Nissan, without a
doubt, has done it. Under the distinct orders of CEO Carlos Ghosn,
Nissan created the ultimate affordable supercar. A car that straight
from the factory will annihilate exotics costing twice as much. "The
GT-R," as Ghosn says, "Is a car you can use everyday; a car that can be
driven by anyone, anywhere." But the question the guys over at Nismo
asked themselves, is how will this technological marvel handle the more
demanding world of motorsport. We're not talking about the GT-R
currently racing-and leading-the Super GT series, after all, those race
cars have very little in common with the road going GT-R. But more along
the lines of production-car based endurance racing; something akin to
Group N or the Super Taikyu championship. And this is a good question
indeed because with all the novel technology and components that the
GT-R brings to the table, nobody really knows how it will all take to
the abuse of endurance racing. To find out, Nismo joined forces with the
Motul oil company and set out to create the car you see here: the first
production-based GT-R race car in the world.
There is nothing that tests the durability of a car and its
products like endurance racing. Nismo knows this more than anyone, and
building this GT-R provided the opportunity to not only explore its
potential as a race machine, but also to simulate all the abuse (and
then some) their aftermarket products would encounter at the hands of
street-going enthusiasts. Motul, which for years has had a very close
relationship with Nismo, used the GT-R's all-new VR38DETT as a
high-demand test bed for the development of new lubricants, which would
likewise find their ways into circuit racing and onto store shelves. And
the best place for the two to collaborate: the yearly Tokachi 24-hour
endurance race, held at the famed circuit in Hokkaido, in northern
Japan.
As this was the first race in which Nismo would enter an R35, the
goals were kept reasonable. According to Race Team Director Kumagai-san,
"We wanted to complete the full 24 hours of racing, allowing us to
properly test the Motul competition oils and Nismo parts." After
overcoming some unforeseen mechanical glitches of fielding an all-new
car, the Nismo team managed to finish in 21st position, achieving what
they set out to do in their first outing.
To find out what
kind of preparation went into the first endurance GT-R, we headed over
to the Nismo Omori Factory headquarters in Tokyo. Since the main scope
of the project was to see how close to factory spec an R35 would handle
the stresses of a 24 hour race, the engine and transmission were left
mostly stock. What wasn't, however, was the GT-R's cooling faculties; In
addition to the factory oil cooler, a secondary unit was added on the
passenger side of the car, and a custom aluminum air guide was fabbed to
channel as much air through it as possible. The radiator and overflow
tanks were replaced with Nismo custom aluminum units, to keep
temperatures consistent at sustained high engine speeds, and a
rear-mounted transmission oil cooler was thrown in the mix for good
measure. To keep tabs on the effects of it all, additional temperature
and pressure sensors were added throughout the GT-R, monitored by a
Nismo LCD Data Logger.
Because the R35 was built as a dedicated track car, its bulky OE
A/C equipment was given the boot, and its factory blow-off valves were
remove and their mounting points on the intake pipes plated off-fewer
things to go wrong, as they say. Likewise, the stock exhaust was ruled
out by the Nismo team, but minding the elevated temperatures of the
GT-R's rearward transmission and differential during sustained track
abuse, they elected to fabricate a replacement unit fully from titanium,
wrap it with heat-radiant material, and couple it with a complementary
carbon-fiber rear diffuser. It's a one-off system, but can be purchased
through Nismo, for a scant $19,000.
The Nismo team's
philosophy of improving functionality and cutting weight by eliminating
the unnecessary holds throughout the GT-R's interior; nearly everything,
save for the dash exterior and center console, was stripped and
disposed of. A (one) carbon fiber bucket seat and airbag-less Nismo
steering wheel were dropped in for the front OE units, and where the
switches for the climate control and audio systems used to be, Nismo
fabricated a carbon switch-panel for the electronics. A closer look
reveals a polished, production-ready look to the components; something
we hope to see adorned in the upcoming V Spec (or Spec V?) model.
