Mines R35 GT-R Sachs coilovers

From GT Channel. We will see how this works out , as the tuners in Japan start the battles. TAS first.

Sunlines R35 at Suzuka - new wheels

From the Kultivate blog . Work Wheels, and a 1:42 at Suzuka. Three seconds faster than the last time Not a fan of these wheels.

Honda Fit beats Nissan GT-R

Business Standard

All the winners from the important Car Of The Year awards from around the globe.

The Fiat 500, the Honda Jazz, the Saturn Aura and the Lexus LS460 have more in common than just four wheels and an engine.

The Japanese COTY, on the other hand, is a Japanese manufacturer centric award, with all non-Japanese manufacturers contending for the Import Car Of The Year award.

In a year when the most significant car to come out of Japan is the new Nissan GT-R, the Japanese press and auto experts have voted for the new Honda Jazz instead.

Judged by a 60-member panel, it just managed to nudge out the GT-R and the new Subaru Impreza off the top-step, thanks to the second generation Jazz’s intelligent packaging as well as good all-round performance from a small car.

R35 GT-R vs Modena on the track

Someone else called it amazing. I wouldn't call it amazing, but its interesting to see on the track. The GT-R looks like a tank in comparison to the Ferrari.

Lexus LF-A breaks GT2 Nurburgring Record - Unofficially

From eGM CarTech

The Lexus LF-A has lapped the famous Nurburgring in 7 minutes and 24 seconds, beating the Porsche GT2 by one second. The beastly Lexus is expected to have a 5.0 liter unit that produces 500 horsepower with a top speed of 200mph. A hybrid variant is also in the work that will use a engine similar to the LS600h.

Mines GT-R parts.

From Autoblog via GT Channel

MINE'S has seemingly had a GT-R since the day it went on the market (likely before) and has already developed a new exhaust, catalytic converter, plus front and rear rotors for the R35.

400mm slotted rotors is what it says. 20 mm up. Just in case you need 20mm larger rotors. I wonder what kind of Mack truck they came from. Also the exhaust , the exhaust, who , why, why, twin still ? Why still four useless tips ?

GT-R will leave you speechless- Sun UK

Sun UK

The first is my car of the year. Hell, it might even be my car of the century.

And that car is the very fabulous Nissan GT-R.

2008 Super GT Nissan GT-R testing

GTR-World The #22 car driven by Michael Crumm and Masataka Yanagida. 1/2 livery displayed. Video link is after the jump. Video page

Launch control test , R35 Nissan GT-R

Edmunds did 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds

R35 GT-R parts prices.

From GTR Blog

We have now seen a direct comparison between a number of 35 GT-R parts versus their 34 GT-R counterparts and it’s quite interesting stuff.

	R35 GT-R Price	Number required	R34 GT-R Reference Price
Engine Assembly	3,200,000 yen	1	754,000 yen
Turbocharger Assembly	250,000 yen	2	99,300 yen
Intercooler	86,000 yen	2	129,000 yen (only 1 required on R34)
Transaxle Assembly with transfer case	1,570,000 yen	1	675,000 yen
Front Brake Caliper Assembly	135,000 yen	2	108,000 yen
Front Brake Disk Rotor	75,400 yen	2	59,400 yen
Front Brake Pad Kit	90,300 yen	1	37,500 yen
Front Wheel	149,600 yen	2	145,200 yen
Rear Wheel	150,600 yen	2	145,200 yen
Front Bumper	120,000 yen	1	69,800 yen
Rear Bumper	120,000 yen	1	69,800 yen

R35 GT-R Engine Component Prices:

	Price	Number required
Camshaft	21,200 yen	4
Timing Chain	4,390 yen	1
Con Rods	12,000 yen	6
Pistons	4,440 yen	6
Piston Ring Set	15,100 yen	1
Crankshaft Bearing Set	6,760 yen	1
Injector Assembly	11,500 yen	6

.

2009 GT-R listed for $114,000 on Yahoo Auctions Japan

In Japan , Yahoo Auctions are king. Ebay is a smaller lesser online auction in Japan. Yahoo , used , to have online auctions here in the states, but the last time I checked, they discontinued them. So it doesn't look good, if you want to try and buy a GT-R for MSRP. If Japan is having some crazy markups/ second sales , whats going to happen here in the US ?

