Friday 16th October 2009

Nissan GT-R: Kazutoshi Mizuno Interview

Part I of PH's exclusive video interview with the Nissan GT-R program chief

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Last month PistonHeads was invited to visit Nissan's Nurburgring Technical Centre for an exclusive interview with the 'father of the GT-R', the car's program manager and chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno.

PH Editor Chris-R posed questions based on suggestions from the PH forums, and we captured Mizuno san's answers on camera. Check out the film clips below, for some fascinating insights into the mind of this famously single-minded chief engineer, and his philosophy about the GT-R project.

The fount of all GT-R knowledge very kindly answered all our questions in English, making frequent use of the office whiteboard to illustrate various points.

Without blowing the PH trumpet too loudly, we're forced to say that GT-R 'geekery' doesn't get much better than this. So pay attention class, and take it away Mizuno san..

Q1) For such a high performance machine, the GT-R is a big car and heavy one. Tell us why that is?

Q2) So what is the best way to reduce weight from the R35 to make it perform better?

Q3) In your previous answer, you seemed to be telling us the parameters of 1700kgs weight and 485hp were set from the beginning of the project, is that correct?

Q4) Why did you opt for a V6 engine, instead of an engine with more cylinders?

Q5) What about the transaxle - some competitors have seven or eight speeds, so why does the GT-R have only six?

Q6) The R34 had the HICAS rear wheel steering system. Why didn't that make it onto the latest GT-R?

[Dagnut]

Interesting that grip seems to have been the optimum from the outset...all other areas of the car where designed to fit this, engine size, position weight and power, gearbox, aerodynamics.