A sneak peek at the adrenalin-pumping GTR that will be revealed next month at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Following the global debut of Nissan’s new GT-R supercar in Japan yesterday and in the UK today, it was announced that the new supercar would make its first North American appearance on November 17th at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The latest version of the potent Nissan GT-R, with increased performance, improved aerodynamics and refreshed exterior trim and a sportier (Recaro buckets available) interior, will be designated as a 2012 model when it goes on sale at select Nissan dealers in the United States and Canada early in 2011.
Introduced in the UK today, the GT-R’s twin-turbo V-6, above, pumps out more than 520 horsepower and more than 451 pound-feet of torque. By adopting an ultra-low precious metal catalyst and an engine control module fitted with high-capacity microprocessors, cleaner emissions have been achieved. Fuel economy has also been improved by modifying the boost pressure of the turbocharger, valve timing and air mixture ratio along with larger diameter inlet pipes and a modified exhaust system.
SAVE Mode is a newly adopted system, replacing SNOW Mode, which optimizes driving torque and modifies the gearshift programming to improve fuel economy when driving on open roads. The features of Snow Mode have been retained.
To help control tight turning at slow speeds a new Two-Wheel Drive Mode will temporarily shift the car to Two-Wheel Drive as long as the speed is below six mph and the steering wheel is turned more than half way.
A very rigid and lightweight strut supporting bar, made of carbon composite with an aluminum honeycomb, has been installed in the partition wall of the engine compartment. By linking right and left struts to quickly receive suspension input, the vehicle body’s responsiveness is enhanced.
An additional support member has been installed in the passenger’s side dash panel. The responsiveness of the chassis is further improved by enhanced rigidity achieved by the connection with the engine compartment.
Suspension upgrades include spring, shock and stabilizer bar tuning, lower roll center height and improved braking. New aluminum free-piston shocks, larger diameter front brake rotors and lighter, more rigid forged aluminum wheels contribute to the increased performance of the GT-R. Down force has been increased by approximately 10%, while the GT-R’s co-efficient of drag has been reduced from 0.27 to 0.26.
Full details on the North American version of the Nissan GT-R will be available when the GT-R is shown at the Los Angeles show. For more information about the GT-R and the full line of Nissan vehicles, please visit, http://www.nissanusa.com/gt-r/