Nissan GT-R Sets New Nurburgring Record

CASCAIS, Portugal — Carlos Ghosn, Nissan president and CEO, announced today that at Germany's famed Nürburgring, on April 16-17, 2008, a production Nissan GT-R achieved a lap time of 7 minutes, 29 seconds, making it the fastest production car ever to lap the Nürburgring circuit. (Earlier, a GT-R posted a 7-minute, 38-second lap time, establishing it as one of the world's fastest production cars.)

Previously, according to Ghosn, the Porsche GT2 and the Porsche Carrera GT achieved 7-minute 32-second lap times at the Nürburgring. Nissan's GT-R is now officially some 3 seconds quicker around the Nürburgring than Porsche.

In its first Super GT race at Japan's Suzuka Circuit, in March 2008, the GT-R finished 1st and 2nd.

"This car shows that Nissan is capable of bringing great technology to market, against anyone, in any niche," said Ghosn.

The all-wheel-drive GT-R, Nissan's technological flagship, is powered by a 480-horsepower, twin-turbo V6. It has a coefficient of drag of just 0.27. Built on Nissan's Premium Mid-ship platform, it features die-cast aluminum, steel and carbon-fiber construction. The brakes are Brembo monoblock multipiston calipers with 15-inch floating, drilled and ventilated disc brakes. Driver-adjustable shocks, gear-shift speed and VDC-R stability control are included, along with a dual-clutch six-speed paddle shift gearbox (transaxle) with quick shifts or full automatic operation.

The base Nissan GT-R will be priced at $69,850 when it goes on sale in the U.S. at selected Nissan dealers in June 2008.

What does this mean to you: If you're considering a Porsche 911 or a Corvette Z06, Nissan offers a faster car for less money. — Ken Gross, Correspondent



Here's the story link: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=126032

That's amazingly fast.

As big and unrefined as those look there performance is very impressive. I may have to pick one up next year when they are running threw the sales..

It'll be interesting to see some track numbers when these are in the hands of real world drivers and not factory team drivers. Also, the dealer markup on them is going to be outrageous.

ive seen this before
its BS
they used slicks and a team to set it up and spent days there with a car that nobody can walk into a dealership and buy, yada yada yada
same bullshit Covette did only alot worse

I believe it when some buys one and goes out and runs even withe 30 seconds of that time, not som magazine bullshit with a ringer car

Nissian has always been known to overhype and sent out ringers, worse than Ferrari.

and even if it was half true, its a car thats driven by computers, Ild rather drive my Van around there than that and actually have some fun. If I want a computer to do it for me Ill play video games and set it to auto pilot

LAME

One of the car mags just had a big write up on it - either Car and Driver or MotorTrend. It dyno'd at 430 to the wheels and 507 crank. I've got more than that and I'm about 500 pounds lighter. Although their launch control will give it an advantage off the line I think I'd take it at 100 mph+.

Are you running stock or modified with your Vette?

The GT-R is running AWD and has a backseat = added weight. Still, as a production car, it kicks out some great numbers and for less money than its competition.

Dealer premiums are running $15-18k.
Tom Wood Nissan was alotted 5, has pre-sold 7. This was at least a month ago.

Dan...I thought you were running fuel injection? Computer is telling your engine what to do already. F1, IRL, pick a current model car, including your van...all computers.

I miss having to pump the gas pedal repeatedly on my first Olds just to get it started. Ahh those were the days...


Congrats on Japan for finally bringing out a great sportscar. The last good sports car was the Z or S2000. It's been about ten years (since I will not count the Rx8).
I hope Honda and Toyota sees this! Time to step up the game boys.

I've done heads, cam, headers, CAI, exhaust, plus a bunch of little stuff.

Ahh Haa...so you aren't sitting stock, so the comparison to a stock GT-R needs to be against a stock Vette.


So what does "a bunch of little stuff" mean??? Maybe some hidden police lights? Geeze, we could all go fast with those...at least until us non-LEO's get caught.

I was disappointed with the #'s on the RX8, but I actually like the looks. Suppose to AutoX well.

Honda has a winner with the S2000, but wondering what else they are up to?

Toyota is bringing the Supra back. I don't have the details.

Nissan is releasing the 370Z for the 2010 model year. They will shorten it by 6.5 inches and trim 600 pounds to overall weight of 3010 pounds. 350HP with 280# torque at 4500rpm. Using the same engine that's in the G37.
http://www.roadandtrack.com/article.asp?section_id=2&...