The hype for this vehicle doesn't look like it will calm down anytime soon. It doesn't look like there will be any "after Christmas" discounts either as the prices just keep on climbing. Today on Yahoo! Auction Japan, the largest online auctioning site, the GT-R is being auctioned at $100K to $114K for the premium editions.

From the GT Channel - Tsuchiya drifting an R35 GT-R

Dorifto...

Global Warming - Carbon Offset

So I saw an ad to reduce "Global Warming". I clicked on it to see what it had to say. I personally do not believe in global warming. I believe in emissions , and I believe in smog , but I don't believe that us , as humans has any real impact on the cycles that occur on earth. The natural shifts of what happens. The weather guessers (weathermen) can't even get it right a week out. There were times recently within human memory when they had "global cooling", and mini ice ages.

Right now being "green" is trendy, and people are trendy. If it weren't trendy, you wouldn't see so many Prius out there on the roads. The Prius is only popular because people think , that buy driving it they are helping, or giving the outward appearance of helping the environment. Hybrid cars are not the answer. Neither are electric cars, if we are talking on a purely emissions basis. Most of the electricity produced in the US is made by burning coal. If the electricity came though solar or wind power, then I could see it being on the right path, however, burning coal is cheap, making and setting up solar plants or wind power is expensive , so the dollar wins again. Even for the sake of the Prius , lots of people drive them because gasoline prices have risen fairly dramatically over the last few years. Thats another whole post though , the cost of gasoline.

So I went to the site - Neutralize your pollution.

So , they are saying , I can offset the carbon I put into the atmosphere by giving them money. Shit , they don't even want much money. These guys - Carbonfund.org say that if I pay them $25 a year I offset what my car puts out (5 tons). For Zero carbon a year , they say $90 (18 tons). Can I use this like a "Get out of Jail Free" card. One of the other sites - e-Bluehorizons gives you a certificate that they print out


So , how much money do I have to pay these people , to keep the CARB in California off my back. Leave my car alone. $25 a year ? $90 a year? I like this idea. I pay them $90 a year, they don't need to smog my car. I bring my little certificate , and the cops have better things to do than pull me over, and argue whether what is under the hood is stock or not.

How a DSG transmision works

Animation / video of the Audi/ Volkswagon DSG transmission. Some pretty cool video of Audi 1980's rally cars at the beginning of the video.

Nissan Heritage Car Collection - 336 historical cars

Nissan Zama Heritage Collection 336 cars. Keyword search , Search by make and model , list of commemorative cars. If you are a Nissan fan , and want to check out Nissans huge collection of significant cars , here is where to look. A fan took some photos at the Zama collection recently , well heres all the cars , and information about them.

Mines R35 GT-R's - Two versions

Mines website

We've got tons of queries about our R35 GT-Rs though
just ten days have passed since the R35 GT-R has been released.
Thank you

Along with that, we've got a lot of interviews almost every day due to its popularity.

Like BNR34, we will focus on researching, developing
and create our two types of GT-Rs

One is what we've already raced at Tsukuba circuit
on December 6th, which is premium edition of R35 GT-R,
and we are going to build it as "Street version".

Another is what we raced on December 14th
at FUJI SPEEDWAY, that is standard edition and
we are going to build as "Circuit version".
This marked the record of "1.54.688" there

Like we mentioned, we are currently researching and developing
our new parts for R35 GT-R.
Please look forward to seeing our tuned R35 GT-Rs
at Tokyo Auto Salon 2008 next January, and visit our booth

2009 GT-R at Wendys

Looks like a US development car. Had a Tennessee plate on it. From Freshalloy forums. And here is the rest of it.

GT-R Vs the World on GT Channel

GT Channel

Here is the lineup:

Porsche 911 GT3 (Naoki Hattori)
Porsche 911 Turbo (Takayuki Kinoshita)
Lamborghini Gallardo Super Leggera (Daisuke Ito)
Honda NSX-R (Seiji Ara)
Nissan GT-R (Keiichi Tsuchiya)

This battle was a 4 lap battle. Unfortunatley we can't show you the entire battle or tell who won. We'd get fired and be on the streets washing cars before you can say "Tsukuba". But maybe we can tell you which cars were in the front 2 grids. Try guessing...

