The Nissan Skyline GT-R

Nissan Skyline GT-R

Between 1969 and 1974, and again between 1989 and 2002, Nissan produced a high performance version of its Skyline range called the Nissan Skyline GT-R. This car proved to be iconic for Nissan[6][7] and achieved much fame and success on road and track. The Nissan GT-R, although no longer carrying the “Skyline” badge, has heritage in the Nissan Skyline GT-R. Like the Skyline GT-Rs R32 through R34, the Nissan GT-R is all-wheel drive with a twin-turbo 6 cylinder engine; however, the evolutionary, incremental changes between Skyline models R32 through R34 have been done away with. The four-wheel-steering HICAS system has been removed, and the former straight-6 RB26DETT engine has been replaced with a new V6 VR38DETT.[8] Because of the GT-R’s heritage, the chassis code for the all-new version has been called CBA-R35,[9] or ‘R35′ for short, carrying on the naming trend from previous Skyline GT-R generations. The GT-R has also retained its Skyline predecessor’s nickname Godzilla.[10][11]

GT-R Prototype at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show

Two concept vehicles were displayed at motor shows prior to the unveiling of the production model. The first concept was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2001 to preview what a 21st century GT-R would look like.[12] At the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan unveiled a redesigned concept, the GT-R Proto, stating that the production GT-R would be 80-90% based on this concept.[13]
[edit] Production
[edit] Production model

The production version of the GT-R debuted at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, launching in the Japanese market on December 6, 2007. The U.S. official launch was 7 months later on July 7, 2008. Universal Nissan in Los Angeles provided a customer with the delivery of a new GT-R, fresh from the production line at 12:01 a.m., on July 7, 2008. The Canadian launch was also in July 2008. Europe became the third consumer market, where it launched in March 2009. The large disparity in initial marketing between these regional releases is due to Nissan having to build GT-R performance centers where the car is serviced. Also the engine and rear-mounted dual-clutch gearbox are built by hand, thus limiting production to around 1000 cars a month.[14]
[edit] Specifications
The VR38DETT engine

The Nissan GT-R is powered by the VR38DETT engine, a 3,799 cc (3.8 L; 231.8 cu in) DOHC V6. Two parallel Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) turbochargers provide forced induction.[15] Production vehicles produce a manufacturer-claimed engine output of 474 bhp (353 kW) at 6400 rpm and 434 lb·ft (588 N·m) at 3200-5200 rpm.[16] According to independent dynamometer tests, the GT-R produces 416 hp (310 kW) to 475 hp (354 kW) and 414 lb·ft (561 N·m) to 457 lb·ft (620 N·m) at the wheels.[17][18] The engine also meets California Air Resources Board Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards.[19] A curb weight of 1,730 kg (3,800 lb) or 1,736 kg (3,830 lb) with side curtain airbags is achieved using a jig welded steel chassis with aluminum used for the hood, trunk, and doors.[20] A rear mounted six-speed BorgWarner dual clutch semi-automatic transmission is used in conjunction with the ATTESA E-TS system to provide power to all four wheels and along with Nissan’s Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC-R) aids in stability. Three shift modes can also be selected for various conditions. The GT-R has a drag coefficient of 0.27.[21]

* Displacement: V6 3,799 cc (3.8 L; 231.8 cu in)
* Horsepower: 480 bhp (360 kW) at 6400 rpm* 485 bhp (362 kW)**
* Torque: 430 lb·ft (580 N·m)* 434 lb·ft (588 N·m)**
* Twin Turbo maximum boost: 17.8 psi (123 kPa)*
* Redline: 7000 rpm
* Drivetrain: Premium Midship AWD
* Curb weight: estimated 3,800 lb (1,700 kg)*
* Production: 2500 units per year (US)
* Price: US$76,840 to US$80,090[22]
* Top Speed: 193 mph (311 km/h)*

Fall in Love with Nissan

Just back from Bedford Autodrome where I have had one of the best days ever !! In over 15 years of Track days and my time as a professional Rally Driver I must say I am in love again with Mr Nissan’s finest, the GTR !!!

As some of you are aware my mildly modified GTR has taken on a Full Miltek Stainless Steel Exhaust System to a) get the exhaust gases away faster, b) help the Turbo’s spool up quicker and c) reduce the noise to get onto the crazy noise policed UK circuits!

