Overview
The Nissan GT-R is a sports car expected to be released internationally by the end of 2007 as a 2008 model. The prototype which the car is based upon was unveiled at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, as the GT-R Proto. The Nissan GT-R has heritage in the Nissan Skyline GT-R range, but is a radical departure from the traditional GT-R formula. It will be separated from the "Skyline" nameplate and for the first time the car will not share a common body style with the sedan range. The production version of the GT-R is set to debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2007, with its launch in the Japanese market scheduled for Fall 2007. The U.S. launch will follow in Spring 2008.
Rumored Specifications
It has been speculated that the Nissan GT-R will be fitted with a twin turbo V6 developed with the help of Britian's Cosworth. And the drivetrain will remain All Wheel Drive.
"Power will come from a 3.7-liter version of Nissan's VQ powerplant. A pair of turbochargers will help it produce about 450 bhp and 360 lb.-ft. of torque. Because longtime fans of the GT-R are accustomed to more output via aftermarket tuning, Nissan has seemingly left some room on the table for buyers wanting to increase the power of their GT-Rs.
Stock boost pressure will be limited to about 10 psi, but we hear that the engine is capable of handling a lot more. A tamer version of this V-6, codenamed VQ37HR-TT, will make its way into the upcoming Infiniti G35 Coupe. Key differences between the engines are that the GT-R's VQ will have the twin turbo chargers, lighter pistons and connecting rods, as well as a beefed-up crankshaft. Other custom parts may make their way into the engine, including racing profile camshafts and new valvetrain. It will come mated to a Getrag 6-speed transmission or a paddle-shift sequential automatic with seven or eight gears."-Road and Track
Styling of the GT-R Prototype
"The muscular front end with its massive center air intake and set of broad front fenders is very techno, very cool, and redolent of the earlier concept. The sculptured, heavy-duty body sides that bulk up toward the rear are also evolutions of the GT-R Concept, but designer Hiroshi Hasegawa (who did the Infiniti G35 sedan and coupe) has produced a new sloping roofline and an unusual kinked C-pillar. The four round taillights are a traditional Skyline design cue. Shiro Nakamura, Nissan's design chief, says that the shape is 80 to 90 percent of what will make it into production. The Proto has its own signature style, but it's one that's governed by exhaustive aerodynamic studies. This, after all, is a performance icon." -automobilemag.com
