MY2015 Nissan GT-R updates
A little more GT and little less R says Nissan with the latest R35 update
Rays wheels mark out the NISMO track edition
Building on last year's revisions that had a similar intention, the GT-R should now possess a 'more mature, civilised attitude'. The dampers have been modified to 'improve cornering stability' and reduce steering corrections on rough road, perhaps in response to the observations of tramlining in the current car. The material and inner structure of the tyres is also different to again improve stability and ride quality.
Nissan says the MY15 GT-R has 'retuned' engine and transmission management systems in that pursuit of greater mechanical refinement. The clearance between the the transaxle and driveshaft has been modified as well which aims to reduce vibration coming on and off the throttle. Interestingly, there is not even one additional horsepower. There, that's got your attention back. Now you'll remember the new flywheel housing bearing, optimised steering dynamic damper and new boot carpet material (really, that made the press release). Looks like there are some slightly fussier wheels available too.
Silica Bronze 45th Anniversary car just for Japan
In all honesty it doesn't sound like the GT-R will be suddenly being transformed into Continental GT by these latest updates. But a car that retains all we love about the GT-R with an additional layer of usability must surely be a good thing.
The MY2015 GT-R goes on sale in Japan next February. Full UK spec and prices are expected to be confirmed soon; for reference the MY14 car costs from £78,020 over here and we'd be surprised is next year's car was significantly more. And if you're wondering why there's a beige GT-R in the story, that's the MY15 '45th Anniversary' GT-R and the colour is in fact 'Silica Brass'. GT-R geeks will know it as the colour first seen on the 2001 R34 M-Spec, a car originally billed as the 'GT-R that satisfies the mature driver'. Who wants a Micra for the post office trip when you could use a GT-R? This new Silica Brass car is based on the Premium Edition GT-R and will be limited to just 45 suitably mature Japanese drivers.
Watch the launch film here.
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Could not be less keen. At 50k yes.
Fast Audi? Too ordinary.
Porsche? Too slow. A bit predictable.
Maserati? Not raw enough. Much slower.
There is nothing really like a GT-R to compare it with. So even at 80K, its a steal for the performance it offers
You haven't driven one have you?
GT-R buyers recognise that they have a car which changed everything when it was introduced and even now, 7 years on, is only just being equalled by the likes of Porsche.
The GT-R appeals to people who appreciate the fact that it was ( and probably still is ) a game changing car. At a technical level, the engineering behind the GT-R was simply astonishing back in 2007 and it is still way up there even now.
A Jaguar F Type, for example, is a donkey cart in comparison.
You either appreciate the GT-R tech ethos, or you don't.
You either appreciate the GT-R tech ethos, or you don't.
I would have one! But for some reason some aren't undunderstanding that I would never be able to stomach 80k for one. To many (including me) see the audi r8, Ferraris, 911's getting on to supercar, or almost. When I look at a gtr I see a capable sports coupe.
Not to say I don't like them, it's like me saying I like minis but I could never pay 30k for one.
Lets be quite clear - the F Type may be a more desirable thing to many people and that is just fine and dandy - but the F Type absolutely IS a basic, low tech, rather crude thing - RWD, V8, slush box gears made on a regular platform.
The GT-R is every single bit as sophisticated as an R8, 911 or even a Ferrari. The GT-R in engineering terms is as sophisticated as cars twice its price. That is what makes it special. Even the engines are hand assembled and carry the name of the guy who assembled it.
I am not criticising people for having different tastes and opinions, that just fine. But the GT-R absolutely is not a "capable sports coupe". It genuinely shocked the world with its abilities when it was launched in 2007. It is still , in many respects, among the most technical masterpieces ever made.
By all means people can look at one and think it is just a big Datsun. Thats fine. But that is an ignorant position to take. When you make the effort to learn about the car, the people behind it and the way it is made, you would quickly change that position and appreciate the GT-R for what it is.
I am no GT-R fanboy. But I have been lucky enough to own some decent cars and I have driven most. IMO the GT-R is still one of the finest performance cars ever made. Few cars have stayed with me as long. Yes, a well sorted GT-R is THAT good.
I can only giggle with the thought at what the hybrid R36 is going to be like.
Lets be quite clear - the F Type may be a more desirable thing to many people and that is just fine and dandy - but the F Type absolutely IS a basic, low tech, rather crude thing - RWD, V8, slush box gears made on a regular platform.
The GT-R is every single bit as sophisticated as an R8, 911 or even a Ferrari. The GT-R in engineering terms is as sophisticated as cars twice its price. That is what makes it special. Even the engines are hand assembled and carry the name of the guy who assembled it.
I am not criticising people for having different tastes and opinions, that just fine. But the GT-R absolutely is not a "capable sports coupe". It genuinely shocked the world with its abilities when it was launched in 2007. It is still , in many respects, among the most technical masterpieces ever made.
By all means people can look at one and think it is just a big Datsun. Thats fine. But that is an ignorant position to take. When you make the effort to learn about the car, the people behind it and the way it is made, you would quickly change that position and appreciate the GT-R for what it is.
I am no GT-R fanboy. But I have been lucky enough to own some decent cars and I have driven most. IMO the GT-R is still one of the finest performance cars ever made. Few cars have stayed with me as long. Yes, a well sorted GT-R is THAT good.
I can only giggle with the thought at what the hybrid R36 is going to be like.
And it needs to be said that worries about transmission temperatures and the like are old history. That old chestnut was put to rest years ago.
Just like the 911, the GT-R has steadily evolved and any problems largely fixed. There is a reason why the car is popular in the US (where the lemon laws are strong and consumer attitude to problems is one of intolerance) and that is because the car works well.
Nissan started with a clean sheet of paper......
1) Why did they make the car so big?
2) Why did they make the car so heavy?
3) Why have they never offered it with a manual gearbox?
These are the 3 reasons i could never own one, especially the gearbox.
The car was one of the first to use the combination of a short stack of gears in a double clutch auto gearbox, 4 WD, a twin turbo optimised for low down torque and a lot of clever diffs and electronics to control power distribution and control slide and yaw angles. The weight of the car is not entirely unintentional - Nissan claim that they had a target weight for the car and argue that they actually didn't want the car too light.
The GT-R came up with this formula before Porsche did. The combination of a DSG type box with a stack of short gears , twin turbo torque, 4WD and clever diffs, is essentially why the car is so damn fast.
A manual box is the opposite to the design ethos.
Granted, this means the car is the opposite of what some enthusiasts want - I get that - but Nissans idea was to create something different, something to appeal to a different set of values.
Like I say, you either get the idea of it, or you don't.
To use a plane analogy, a GT-R in dark gray is like a car version of an F22 aircraft. Very hi tech, designed for a purpose and in the right circumstances, pretty formidable.
It certainly ain't no Caterham or even a Boxster, but it really is not meant to be. We should be glad it exists, even if its design ethos does not suit everyone.
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