The Porsche 911 Turbo and the GT3...yeah no shit.

GT-R vs Gallardo

From the Kultivate Blog

From the sounds of it , the GT-R ran into the speed limiter. That would make sense, as the limiter is about 180 km , and the GT-R should do 120.9 in the quarter. I wonder how Edmunds overcame this.

2008 Super GT Schedule

2008 Super GT Schedule from the GT Channel

Round1 3.15sat - 16sun Suzuka Circuit 300km
Round2 4.12sat - 13sun Okayama International Circuit 300km
Round3 5.3sat - 4sun Fuji Speedway 500km
Round4 6.21sat - 22sun Sepang Circuit (Malaysia) 300km
Round5 7.26sat - 27sun Sportsland Sugo 300km
Round6 8.23sat - 24sun Suzuka Circuit 1000km
Round7 9.13sat - 14sun Twin Ring Motegi 300km
Round8 10.18sat - 19sun Autopolis 300km
Round9 11.8sat - 9sun Fuji Speedway 300km

US GT-R Speed Limiter

From the GT Channel

In Japan the GT-R has a speed limiter set at 180KM(111mph) and automatically releases when you enter a domestic circuit. The GPS communicates to the ECU to cut the limiter.

Our sources say that the US version has a limiter set at 250KM(156mph) but there is no GPS communication to the ECU to cut the limiter. This means anyone who wants to go faster must crack the ECU.

Nissan has been extremely cautious about any kind of modification to the GT-R including the ECU. Nissan technicians have encrypted the ECU ever more than any car they have produced. It is said that only a handful of people in this world can crack the ECU of the GT-R.

Its just the handful of people in the world that can hack it, are going to hack it. All it takes is one person and the internet , and its done.

GT Channel - Time Attack Video by Tsuchiya in R35 GT-R

Check out the rest of what its going up against

In car - on the road - in Japan- videos - R35 GT-R

From GT-R proto site.

One more video

R35 Nissan GTRs at auction in Japan

How many do you count ?

The guy that sent me the video said there were 11 at the auction.

Auto Select takes delivery of R35 GT-R

GTR blog
Auto Select R35 GT-R

Nissan to enforce trademark rights on R35 GT-R in Europe

NISSAN TO ENFORCE TRADEMARK RIGHTS

Lawyers representing Nissan have written to a number of businesses regarding their vehicle importation activities.

The businesses in question are suspected of importing and/or offering for sale in the European Economic Area (EEA) Nissan vehicles originating from Japan and which are intended only for sale in Japan. The trademark owner, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd, has not consented to the importation or sale of these vehicles into the EEA and either of these activities would infringe Nissan’s trademark rights.

These businesses have been warned not to engage in these infringing activities and, if this is ignored, Nissan will seek the support of the English courts in enforcing its legitimate rights against those businesses.

The basis of this action is well established and has been confirmed in decisions of the European and English courts over a number of years. The action does not seek to prevent individual customers or businesses from buying Nissan vehicles intended for the UK or European markets.

Gary Frigo, Nissan Motor (GB) Limited’s Managing Director, said: “We have been made aware of a significant increase in activity in the import trade of certain vehicles, particularly the Nissan GT-R, which warrants immediate action.”

On the subject of the new Nissan GT-R Frigo explained further:

“Nissan’s number one priority is to ensure that the GT-R and its dealer network are in optimal condition to facilitate and support our customers. It will take until start of sales in March 2009 to do this. Until that time the UK will have no GT-R trained technicians, no established GT-R parts supply and, most crucial of all, the GT-R will not be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty.”

