With a 330bhp version of Nissan's new 3.7 litre V6 (VQ37HR) engine seemingly confirmed for the new Fairlady/350Z-based Infiniti G37 coupe, prior to that vehicles official release at April's New York Motor Show, it appears increasingly likely that the same engine will be nestling under the bonnet of the new Nissan GT-R when it struts onto the world stage at October's Tokyo Motor Show. However, a mere 330 horses will surely not suffice for this, the most megalomaniacal of Nissan's sports car offerings? Indeed, it has been surmised that, as with Skyline GT-Rs of yore, the 3.7-litre V6 from the G37 will see service alongside twin turbochargers, duly boosting power output to somewhere in the region of 450bhp. It should however be noted that throughout the most recent stages of the GT-Rs development it has consistently been benchmarked against Porsche's indomitable 997 model 911 Turbo, a car showboating a not inconsiderable 480bhp of firepower. Thus, if the 911 Turbo's performance statistics are taken into account, it seems feasible that the GT-Rs power output could even rise to be in the same ballpark as the Porsche's 480bhp, further placating GT-R fans and their ever vociferous calls for more power.
Horsepower is not the only area in which the specs of the new GT-R correlate with those of the current 911 Turbo, as the Porsche is also expected to set a precedent in providing a blueprint for the type of turbochargers employed on the new GT-R. The 997-model 911 Turbo was the first petrol-engined vehicle to utilize turbochargers with variable turbine geometry, and it is currently anticipated that the new GT-R will follow suit in this regard. Variable turbine geometry, a technology usually associated with turbo-diesel engines, enables the angle of a turbocharger's turbine blades to be changed according to engine conditions, increasing the efficacy of the turbocharger across a wider rev-range, and working to reduce that bête noire of certain forced-induction engines, turbo lag.
However, while the 911 turbo may have provided the yardstick against which the new GT-Rs performance has been measured, the Nissan is set to provide the same bang as its German rival for significantly less buck, even in its top trim level. While on the subject of trim levels, it is worth noting that recent rumblings in Japan have mooted three different spec levels for the new GT-R: base-model (6,600,000 Yen/$55,500), V-spec (8,000,000/$67,225), and Evolution (12,000,000/$100,800). It is thought that all three models will be fitted with the same powerplant, however, putting the entry-level GT-R on the market at such a competitive price naturally means that certain sacrifices have to be made, and hence cost-cutting measures are likely to result in fewer high-tech adornments in comparison to the upper echelons of the GT-R model spectrum. While both the V-Spec and Evolution models are likely to be fitted with a semi-automatic dual clutch DSG (Direct Shift Gearbox), boasting six-speeds, and similar in nature to the R-Tronic system found on the new Audi R8, the prohibitively high cost of this piece of state-of-the-art gadgetry means that such a gearbox will not be finding its way onto the base model, which will duly have to make do with a cheaper, and, no doubt, slower six-speed manual transmission. The base model also makes do with four-pot calliper brakes, while both the V-spec and Evolution are expected to come complete with six-pot calliper systems. Although, Skyline GT-Rs, from the nascent R32 onward, have customarily been equipped with Brembo brake systems, it appears that Japanese firm Akebono, with their recent foray into Formula 1 in partnership with McLaren, may also be in contention to supply brakes for the new GT-R.
While the V-spec GT-R gains a two-pedal DSG transmission and six-pot callipers over the standard car, it will also differ cosmetically, with a more prominent rear wing and rakish front bumper. The V-spec will also sport lighter alloy wheels. Meanwhile, the GT-R Evolution, currently pencilled in for release a year after the standard car, in Autumn 2008, will be to the GT-R what the GT3 is to the Porsche 911: a stripped-out, lightweight road-racer, set to form the basis for the NISMO machines participating in the Japanese Super GT Championship. As with the 911 GT3, the GT-R Evolution will do away with its rear seats and make extensive use of high-tech materials in the pursuit of lightness: the bonnet, rear wing and diffusers will be hewn from carbon fibre, while the standard steel doors will be replaced by aluminium items. It has also been postulated that the Evolution will be home to a hand-built, hand-fettled version of the standard car's engine however, power output and performance are not expected to differ overtly from the standard powerplant. Cosmetically, the Evolution will gain an even more agressive rear wing, while certain pieces of carbon fibre trim are expected to remain unpainted.
While such details and comparatively reasonable pricing certainly whet the appetite, only time will tell whether the GT-R proves to be an adequate, cut-price alternative to the omnipotent 997-model Porsche 911 Turbo.
Source: Best Car Magazine (Japan, 10th April Edition)
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