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Gautam Sharma5 Sept 2013
NEWS

SPY PICS: Nissan GT-R Nismo

Go-faster GT-R may threaten the Bugatti Veyron with a 0-100km/h sprint in the low two-second range

Nissan’s Nismo-fettled GT-R is edging closer to production, and these Automedia images reveal a test mule being given the beans at the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

To quickly recap, Nismo is Nissan’s go-faster arm and its take on the GT-R is tipped to elevate the all-paw coupe’s performance potential to Bugatti Veyron-baiting levels.

The standard GT-R is already one of the world's quickest supercars, with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 2.7 seconds bettering -- on paper at least -- even Porsche's upcoming 911 Turbo S (3.1 seconds) -- but the 2.5-second Veyron remains the benchmark.

The Nismo GT-R is expected to debut at November’s Tokyo motor show, and it will land in showrooms in selected markets early next year.

“The Nissan GT-R Nismo is the GT-R with which we pursue pure performance,” says Hiroshi Tamura, Nissan GT-R and Nismo chief product specialist.

“It is for people who search for true performance with pure motorsports flavour. Its development is on schedule, and I can’t wait to see the model introduced into the markets.”

Although this prototype has been camouflaged with a TV-static-mimicking disguise, it’s still possible to discern the bespoke front fascia with its lower splitter, along with the sidesill extensions and massive rear wing.

The rear bumper/diffuser also appears to differ from the standard car, and this test mule is clearly riding lower than the stocker.

No tech details are as yet known, but it’s likely the donor car’s 404kW/628Nm 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 will be warmed over to eke out at least 425kW and 650Nm.

According to some UK reports, this will yield a 0-100km/h sprint as rapid as 2.1 seconds, thanks partly to weight-saving measures to reduce the GT-R’s near-1800kg girth.

It’s believed the extra performance will come at a substantial cost though, with the Nismo GT-R commanding a hefty premium over the standard car.

Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn is adamant the Nismo GT-R is a must-have addition to the range.

“It would be unthinkable for us to develop a range of Nismo road cars without including the GT-R,” he said.

“The standard road car is a global supercar and the GT-R’s performance on track reflects the passion and talents of the Nismo team. The GT-R Nismo will be special.”

The GT-R Nismo will follow in the wheel tracks of the Nismo-fettled Juke, 370Z and Micra, none of which have been made available in Australia.

Nissan has sold more than 3700 Juke Nismos in Europe, Japan and North America since its launch in January this year, and the Z Nismo has also been a steady seller even though the 370Z on which it’s based is now four-and-a-half years old.

“We are delighted to see that our Nismo models are well perceived by the markets," said Nismo boss Shoichi Miyatani. “We are encouraged to introduce further models into the markets, which will surely provide additional thrills and excitement to customers’ lives.”

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Written byGautam Sharma
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