Nissan remains committed to providing customers with the best possible vehicles, in terms of value and specification, within the context of the regulations for safety and emissions laid down by the UK and European governments.

ends…

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE NISSAN PRESS OFFICE:

Gabi Whitfield Communications Director Direct Line 01923 899933 Mobile 07768 802084

Notes to Editors:
Any Nissan vehicle designed and manufactured for sale outside of the EEA will not be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Product variances between Japanese and European specification vehicles determine that they are each supported by respective regional warranties. A Japanese sourced personal import has therefore no manufacturer backed warranty coverage. The Nissan GT-R was revealed at Tokyo Motor Show in October and went on sale in Japan in December. The next stage of GT-R’s global launch will take place in the United States in April 2008 followed by Europe in March 2009. Such is the specialist nature of GT-R and its role as an iconic model for the Nissan brand that only a select and limited number of retailers will be appointed for the UK. Details of the network will be announced at the beginning of March.

GT-R appointed dealers are committing to a significant investment to meet the standards required to sell and support GT-R. This investment is directed, for example, to training specialist sales and technical staff as well as purchasing advanced workshop tooling to maintain and repair GT-R.

Any customer can register their interest in GT-R and be kept updated with all official GT-R developments simply by visiting the dedicated website www.gtrnissan.com

EPA REJECTS CALIFORNIA GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS

SEMA News

EPA REJECTS CALIFORNIA GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS
President Signs New Federal Law to Raise Fuel Economy and Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions Through 50-State Program

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has denied California’s waiver request to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from automobiles starting in 2009. The CO2 rules were issued by the California Air Resources Board and adopted by 12 other states. The EPA overturned the regulations on the same day that President Bush signed into law an energy bill to raise the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standards for passenger cars and light trucks by 40% to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. SEMA worked with the automakers and other industry associations as part of the CAFE Coalition to help negotiate a compromise to the new fuel economy standard.

Under the new federal law, the amount of renewable fuel used will increase to at least 36 billion gallons. According to the EPA, the new CAFE law and renewable fuel provisions will achieve greater greenhouse gas savings than the California program. Additionally, the federal approach provides a national solution, as opposed to a potential patchwork of state rules.

Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek a waiver to establish its own air quality rules (which can then be adopted by other states). This is the first time the EPA has completely rejected a waiver request. The agency noted that previous waiver petitions covered pollutants that predominantly impacted local and regional air quality. The EPA reasoned that a national framework for addressing greenhouse gases is necessary since the emissions are global in nature and impact every state.

California intends to appeal the EPA decision. Additionally, the Supreme Court recently directed the EPA to study the problem of greenhouse gases, paving a path to for EPA to potentially recommend even more stringent regulations if, in consultation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it deems them necessary.

For details, contact Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org

In car video - R35 Nissan GT-R on the street in Japan

In car video Japan

StreetSeen.VI - Lots of 2009 GT-R photos

StreetSeen.VI

In case you’re hoping for a six speed manual, don’t hold your breath. This car’s been engineered around the GR6 dual clutch sequential manual transmission. If a fun sports car is what you want, the Mazda Miata may be your best bet. You get those with stick and an open top. If you want a machine to perform, continue reading: Although the gate looks like your ordinary automatic, it’s not. The transmission actually uses two clutches to hold onto gears. Imagine two manual transmissions wrapped up in one. Accelerate in first gear and the second side of the transmission already has second gear ready. All it’s waiting on is the pull of the paddle to swap the two clutches. Two hundred milliseconds elapse from the time you pull the paddle to the time the car’s fully riding on the second gear.

2009 Corvette ZR1

Motor Trend Magazine - First look 2009 Corvette ZR1
Chevrolet officially announced the 2009 Corvette ZR1 - an American supercar that brings the technology and engineering refinement of carbon-fiber, ceramics and electronics together in a distinctive design.

