Preview: Nissan GT-R

By High Gear Media Staff

High Gear Media Staff

  BIO

High Gear Media is a vertical content company publishing more premium automotive pages than anyone in the world through websites targeting key buyer... More

LATEST ARTICLE
The Cost of Car Insurance
Liability insurance is like Mafia protection. It's a pain in the neck, it's expensive and you'd... Read More

• N/ALEADERBOARD RANK
• 3807ARTICLES CONTRIBUTED
• 0COMMENTS POSTED

1,320 views Dec 2, 2005

2005 Nissan GT-R concept

Better take a good look at these pictures of Nissan’s GT-R Proto. The sharp-edged concept car was the star of last month's Tokyo Motor Show. But a well-placed source at Nissan tells TheCarConnection the Proto is going back under the covers and won't be seen again until late 2007, when the next-generation GT-R goes into production.

The GT-R is one of the most feared and admired performance cars ever built by a Japanese automaker, appearing both on track and in the showroom. The badge has been worn by a variety of different Nissan models, starting way back in 1969, though perhaps the strongest entry was introduced in 1989. Codenamed R32, the version based on Nissan’s Skyline quickly dominated the Japan Touring Car Group A racing series. In fact, it went undefeated in its first four years and 29 races. The car continued its campaign overseas, scoring victories in endurance races at some of the toughest European tracks, including Spa and the Nuerburgring.

An updated edition, dubbed R33, stayed in production from 1995 through 1998. In 1999, the automaker launched the third version of the GT-R, known to aficionados as — no surprise — the R34. Last sold in 2002, various versions were putting out well in excess of 500 horsepower.

The GT-R was primarily aimed at the home Japanese market, and it was never homologated to comply with U.S. emissions and safety standards. But four years ago, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn announced plans to redesign the GT-R as a global offering.

The version unveiled in Tokyolast month was “the crystallization of all our technologies,” said Nissan’s new chief operating officer, Toshiyuki Shiga.

Twin turbos and 450 hp

Exactly what those technologies will be, Nissan isn’t saying, though insiders reveal the production version due out as a 2008 model will likely feature a twin-turbo V-6 displacing somewhere between 3.5 and 3.8 liters. Look for something “in excess of 450 horsepower.” Well in excess.