Nissan is back at the Nurburgring this week with the 2009 GT-R, and according to our shooters on the scene the engineers are once again aiming for new lap records. We heard the initial goal was to beat the current 911 Turbo, but now they're aiming even higher.
While the Turbo laps the Nordschleife in 7:40, the Porsche Carrera GT has reportedly done it in just 7:28 at hands of Walter Roehl. Nissan is supposedly gunning for the GT, but they'll need a perfect lap to beat that time...
Also worth noting is the newly uncovered front end which shows all the details of the GT-R's styling. It's also the first time we've seen the official "GT-R" badge on the back. And check out that interior too.
rad180 says:
11:34 AM, 09/24/07
Weird that the badge shows up on the rear through the masking. Maybe nothing has been covered up from the get go and the flat black is part of the production model. Even the new GT5 video game has the black front and back. Kidding, but seriously... what up?
carboy28 says:
01:25 PM, 09/24/07
I'm guessing they're trying to get as light as possible with their camo without completely showing what the car's going to look like.
estreka says:
02:39 PM, 09/24/07
Are those 4" tailpipes!? They look huge! They're almost as big as the taillights.
The interior seems to be a carryover from the previous Skyline. That's a good thing.
Despite the fact that I'll never be able to afford one of these, I gotta say I'm getting pretty excited.
cah11705 says:
03:19 PM, 09/24/07
looks very good
and if its as fast as the hand timed laps look it will be an insanely good car
billt9 says:
05:37 PM, 09/24/07
I need money now.
I'm going to die from lust.
daytona_500 says:
08:14 PM, 09/24/07
7:28 sounds like they're really trying to stretch it, and I doubt they'll make it. The Carrera GT was way faster. Did the Skyline manage to beat the Z06's time? Dont remember what that was.
I'm really excited about seeing this car at Tokyo, it's been a long two years and so far it looks like it was worth it.
carboy28 says:
08:20 AM, 09/25/07
If I'm not mistaken, the Z06's time was 7:42, so yes, it would have beat it by :04
blueguydotcom says:
10:23 AM, 09/25/07
Wow that car has one big, fat rearend. That thing's back end makes the 350z look as slender as a reed.
importjap says:
10:25 AM, 09/25/07
Simply fantastic. The cost-to-kick-ass ratio on this thing is going to be stellar.
blueguydotcom says:
02:27 PM, 09/25/07
Cost to ability is sensational, no doubt.
way2goslick says:
06:13 AM, 09/26/07
$80K for this thing? You've got to be kidding me! I just don't understand people's fascination with fart mobiles. I think you guys have watched the Fast and the Furious movies one too many times!
ateixeira says:
08:03 AM, 09/26/07
F&F was about cars that pretend to do what this car actually does.
Plus, that was 1/4 mile drags, this is the 'ring, totally different.
blueguydotcom says:
08:15 AM, 09/26/07
way2go, if the car (57k) will pull the ring in a time comparable to a 911 Turbo (150k), then what's so hard to understand? The performance and value equation is clearly on the side of the Nissan.
desmolicious says:
01:06 PM, 09/26/07
I thought that Edmunds wrote elsewhere that the base model is $57k, the top line version would be $94K which is a huge jump. If it is the $94k version that is being used to get all the numbers, then where is the performance bargain?
The upcoming super Vette and latest Viper are both similar money.
way2goslick says:
03:10 PM, 09/26/07
OK...I'll concede a bit here...$30K -ish Nissan 350Z 308hp, beautiful lines, decent fuel economy for a sports car = COOL
$57K-$94K Nissan Skyline, 480 (unsable in the real world) hp, ugly, bloated, didn't mention ugly? = NOT COOL
hondacura4 says:
02:40 PM, 09/28/07
2002 Honda NSX-R 7:48 around the ring.
r33 says:
06:02 PM, 09/28/07
the model used for tests are the base one ,and will cost here in japan 7.750,000 yens whith turns into 74.000 u,s, i guess.
the EVO version will go turnning the 90.000 dollars,but its a complete different car.
this one (the base one) did the ring on the mark of 7 min and 37 secs ,faster then the 997 turbo already.
its not a beauty like the porsche in my opinion,but will be very hard to beat this car on a race .track or street!
r33 says:
06:06 PM, 09/28/07
and can someone explain to me whats a fartmobile is?
hondacura4 says:
09:27 PM, 09/28/07
way2goslick, what makes you think the 480hp is unusable? There are plenty of cars sold that make that kind of power and more so does that make them unsuable too?
way2goslick says:
07:47 AM, 10/ 2/07
r33 - fartmobiles are imports with those stupid huge mufflers that make that awful exhaust note that resembles a fart. The drivers of these things would argue that it sounds 'mean', but I have yet to hear a fart that sounds 'mean'.
hondacura4 - As far as everyday driving on streets, any car with over 350hp is overkill.
This vehicle would be fine on the track, but very pompous/pretentious on the streets. Give me a 350Z Enthusiast model and $35,000 cash and I'll be just as happy as any GT-R owner.