"Chevrolet's goal with the new ZR1 is to show what an American supercar can deliver, at a price that trumps exotics that cost two, three or four times as much - and does so with exceptional driveability," said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager.
The ZR1's basic stats:

* All-new LS9 supercharged 6.2L V-8 targeted at producing at least 100 horsepower per liter, or 620 horsepower (462 kW), and approximately 595 lb.-ft. of torque (823 Nm)
* Six-speed, close-ratio, race-hardened manual transmission
* New, high-capacity dual-disc clutch
* Higher-capacity and specific-diameter axle half-shafts; enhanced torque tube
* Specific suspension tuning provides more than 1g cornering grip
* Twenty-spoke 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels
* Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires - P285/30ZR19 in front and P335/25ZR20 in the rear - developed specifically for the ZR1
* Standard carbon-ceramic, drilled disc brake rotors - 15.5-inch-diameter (394-mm) in the front and 15-inch-diameter (380-mm) in the rear
* Larger brake calipers with substantially increased pad area
* Standard Magnetic Selective Ride Control with track-level suspension
* Wider, carbon-fiber front fenders with ZR1-specific dual vents
* Carbon-fiber hood with a raised, polycarbonate window - offering a view of the intercooler below it
* Carbon-fiber roof panel, roof bow, front fascia splitter and rocker moldings with clear-coated, exposed carbon-fiber weave
* ZR1-specific full-width rear spoiler with raised outboard sections
* Specific gauge cluster with boost gauge (also displayed on the head-up display) and 220-mph (370 km/h) speedometer readout
* Only two options: chrome wheels and a "luxury" package
* Curb weight of approximately 3,350 pounds (1,519 kg)

Sunline posts a 2:22.8 at Suzuka with an R35 Nissan GT-R

Kultivate blog

When you put it in circuit mode the ‘car’ says to you that when you crash the car on the circuit you will not get any warranty. So you will have to press yes or no if you want to continue to drive and agree to the terms.

Tarzan Yamada drove the car to a 2:22.8 lap time. How does that compare to other cars at Suzuka ?

1. Ferrari F40 2:25.26 Best Motoring
2. Ferrari F50 2:26.52 Best Motoring
3. Porsche Carrera GT 2:28.42 “Best Motoring”
4. Porsche 993 GT2 2:29.148 “Best Motoring”
5. Porsche 993 Turbo (3.6) 2:31.165 Best Motoring
6. Honda NSX 3.2 2:32.54min best motoring
7. Lamborghini Diablo 2:32.98 Best Motoring
8. Porsche 996 GT3 2:32.988 Best Motoring
9. Ferrari F355 2:33.25 Best Motoring
10. Honda NSX-R (3.0) 2:34.19 best motoring
11. Honda Civic Type-R JDM (FD2) 2:35.20 Tsuchiya
12. Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 2:36.263 “Best Motoring”
13. Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI 2:36.50 best motoring

Suzuka Lap Times

The Nissan GT-R Turns Virtual in Gran Turismo 5

Edmunds Inside Line

Maybe some don't get it fully yet, but one carmaker that does is Nissan. It had a slightly disguised GT-R running around the virtual GT5 test track for months before its unveiling at the Tokyo show. "Our relationship with Nissan has been good for many years," says Kazunori, lighting his third cigarette in 15 minutes. "We have known the development team for the car since the R34 GT-R [1997], so our history goes way back."

Clearly no coincidence, the R34 Skyline GT-R was, in many people's eyes, close to being the physical version of the car in the game. The way it looked and reacted on screen were eerily similar to the way the car drove on the road.

Well, for GT5, Kazunori and his team have gone one better with the new GT-R. Not only is the car in the game exactly the same as the real car down to the last pixel, the road car now has one main feature that has been designed by the Gran Turismo team. "We worked very closely with Nissan to design the onboard computer," Kazunori says. "The concepts, design and functionality were developed by the Nissan team using our ideas."

0-60 in 3.3 seconds - the full test 2009 Nissan GT-R

Edmunds - Inside Line

We know you want the numbers and we're not going to waste your time. Neither is Nissan. Its 2009 GT-R hits 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, quicker than the last Dodge Viper, Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo we tested. Keep your foot pinned, and after another tap on the upshift paddle it will clear the quarter-mile in 11.6 seconds at more than 120 mph.

Controlling the Launch
Activating the GT-R's launch control is a matter of configuring its transmission, dynamics control and damping adjustments properly. The transmission and damping switches must both be set to the R mode and the VDC must be switched off completely by holding the VDC-R button down for a few seconds. Then it's just a matter of pinning the brake with your left foot and wooding the throttle with your right, not unlike the technique used to produce a tire-shredding burnout in that '85 Camaro you drove in high school.