Firstly to report that with the Miltek “Y” pipe in place, even though she sounded absolutely fantastic she was within a hairs breath of the noise limit at Bedford (drive by at 87.5db) she was @ 86.8. However, now the Full Miltek Stainless Steel Exhaust System she was at a drive by on full chat at a miserly 82db. So, more performance and less noise!!! It’s sh*t, but that’s the fact of this fantastic sh*t country we live in !!

Anyway to the meat in the sandwich, the car was amazing, the Bridgestone’s will deffo want replacing as I really hammered them today to get my every penny’s worth !

The Alcons held up extremely well, even better than I had hoped. Fantastic and YES worth every penny !! I could haul her down from 160mph through the chicane on the back straight to take the chicane at about 100mph and then another spurt to the “horrible” 180 hairpin (2nd gear, arse out!!).

I used a full tank full + my 2 x 25 ltr Jerry cans and then a fill up on circuit and did 140 Track miles – as I say what a day !!!

She will be going to Iain to have a post track shake down and a little birthday present !! LOL

Have fun, life is too short !!

2010 Nissan GT-R R35 . . . Number 1 Sports Car

2009 International Car of the Year. The Nissan GT-R has been rated the coolest trend car of today by the very famous german car magazine “Auto Bild”. Nissan claims the GT-R can reach a top speed of 192 mph (309 km/h), Motor Trend recorded a top speed of 195. 0 mph (313. 8 km/h). It has been tested to achieve 0-60 mph (97 km/h) times as low as 3. 2 seconds with launch control and 3. 9 seconds without (improved to 3. 5 seconds in models produced since March 2009). Autocar achieved a 0-100 mph (160 km/h) time of 8. 5 seconds. With a manufacturer claimed lap time of 7:26:7 min on standard Japanese market tires, the GT-R is currently one of the fastest production cars to lap the Nürburgring circuit. The GT-R currently holds a lap time of 1:19. 7 around the Top Gear Test Track, equalling that of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia. Road & Track were able to achieve quick lap times with the car on Buttonwillow Raceway, clocking in approximately 5 seconds faster than the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo. On Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, Edmunds were able to achieve lap times that were approximately 1 second slower than a Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 with the GT-R. Several automotive journalists, including Chris Harris of Autocar, Jethro Bovingdon of Evo, and Jason Barlow of Top Gear (magazine) have compared the GT-R to the Bugatti Veyron. Harris and Bovingdon both labeled the GT-R a “baby Veyron” in their respective comparison tests of the car.

Nissan Skyline GT-R R35 Is Ready For 21st Century Release

The Skyline GT-R R35 is intended to accomplish for Nissan in the 21st century what the R34 began in the previous century. Since the introduction of the formidable Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 in 1999, Nissan learned just how popular a car could be that retained a body design comparable with the majority of mass produced cars, yet included the credentials of a race car that allowed it to make other, more expensive, fast road cars appear lacking in outright performance. To this end the GT-R R34 has been a complete success and, for the 21st century, Nissan are intending to introduce the Skyline GT-R R35.

Any motor manufacturer with an intention of making its mark early in the 21st century needs to recognise that technology is going to play a key role in what consumers want. The technology referred to has nothing to do with CD or DVD players, or even the latest advances in mobile communications. It's to do with a car being able to accelerate, corner and behave in a manner that will thrill rather than frighten its driver. If the Nissan Skyline GT-R-R34 is anything, it's a measure by which people will expect the Skyline GT-R R35 to better.

The Nissan Skyline R35 is one of those rare pieces of machinery able to generate genuine admiration. The Nissan has a way of unashamedly announcing its presence courtesy of a very vocal deep, barrelled growl that emanates from a powerful in-line 6, Twin Turbo motor. When the Skyline GT-R R35 finally shows up in front of you, there is no doubt that it flaunts an appearance that mostly defies good taste. Huge scoops, deep ducts and one of the tallest road going rear spoilers that you are likely to see anywhere, warn you not to entertain any notion of entering into a traffic lights Grand Prix with it. When Nissan decided to build the Skyline GT-R R34 the word subtle never got included. Do not expect the Skyline GT-R R35 to be any different.

