 264 degree duration with 10.5mm of lift.
Compare the Mine’s camshaft profile against the standard item which is 238 degrees / 9.56mm on the intake and 248 degrees / 9.88mm on the exhaust and you can see that the Mine’s set will clearly breath better.
These would ideally suit someone already running / considering turbo upgrades but even on the standard turbos you would see a concrete improvement once tuned. They’re full drop in replacements for both GT-R and SpecV GT-Rs.
Update: Pricing for the Mine’s Camshaft set is 138,000 yen.
Next up Mine’s have also released the final word in lightweight titanium midpipe for those who are chasing the ultimate response and power from their GT-R.
The Mine’s Titanium Straight Converter for Nissan GT-R removes the secondary catalytic converters and replaces them with two small resonators. The final weight reduction over the standard item is 9.8 kg (3.6 kg vs. 13.4 kg). The main pipe sections are 70mm into a pair of 110mm resonators. Then via dual 70mm pipes into a single 80mm collector.
Fitment is a simple bolt on affair and pricing is to be announced shortly. Again, stay tuned to the new Mine’s website for more details.
Update: Pricing for the Mine’s Titanium Straight Converter is set at 210,000 yen.
Link: Mine’s Website (English)
HKS Technical Factory SpecV Tuning – 730ps Turbo Upgrades
HKS Technical Factory in Saitama Japan have been wondering to themselves about the capabilities of the Nissan GT-R SpecV. Not so much in standard form, but with respect to how it responds to light tuning modifications. Quite well it would seem. With the HKS GT600 kit installed, the SpecV’s larger turbos are much happier with high boost than the standard GT-R’s.
This goes doubly so when HKS TF take the SpecV turbos and tweak them for further gains. They’ve made 700ps at the wheels hubs on their own SpecV measured with a Dynapack dyno.
HKS TF plan to develop these turbos and eventually bring them to market with a reasonable price tag.
Hit up the link below for specs on the turbos and more photos…
Nissan Announce SpecV GT-R for European Market
Nissan has decided to go ahead and setup shop on the new ring boulevard at the Nurburgring in Germany with a new concept store known as “Nissan Sportscars Shop”. On display is a Nissan GT-R, a 370z Nurburgring edition and the European specification Nissan GT-R SpecV.
Sales are expected to begin this year but pricing is not yet known.
Will Nissan let the world know the SpecV Nurburgring laptime at the European SpecV launch? Makes sense to me!
Check the full press release after the jump…
Source: Nissan Motors Australia
HKS Kansai Tackle the Brake Cooling Issue
Some of you who’ve spent some time getting to know the GT-R at your local race tracks may have noticed that the brakes tend to get hot. It’s not rocket science really, a big heavy car like the GT-R expects a lot from it’s brakes even if they are mammoth in size.
Nissan’s solution to brake heat issues was to throw a whole heap of money at carbon ceramic rotors and a pair of tiny air ducts in the front lip spoiler for the SpecV. HKS Kansai on the other hand have come up with a product a little more subtle and available. Simple air guides that bolt to your lower control arms and direct air towards the calipers.
Could it be this easy? Well real world results are not abundant at this stage so we’ll have to wait and see. These sell for about 39,900 yen in Japan.
Thanks to Mindlessoath for posting this over on NAGTROC.
Link: HKS Kansai Website
Ebbro Nissan GT-R SpecV 1/43rd Scale Model Photos
A couple of photos that landed in my news feed of the Ebbro 1/43rd scale Nissan GT-R SpecV model that should now be on sale. As usual the Ebbro models are of excellent quality with high amount of attention to the details. This one is in Ultimate Opal Black but you can also find them in Brilliant White Pearl.
These should sell around the $30 – $40 mark if you can find them at your local Ebbro stockist.
GTR-World: Mine’s High Flow Throttle Body Report
As seen recently in an interview with Mine’s president Niikura-san, Mine’s has been developing engine parts for the Nissan GT-R and GT-R SpecV with a goal to improve the power and, more importantly, the response of the VR38 engine. Mine’s tuning philosophy has always been one of modest power goals with maximum response.
One of the differences noted by Mine’s when they got their hands on the new SpecV was that Nissan had paid some attention to airflow through the SpecV’s standard throttle body. To smooth flow through the intake they have coated the rough cast inside of the throttle body. The result you can see below. In comparison with the standard item it’s an improvement but when you see it next to the Mine’s item you can see how doing it properly would be preferable.
Mine’s not only pay attention to machining the inner surface of the throttle body but also to the aerodynamics of the butterfly valve and control shaft.
The Mine’s High Flow Throttle Body is available now through your local Mine’s distributors. For a pair of throttle bodies in exchange for your standard ones, the price is 132,000 yen. For a pair of throttle bodies without exchanging your own the price is 258,000 yen.
Source: GTR-World.net: Mine’s High Flow Throttle Body Report
Link: Mine’s Website
Garage Saurus Tune the Nissan GT-R SpecV
Given the opportunity, you would tune this too. Not content to have the quickest production GT-R available, this SpecV owner has booked it in for a few basic performance upgrades. Garage Saurus have complied and installed a few choice upgrades from their range such as the Trust / GReddy full titanium exhaust, Garage Saurus Suction Piping Kit, Blitz twin blow off valves, Garage Saurus upgraded wastegate actuators, and to control the boost a HKS EVC.
To complete the picture, ECU tuning will beging this week. With this being the first SpecV worked on, they expect a few speed bumps but nothing serious. While tuning a set of Garage Saurus Bosch 750cc injectors may make their way on to this car as well to beef up the fuel system. I think this car is in good hands! Should be interesting to see the final power figures.
Link: Garage Saurus R35 GT-R Website
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