Reno, Nevada - How can a car make such a strong first impression? The secret lies in its DNA. The all-new Nissan GT-R comes from a lineage of performance-oriented machines. Chief engineer Misuno San wanted it this way. As the Project Manager of Production and Development -- and backed by many years of experience with endurance race cars -- he was hoping to create "a sports car that could be driven by anyone, anytime, anywhere. A rational and affordable supercar designed with passion and emotion."
A bit of history
The letter "R" is a tribute to the 1965 R380, a race car that spawned a 160-hp street-legal variant. The first-ever GT-R rolled off the assembly lines in 1969, based on the Skyline sedan. Then, in 1971, the original GT-R coupe was introduced (and kept alive until 1973).
In 1989, Nissan resurrected the GT-R in the spirit of the glorious Skylines: the R32 coupe boasted an inline six-cylinder twin-turbo engine and all-wheel drive technology. A legend was born. Then came the R33, the first GT-R to complete a lap at Nürburgring in under 8 minutes, and the R34, which later became the performance icon in Sony's video games.
This time around, the GT-R is no longer a Skyline descendent but rather a separate, unique model.
Wind-slicing
Every line of the new GT-R was purposefully drawn. Designers met all the modern requirements while incorporating a good dose of racing heritage, not to mention extremely sleek and masculine lines as well as a unique roof arch. In fact, it looks like a baseball cap turned backwards, with all the air flowing toward the rear spoiler.
This is a Japanese car through and through. Everything was designed to improve aerodynamics, as evidenced by the remarkable 0.27 drag coefficient. Engineers shielded the underbody components to maximize the airflow underneath and increase downforce so as to glue the car to the road. The diffusers are made of carbon fiber and composite material.
Likewise, functional air vents work to optimize air management around the wheel wells and further cool the front brakes. The grille features large openings to bring cool air to the three functional radiators (water and oil) and spread it toward the back of the engine.
The high intensity discharge (HID) headlights are designed to provide superior lighting both in front and on the sides. Meanwhile, the circular taillights are a classic element of the car's DNA. As for the quad tailpipes, they convey a strong sense of power.
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| The all-new Nissan GT-R comes from a lineage of performance-oriented machines. |
A bit of history
The letter "R" is a tribute to the 1965 R380, a race car that spawned a 160-hp street-legal variant. The first-ever GT-R rolled off the assembly lines in 1969, based on the Skyline sedan. Then, in 1971, the original GT-R coupe was introduced (and kept alive until 1973).
In 1989, Nissan resurrected the GT-R in the spirit of the glorious Skylines: the R32 coupe boasted an inline six-cylinder twin-turbo engine and all-wheel drive technology. A legend was born. Then came the R33, the first GT-R to complete a lap at Nürburgring in under 8 minutes, and the R34, which later became the performance icon in Sony's video games.
This time around, the GT-R is no longer a Skyline descendent but rather a separate, unique model.
Wind-slicing
Every line of the new GT-R was purposefully drawn. Designers met all the modern requirements while incorporating a good dose of racing heritage, not to mention extremely sleek and masculine lines as well as a unique roof arch. In fact, it looks like a baseball cap turned backwards, with all the air flowing toward the rear spoiler.
This is a Japanese car through and through. Everything was designed to improve aerodynamics, as evidenced by the remarkable 0.27 drag coefficient. Engineers shielded the underbody components to maximize the airflow underneath and increase downforce so as to glue the car to the road. The diffusers are made of carbon fiber and composite material.
Likewise, functional air vents work to optimize air management around the wheel wells and further cool the front brakes. The grille features large openings to bring cool air to the three functional radiators (water and oil) and spread it toward the back of the engine.
The high intensity discharge (HID) headlights are designed to provide superior lighting both in front and on the sides. Meanwhile, the circular taillights are a classic element of the car's DNA. As for the quad tailpipes, they convey a strong sense of power.
 |
| The HID headlights are designed to provide superior lighting both in front and on the sides. |