Nissan developed the Skyline GT-R series in order to achieve the best possible compromise between performance, accommodation and daily use possible for a very fast road car. Manufacturers that continue to strive towards achieving this ambition can be found in many major countries throughout the world, but few of them can claim as much success as Nissan.

The Skyline GT-R R35 is to be sold in more countries than its predecessor which is a good thing for the global community because ti will allow more of us to become acquainted with this superb machine. With performance uppermost in the minds of most would-be buyers it's worthy to note that the previous standard Skyline GT-R-R34 was capable of 155 mph and a 0-60 below 5.5 seconds. The Skyline GT-R R35 will likely do better. However, with dramatic acceleration and a high top speed. Competitors could argue that their machines can do the same or even better. If a fast car's performance related to just its straight line capabilities, the argument would be won by competitors. However, the Skyline GT-R R35 will, like its predecessors, be endowed with the ability to seemingly straighten bends or curves so that it will appear they were a figment of the drivers imagination as he speeds through, unless of course you're in a car behind that's not a Skyline GT-R R35.

Nissan hopes that by entering new markets with the Skyline GT-R R35 people who might ordinarily opt for famous sporting marques may actually be tempted by something new and individual. Although, Nissan does not possess a name commonly associated with performance machines the likes of Porsche or Ferrari, the GT-R R34 distinguished itself very well, and if the future Skyline GT-R R35 is able to mirror its predecessor, Nissan might yet become a name synonymous with fast road cars. As an aside the Nissan can accommodate four passengers, so the potential to thrill more than a single passenger my be yet another good enough reason to choose this superb car in favour of anything else?

Two More GT-Rs Run 9’s and New Records All Round

A huge day for GT-R drag racing enthusiasts with not one but two more GT-Rs entering the mega exclusive 9 second R35 GT-R club.

A lonely club it was for the single GT-R in it until today when SP Engineering smashed the record and dug deep into the 9’s with a amazing 9.62 @ 150.75mph at SpeedWorld drag strip in Arizona, USA. That is seriously moving.

It was quickly followed by NAGTROC member Hing (rsfootball) who had an amazing day as well running back to back 9’s with a best of 9.8 @ 148mph.

Both of these cars feature the GReddy TD06-20g twin-turbo upgrade kit and were running the 18″ drag radials on Volk TE37 wheels for the best runs.

The SP Engineering car also has further modifications to the engine including:

GReddy Intercooler
CP Pisons with coating (standard sized)
Carrillo Conrods
1000cc Injectors
SP Engineering Fuel Pump Setup w/FPR
TiTek Titanium Race Midpipe
TiTek Titanium Race Exhaust
Cobb AccessPORT
With all that said though, the clutches remain stock. You can actually check out their massive engine overhaul photo thread on their website here for pics of the engine components.

Hing’s car on the other hand is slightly milder, while it does have the same GReddy TD06-20g twin turbo kit, its still running standard internals… Yep a standard motor, upgraded fuel system, Cobb AcessPORT, GReddy Titanium Exhaust and Dodson Motorsport/Exedy upgraded clutch packs! There’s more to it than that but I’ll let Hing decide if he wants to divulge the rest over on NAGTROC…

On this setup, and his own 20″ drag radials, he was running back to back 9.9’s. It was when he switched out to the 18″ drag radials that he dipped into the 9.8’s.

For these runs, both cars were running C16 fuel the track temps were around 120° F and air temps were about 80°F.

Congrats to Hing, SP Engineering and everyone involved in this huge success!

R33 V R35 The Answer !!!

Hi all, well yesterday I finally go to do it!!

Not only was I one (two) of the Guinness Book of Records breakers for the New World Record for the most Skylines on Track at any one time, but I got to put BEUT (my R33 GTR V Spec running 600bhp atw) up against Nissan’s finest, Scarlet (a Vibrant Red R35 running 550bhp)

I had four track sessions on the NEW Southern Circuit layout with Silverstone Circuit Organisers. The “show” was organised by ISTS, The International Styling and Tuning Show and I was there with The Skyline Owners Club for the World Record Attempt.

As per usual it was a little manic as these three organisations seemed (Hmmm, I know) not to have actually talked to each other and the organisation wasn’t err, spot on, but hey ho.