The result, however, is quite different. The computer holds the engine at 4,500 rpm and waits for you to lift your left foot off the brake pedal. When you do the GT-R produces the most crushing acceleration of virtually any production car in the world. Our test was conducted on a fairly low-grip surface that produced lots of rear wheelspin before the GT-R's sophisticated all-wheel-drive system engaged the front wheels and it thundered down the track. Its 3.3-second 0-60-mph run and 11.6 at 120.9 mph performance make the GT-R the quickest car we've ever tested.

It's even quicker than the Porsche 911 Turbo Tiptronic, but not by much. The German hits 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and blasts through the quarter-mile in 11.6 at 118.5 mph. Due to their lack of all-wheel drive, the Dodge Viper and Corvette Z06 are held back by traction limitations. Despite its 600-hp V10, the last Viper coupe we tested reached 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and finished the quarter-mile 11.8 at 125.3 mph. The Corvette Z06 isn't even close. Once impressive, its 4.1-second 0-60-mph run and 12-second quarter-mile at 121.8 mph are now well off the pace, which is why Chevy is creating the supercharged Corvette ZR1.

Fast and Furious 4. The Quattro - FNF4

Fast and Furious 4. I bet you can't wait to see it. I have been hearing the rumors, seen the stories (like this months Sport Compact Car about it. Supposedly Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are back for the fourth installment.

Sport Compact Car says the action is going to take place in the US and Mexico. Of course in the Fast and Furious movies , the cars are the stars , so what are they saying about the stars ? Either a 1987 Buick GNX , 1969 Chevy Camaro for Vin. They say a 2009 GT-R is an obvious choice for Paul Walker. By a well educated guess, I don't see the GNX making it, Its not a V8, no turbo 6 Buick GNX for those guys. As far as a new GT-R , I don't think they have anything setup yet, although there are rumors that the production has looked at a number of R34's.

Some behind the scenes pictures of FNF4.

More behind the scenes pictures.

Stock 2009 Nissan GT-R posts a 1:01.931 at Tsukuba

Those boys at MCR would not be happy until they officially beat Mine’s and today they have with their blistering fast 1:02:647 followed by an even better 1:01:931 time. Driving the MCR was Keiichi “Drift King” Tsuchiya.

Apparently today’s lap is to be featured on an upcoming Best Motoring DVD.

Source : GT-R blog

Domain name for sale on eBay - GTR2009.com

Ebay - GTR2009.com for sale

Buy it now for $2618

They say mine is worth more.

So , if its is about 480 at the hubs , and about 550 hp at the engine

With the 2009 R35 GT-R being about 550 hp at the engine , going my calculators the car should be pretty quick.

The performance numbers should be a little better than the "guessed numbers".

If its 550 hp at the engine, and 4000 lbs (with driver) , then my calculators say -

Drag Racing Calculator

11.2 @ 121 . So probably in the 11.5 range would be realistic.

2009 Nissan GT-R on the dyno

From Nagtroc

482 ps (475 hp) and 59.2 kg/m (428 ft-lbs) at the hubs.

Red R35 Nissan GT-R on the track

Red is faster.

2009 Nissan R35 GT-R vs 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo

Edmunds Inside Line

Kazutoshi Mizuno, the chief vehicle engineer for the 2009 Nissan GT-R, describes his car as a "new kind of supercar, one with no competitors," and I thought of Mizuno-san as I nailed the GT-R's alloy throttle pedal right to the floor in 2nd gear coming onto a quiet section of derestricted autobahn near Koblenz. I'd nailed that throttle pedal right to the floor a number of times already on this day — difficult to resist — but somehow the big Nissan seemed to lunge forward with even more intensity than usual.

Edmunds Inside Line

Edmunds Inside Line first JDM production drive - R35 Nissan GT-R

Edmunds Inside Line first drive

We're 20 feet from a production-spec 2009 Nissan GT-R at Sendai Highland Circuit, a raceway north of Tokyo. After years of staring at various concepts, prototypes and Nürburgring test mules of the GT-R, it's finally time to drive the finished product.

An engineer waves us over after making his final checks, then hands us the keys with a smile so big you'd think he'd been knocking back Kirins since sunrise. We suspect he already knows what we came here to find out.