Mark, do you know who designed or in Nissan's term, "fine tune," the suspension of the new gt-r? I know that Nissan outsourced the chassis/suspension work to the experts. .

I thought the ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system was out of the Nissan design team. I'll have to go poking around to verify.

What comes in your mind if you're a car manufacturer and needs the best suspension work? There's only one company that most automakers go for their suspension/handling expertise. Need a lifeline?

Koni???

Fail. Try again. The consulting part of the company is actually bigger than its manufacturing arm.

GT-R runs Bilstein suspension & Brembo brakes

I was gonna say Bilstein, but I <3 Koni...kinda

Is Google messing up these days? Ok Bilstein suspension and Brembo brakes. Who chose bilstein and brembo? Who tuned the set-up of the suspension? Who ran all he numbers? I told you, the experts did. Second hint: it wasn't Nissan. I'll give you another hint, my car has bilstein suspension, brembo rear brakes, and AP racing fronts. Last hint, it's the best consulting company for chassis design and suspension set-up. The chassis set-up of the original ZR-1, some Mercedes Benz, and Volvos represents the company's genius.

We getting there? Google GT-R suspension. You'll be surprised!

Pulley, ported TB and oil pump, etc. - just misc. small stuff. My stock vette was 48K and the GT-R is 70+K so its not really a straight comparison. The GT-R vs. a Z06 is about the same. I have slightly better numbers than a Z for about 15K less. The GT-R will be a helluva car, but it isn't the world beater that it's being touted as. As I mentioned before, it will be interesting to see some track numbers on it with real world drivers behind the wheel.

I'm not a Nissan lover just because I'm a Z nut. I'd drive a Lotus if the chiropractor visits weren't needed after I try to get in and out each time.

I do like the GT-Rs though. Skyline R32-R34 are some sweet cars and not becuase they are from Nissan. I think Nissan did a great job on the new R35. The styling may not appeal to most. They went more for a masculine look vs a feminine look like you find on most Italian designs. Same for the Vette...more sweeping, sexy lines. Lotus...again, sexy lines.

I like AWD in a car and I like power. The GT-R gives this but at a more "modest" price point than much of its competition. I see it as the biggest bang for the buck going. If i had the $$$ to buy one, I would.

I agree we need to see some more real numbers on performance. but with that said, Nissan did set a new record for the track. That shouldn't be taken from them. All teams get out and fine tune their vehicles to get the best perfromance. Can't fault them for that, but its good for us to do some bench racing here!!!

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0608sccp_2008_nis...
Godzilla Is Coming - 2008 Nissan GT-R
But this doesn't mean the GT-R will be some warmed-over G35 or that Nissan is building its next supercar on the cheap. Quite the opposite in fact. Case in point, Lotus has been brought in to help fine-tune the suspension. What Lotus engineers don't know about suspensions, you could write on a pinhead, and you'd better believe that kind of expertise doesn't come cheap.


http://www.famouscars.info/nissan-skyline-gt-r.php
It has long been known that Cosworth has been contracted out to do engine development, which suggests the new motor will be just as durable and strong as the RB series it will be replacing. The drivetrain configuration will most likely remain All Wheel Drive, in keeping with the GT-R's longtime theme of using advanced technologies. Additionally, Lotus has been contracted out to assist with suspension and handling development of the GT-R.


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/ae_news_story.php?id=3...
The FM platform used in the new range of Skyline and Infiniti G35 coupés in Japan and the US is basically good enough, but needs some fine-tuning to handle the extra power - and that's where Lotus comes in. A new hydraulic active suspension system, co-developed with Lotus, will feature. The Norfolk firm's expertise in this area will ensure the car handles like no other GT-R before, and can satisfy the soft-riding expectations of American buyers with the traction and high-speed handling required by the British and German markets.
Its brakes promise to be special, too, with larger Brembo discs controlled by a newly revised brake-by-wire unit which promises to give the sporty feel and feedback enthusiastic drivers demand.

Nice to read: http://motoringjstyle.blogspot.com/2008/02/nissan-gtr-graphs...
Nissan worked for 2 years with Group Lotus in Europe, and 1.5 years with Yoshitaka Suzuka in Japan for aerodynamic development using rolling road wind tunnels. The result is a low air-resistance (Cd:0.27) and significant downforce.

nicely quoted there. Thanks. I thought I had read somewhere about Cosworth, but not Lotus being involved. Google was not being cooperative with my search terms.

Ever wondered why such a boat handles so good? Lotus does more jobs in consulting than the actual car manufacturing. There are more employees in its consulting firm.