What you really want to know is which one was faster!!!

After the briefing session, which I must say was the shortest briefing I had ever attended, which was good as after we finally got parked up in “our” Skyline spot at 8-45am, we then had to traverse half way across Silverstone to sign on by 9-15am for the 10-00am session.

I had two of my closest friends and trusted Track Day drivers with me, John Barnes (No, not the footballer) who drove BEUT to Silverstone on Saturday evening with me driving Scarlet, and Nick aka “The Paddyman” turned up on Sunday morning. I won’t go into the shenanigans of Nick getting into Silverstone, suffice to say he had some extra exercise!

The first session of the day was “ever so quiet” and gave us, John and I, time to acclimatise to the new layout, and what a layout it is, new smooth tarmac and nice sweeping corners, with some very nasty curb stones NOT rumble strips!! WATCH OUT !

On the long back straight I tried to indicate to John to get in 3rd gear and I would pull along side him and we could carry out a “performance test”. The only issue with that was that he didn’t see my 3 fingers as my passenger’s head was in the way and he was in 4th gear, so Scarlet and I took off LOL.

We swapped places several times (by consent) and at that point I knew that this wasn’t going to be a case of one car would get left behind, in fact it was very much dog eat dog.

We returned to the “pits”, well our bit of tarmac amongst the other 260 + Skyline’s and had a chat. Nick finally arrived inside Silverstone and was looking over BEUT and was making comments such as “You must be mad putting both your cars out there” and “hats off to you my friend………………….. you bloody fool”

Whilst explaining to Nick the further modifications I had carried out to BEUT since the last time he saw her (when I went to visit his house and we couldn’t get her over the speed bumps in his road) I noticed that John still had the adjustable Tein Flex suspension setting in “comfort” mode i.e. everything soft, if you can ever have soft in a GTR. However, as we know it shows up out on track and then John started was giving me the excuses etc etc.

Anyway, 11-00am and Nick’s turn out in BEUT. I adjusted the harnesses and suspension setting to what I thought would be best for a now warming track and the sticky Toyo R888’s and off we went.

This time we had a plan. I would lead and when we had cleared the “debris” (the other Skylines, Chavs and Chavesses) we would pull along side each other after coming out of the corner, select 3rd gear and give it the beans ;-)

Bloody hell I thought, this is F’in ridiculous!! My12 year old Nissan Skyline R33 GTR V Spec keeping up with me, neck and neck, No wonder David Yu didn’t shake me off his tail at Castle Combe. There was NOTHING and I mean nothing in it at all.

BEUT was should to shoulder with the GTR. We approached the fast corner at the end of the long back straight. We had a made an agreement that who ever was in front would take the corner first, trouble was no one was in front, we were fast approaching 140mph.

Nick through the power of thought, my thought, started to brake, as I knew, and this was probably one of the few things that did separate the two cars, Scarlet had better braking potential (Alcon racing brakes at 400mm) and I could haul her down quicker, not much, but enough to just out brake BEUT into the corner, phew. Not necessarily a heart stopping moment but enough to the get more adrenalin flowing.

The other area’s that the R35 is “better” is at high-speed stability, you can feel the ground affects working and the car just squats into and out of the corners.

John proclaimed the difference when he was a passenger in Scarlet and Nick was driving BEUT.

He said, “BEUT is just raw, savage power, brutish and takes no prisoners”. Scarlet is much more linear in her power delivery. I said after my first drive in a GTR it felt, still feels like a highly tuned V8 with a super charger (just wish I could have the noise associated with that!!) So smooth and so, so very quick.

From that point on it was a nose to tail dogfight, 10 laps of it. Neither car could pass the other, a testament to my 12 years of personal R&D on BEUT.

We then had the Skyline parade of over 260 cars in their respective groups of R32’s, R33’s R34’s and one, yes one R35, holding her head up high. There was another R35 there but it was one of these funny Chrome wrapped thingy’s!! You know, show, pose and no go. LOL

I had another 2 sessions at 3-00pm and 4-00pm with John driving BEUT with the correct suspension set up and it was exactly the same. No matter how hard we both tried, unless one of us let the other through there was no way we were going to past each other.