Does the 2009 Nissan GT-R really deliver the performance of the Porsche 911 Turbo for half the price? Time to find out for ourselves.

2700 Nissan GT-R's presold by Decemeber 5.

Winding Road

Advance orders on GT-R hit 2700 as of December 5, according to Nissan, light years ahead of Nissan’s curiously modest domestic sales plan of just 200 units a month.

The GT-R comes in three grades in Japan - GT-R, GT-R Black Edition and GT-R Premium Edition – with stickers spanning $69,520, $70,929 and $74,687 at current rates. Mind, you’d also need another $5000 or so to get the car taxed and on the road.

They are trading hands for more than that in Japan now.

So far, orders for the base GT-R are running at around 18 percent. GT-R Black Edition is about 28 percent, with the GT-R Premium Edition commanding about a hefty 53 percent of takers.

53 percent premium. I guess its older , more luxuxy buyers that wanted this car. Maybe Nissan has hit the mark, with a bigger heavier, more upscale GT-R, not a raw sporty GT car. I guess everyone in the world is getting softer.

Colors? White has long been Japan’s favorite automotive hue and old habits, it seems, die hard. White Pearl is tops (about 27 percent) with these early GT-R orders. Ultimate Silver Metallic is next (about 24 percent).

Then it’s Super Black (about 22 percent); Dark Metal Gray (about 20 percent); Titanium Gray (about 4 percent). Surprisingly, Vibrant Red, one of the GT-R’s strongest colors, or so you might think, is way down the order at around 3 percent.

Don't they know that Red is faster. Although in Asian countries , red is not a popular color. Always whites. White is always a popular color in Japan, Hong Kong ,etc. Many of the 2700 have already left Japan for various ports around the world.

Nissan suspending all North American racing in 2008

I had heard rumors of this on a few message boards. I tried to follow up up some people I know from Nissan Motorports in the US , but I never got a response. Jalopnik

Nissan and Nissan Motorsports (NISMO) will not be sponsoring or officially participating in any motorsports activities in North American on the verge of bringing over the GT-R, the most ferocious sports car from Nissan ever for North America.

Earlier in the day we reported on a rumor that Nissan was getting out of American motorsports and we now have confirmation from Nissan. According to Scott Vazin, Director of Product Communications for Nissan Motor Company, though they're getting out for [Fiscal Year] 2008, "we'll keep a presence around the world."

R35 Nissan GT-R 10.4 million yen

GT Channel

First "used" R35 Nissan GT-R was sold at auction , Aucnet in Japan on December 10th. 10.4 million yen = $94,000 at current exchange rates. During its 22 years in business Aucnet says that this is only the 3rd time a used car price has been higher than a new car price.

9.6 million yen - get your piping hot R35 GT-R's here...

A friend in Japan that I talked to yesterday, let me know that he was exporting four new R35 GT-R's. The going price - 9.6 million yen. About $86,160 in current US dollars. The cars were supposedly on their way to southeast Asia. So, it seems , there will even be a mark up in Japan. I heard one other story that one went up on goo.net for 12 million yen in Japan.

The number of cars is "limited" right now, but it seems the money to get one isn't.

More 2009 Nissan GT-R's on eBay

2009 Nissan GT-R on eBay

"CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FIRST THREE GT-R OWNERS!!!

SELLING PRICE IS MSRP + $10,000 + TAX, TAG, TITLE, AND FEES. DEPOSIT WILL BE APPLIED TOWARDS SALE OF CAR.

Sandy Sansing Nissan - The Gulf Coast's Largest Nissan Dealership, will be allocated 6 of only 1,500 (or less) 2009 GT-R's coming to the United States straight from Japan. This auction is to Bid on the "Deposit" of an allocation.

With a 0-60 time of approximately 3.5 seconds, 11.7 second Quarter Mile, and 192 mph top speed…these allocations will not last long!

Orders will start as soon as January of 2008, and delivery scheduled for June of 2008. These vehicles will be sold prior to shipment. This gives you the ability to have your GT-R built with the available options and colors you choose. Base models will start approximately $69,500+++ and Premium models $72,500+++ "

So this is to bid on paying $10,000 over on a car.... let the craziness continue ?