Chassis prep and structural enrichment of the GT-R began in the
interior as well. A bolt-in roll cage was added for extra safety and
rigidity, and modified to accommodate an air jack system. Surprisingly,
no stitch welding was performed on any parts of the chassis, as Nismo
believes the stock shell is stiff enough from the factory. On the
exterior, a one-off carbon-fiber hood, trunk lid and side mirrors shed
more weight and reduce drag, and even the small, rear side glass was
replaced with lighter acrylic items-all totaled, good enough for a 100kg
weight savings over stock. The OE coilover suspension, despite its
aggressive spring rates and electronically-adjustable dampers, was
replaced by Nismo-spec Bilstein double bump- and rebound-adjustable
stand-ins, with undisclosed spring rates and damper settings-it is,
afterall, a competition car.
The whole front section was redesigned to not only offer increased
airflow-thanks to the new vents-but to also protect the newly added
cooling devices, and channel incoming air where it could be put to best
use. Small carbon air intakes were carved into the front lip/splitter
and wheel arches to direct cool air towards the front brakes; brakes
that, surprisingly, were left stock, aside from the addition of
high-endurance pads. Bridgestone supplied Nismo with full 20-inch
versions of their Potenza RE-55S semi-slick R-compound tire, 255/40 up
front and 285/35 in the rear (same size as OEM rubber), mounted to
all-new Nismo six-spoke wheels, forged by Rays Engineering; the same
rims that have been seen fitted on the V Spec test mule that decimated
Nurburgring records a few months back, and ones with which we hope
Nissan elects to endow the car come production. For all you current
GT-R owners, fear not; the rollers are available as part of a new Nismo
"Chassis Package", which also includes an aggressively tuned suspension
and a fresh set of RE070 tires-all for a bargain of $22,150. And if you
really want to go crazy, you can get yourself the full "Club Sport
Package" which adds the titanium exhaust system, the Chassis Package,
and a pair of carbon-fiber Nismo leather buckets, for only $32,850 more.
A little steep, but hey-if it's good enough to battle 24-hour endurance
races, think of what it can do for your daily commute.
Behind The Build
Head to the message boards
at www.importtuner.com to chat
about this feature Vehicle
Name.
Nismo/motul
Age.
O.G.
Hometown.
Tokyo, Japan
Occupation.
Making your car better
Hobbies.
Winning races
Build Time.
Less than a year
Feedback.
N/A
Quote.
"Performance creator, 24 hours at once!"
'08 Nissan GT-R
Output 480 PS @ 6,400 RPM 60 KGM @ 3,200 RPM~5,200 RPM
Weight 1,640 KG
Engine Standard VR38DETT, Blocked off
recirculating blow-off valves; Nismo titanium exhaust system with heat
wrapping, secondary large-core oil cooler, braided oil lines and
aluminium fittings all round, A/C removal, radiator overflow tank,
quick-fill fuel system; Motul lubricants
Drivetrain Nismo transmission & rear differential cooler; Motul lubricants
Suspension Nismo-spec fully adjustable Bilstein suspension
Wheels/Tires Rays Engineering Nismo 6-spoke wheels
(20x9.5 front, 20x10.5 rear); Bridgestone Potenza RE55 tires (255/40-20
front, 285/35-20 rear)
Brakes Carbon fiber air guides; endurance brake pads; Motul fluid
Exterior Modified front grille with additional air
inlets; carbon fiber brake vents, side mirrors, hood, trunk lid; front
and rear tow hooks; acrylic side window; roof antenna for P.A. system
Interior Stripped interior; air jack system; Nismo
LCD data logger, FIA-approved bolt-in roll cage, carbon fiber racing
seat, alcantara steering wheel; Nismo/Willans racing harnesses; Removal
of A/C and audio controls; carbon fiber center console with switchgear,
dash trim; fire extinguisher system
Via : Importtuner.com
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