Even when I tried some deft interesting lines whilst trying to avoid some kitty litter which had been spewn onto the track by another R33 that John was hustling and he wasn’t paying attention to the track as he saw two very fast GTR’s in his rear view mirror and missed the corner (sorry who ever you were, but you wouldn’t move over!!!)

The rest of the Chavs & Chavesses were subsequently annihilated!!

What a fantastic day. We done to the SOC for the attempt and I am sure New World Record

BEUT is still up for sale, but I still have fun in her and she will only go to a good (GTROC or SOC member) home. I may be playing again this Friday at Castle Combe if anyone would like to join me or just come along?

Skyline GTR R35 Debut

Making its debut at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon the Tommy Kaira “Ebbrezza-R” demo car offered Nissan R35 (GT-R) enthusiasts a taste of what the future of Nissan GT-R styling has in store…that is for the select few that can actually afford to acquire this very unique vehicle styling package.

Taking into account the Nissan GT-R’s elusive nature (reportedly Nissan can only output 1000 units per month to fill orders taken world-wide: among the 700 or so GT-R Certified Nissan dealers in the United States, only 300 GT-R units are allocated for 2011) and at a suggested retail price starting around $85,000 (rumours abound that the GT-R will only be offered in the premium package), acquisition of this body kit will make your rare GT-R even rarer still and catapult you into the realm of the exotic car elite.

Mines 2009 Nissan GT-R R35

Here are some info about Nissan Skyline GTR R35 Mines 2009

The Nissan GT-R busted onto the automotive scene exactly three years ago at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. It was Nissan's return to the high-performance market and their answer to the Porsche 911 Turbo. It boasted performance equal (and sometimes more) to cars costing twice as much. In the past three years, it's proven itself to be one of the fastest production cars around any racetrack.

Thus tuning the R35 was thought to be an unwavering challenge and the entire car would be an absolute black box, which turned out to be true - to a point. We heard nightmares about the car going nuts after attempting to tune the ECU, cars going off course because they installed an aftermarket suspension system and cars coming out of a tuning shop actually going slower than stock.

Niikura has been tinkering with Nissan's for more than 20 years and he has become one of the top respected GT-R tuners in the world. The Yokusuka tuner's signature pearl white R32 to R34 GT-Rs are all over YouTube (go ahead, search for them now) and have become legendary everywhere around the world.
Mine's was one of the first tuners to get their hands on the R35 when the car first came out in late 2007. Surprisingly they already had parts and a demo car displayed a month later at the 2008 Tokyo Auto Salon in January. When they were done playing with it in Japan, they sent the car over to GTChannel.com in Los Angeles to shoot videos stateside.

Going back to the GT-R being a car not suited for tuning, Niikura and his team were well aware of this concept behind the car. But it didn't faze him because Mine's own concept has always been to enhance the natural characteristics of the stock car and not just adding crazy features. So if Nissan was skeptical about aftermarket tuning, why not just concentrate on improving what Nissan had already done?
For example: if you change the shape of the front fender and rear wing it may slow down the vehicle. Mine's choice was to leave the shape as it was. However, Mine's changed the material of the front lip spoiler, front grill, front canards and rear wing to carbon-fiber to make it lighter. The intake duct covers and the roof antenna for the GPS are also carbon. As you can see intricate details go into the goal of making a lighter and faster car.

Mine's carefully chose what they wanted to do to improve the overall performance of the GT-R. The ECU was something Mine's specializes in and once they cracked it, they took full advantage of it by increasing performance and improving engine response. The engine itself is stock but covered underneath a black carbon engine cover. The air filter is Mine's VX Air filter. A new lightweight titanium exhaust system was added to compliment the increased outage from the new settings from the ECU. Now there's 550bhp at 6400rpm from 480bhp at 6400rpm stock.
Despite being blistering fast, the Mine's GT-R is very drivable and gentle on the streets. That's until you step on the gas. It rockets out like a rollercoaster, recording only 3.0 seconds to get up to 60mph and puts most cars to shame on the 1/4 mile marking 11.1 seconds.

Mine's coilovers are manufactured by Eibach to improve the handling and minimize understeer. The lower stance with the combination of the Bridgestone Potenzas makes turning much quicker.