Following on major updates announced for the standard 2017 Nissan GT-R at the New York Auto Show, the automaker has taken the wraps off the even-more-intense Nismo version of its all-wheel-drive super coupe. Like the GT-R Premium, the more potent 2017 GT-R Nismo complements its bolder appearance and more accommodating cabin with additional performance changes that upgrade its dynamic characteristics.
Improved aerodynamics
The exterior recasting of the 2017 GT-R Nismo parallels the edgier but more aerodynamic take seen on the base GT-R, although front and rear treatments as well as the side sills and aft wing have a more aggressive character. Extra boldness aside, Nissan says these new contours also generate more downforce than any other production model it has ever built. Further leveraging the car’s form-follows-function theme, a stiffer front fascia made from overlapped sheets of carbon fiber frame its expanded V-motion grille that grabs more air while the hood itself has been reshaped to prevent deformation at high speeds.
Cooler cabin
Inside, the new Nismo-spec car benefits from the GT-R upgrades that includes a redesigned dash and new multifunction steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara, a cleaner, larger 8.0-inch touchscreen with supplemental Display Command controller on the console and a much tidier center stack with fewer switches. Also included are Recaro sport buckets that match black leather bolsters with exclusive red Alcantara inserts.
Upgraded handling
The hand-assembled 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 in the GT-R Nismo continues to make a stout 600 horsepower compared to the 565-horse total of the baseline GT-R and that motive force still heads to each wheel via a paddle-shift 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission and a trick AWD system. However, a stiffer body structure now provides an even more rigid foundation for its fully independent suspension that features recalibrated spring and roll bar rates as well as revised valving in the unique Nismo-spec Bilstein driver-adjustable shocks. Nissan says the changes improve the overall handling feel and results in a 2-percent improvement in slalom and cornering.
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“The GT-R Nismo emphasizes the ‘R’ in its nomenclature. Its direct ties with racing make it at home on any racetrack, providing the highest levels of excitement and exhilaration for the driver,” noted Hiroshi Tamura, Chief Product Specialist, GT-R. “With the 2017 GT-R as a starting point, the new Nismo version has become a more well-balanced machine, with not just increased performance, but a heightened premium feel overall.” The 2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo will be offered in four colors but unlike the regular GT-R which is set to arrive in showrooms in early summer, the Nismo variant won’t turn up until fall. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date, but will likely remain close to the 2016 model’s sticker and opening between $150,000-$155,000.
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