VR38DETT engine assembly

R35 GT-R engine assembly. Is this one your engine ?

Mines R35 GT-R - Mines to the US ?

GT Channel

Mr Niikura, founder and CEO of MINE'S talk about his plans of offering parts for the North American market in 2008. GTC Exclusive.

R35 GT-R Heritage and History - Skylinesaustralia

Road and Track - Nurburgring drive, and first LHD drive

Thats a little redundant , but Sams first drive of a left hand drive car.

Road and Track

After the last car pulled into the pits, the GT-R test session came to a close for everyone...that is, except for R&T.

A few months after the Nürburgring event, Mizuno gave me a unique opportunity to sample a left-hand-drive U.S.-spec GT-R. As soon as I took the first corner, it was immediately noticeable that something was different. The handling balance seemed better than that of the previous car — there was more compliance to the shocks and springs and improved steering feel. What's more, ride quality was definitely better. Mizuno said that he slightly retuned the suspension, making it more civil but without sacrificing handling. Also, he noted that the lateral weight distribution of the car is better in left-hand-drive configuration because the driver's weight offsets the weight of the front differential and driveshaft, both located right of center.

That Nissan used the Porsche 911 Turbo as the benchmark for the GT-R is no secret; simply look at the hundreds of spy shots of the masked Nissan, and you'll see a Porsche 911 Turbo close by. Mizuno's aim was to surpass the German thunder car in every category, while keeping the price at just over half of the 911 Turbo's MSRP. We'll find out if he succeeded when the GT-R goes on sale in June 2008 (Japan's on-sale date is December 2007).

The Sun: R35 GT-R drive

The Sun

"I could bang on for hours about the Nissan GT-R.

But I can honestly say that I have not found a car that would tempt me out of my Mitsubishi Evo. Until now."

R35 GT-R to race in Targa Tasmania

Targa Tasmania

April 15-22, 2007 in Tasmania Australia, this "its all pink in the middle" GT-R will compete. Not quiet down with the color scheme , but I guess its their corporate colors... hope ?

Nissan Dealer Requirements to sell the R35 GT-R

From the Freshalloy forums.

New Tools

Several new diagnostic and service tools will be necessary to support GT-R. These include:

•

Consult 3 software & attachments

•

Brake Caliper Wrench

•

Gouge-resistant gasket scraper.

The cost of these tools was included in the estimated amounts described in last week’s letter,and will be incorporated into the Initial certification cost listed on each participant dealer’sagreement. In addition, as with other vehicles, it may become necessary to procureadditional requiredtools which may be developed during the product lifecycle. These tools will be released, if necessary, thru theNissan essential tool program.

Existing/Available Tools

In addition to upcoming essential tools, certified GT-R dealerships must be equipped withreadily available equipment that has not traditionally fallen under the scope of the essential tool program.

Alignment Equipment – A certified GT-R dealership must maintain an alignment rack that meets the required tolerances of being capable of consistent alignment settings to within:

•

+/- 1 mm front toe,

•

+/- 10’ (minutes) in Front Camber

•

+/- 20’ (minutes) in Front Caster

A wide array of alignment equipment can meet these specifications. However, it will be necessary to verify that a certified GT-R dealer’s equipment is capable and calibrated accordingly. Examples of equipment that will meet these requirements include:

•

Hunter R811 series console with DSP600 series sensors or any current Hunter WinAlign

aligner with HS401 sensors. (Both are recommended and validated by Nissan’s

Techmate program)

•

Others: John Bean V3D1 Ultra or V3D3 Arago, Hofmann Geoliner GL-680

In addition, the alignment lift must be capable of accommodating a low clearance vehicle. GTR’s clearance will be 5” at the front spoiler with an 11 degree maximum approach angle. Consequently an in-floor alignment lift is best. If an above ground lift is used, ramps must be
long enough to accommodate. All Hunter RX and 4 post models can be made to meet this specification using auxiliary stage 2 approach ramp extensions as detailed in the Hunter rack accessory brochure

.

If your dealership has alignment equipment other than what is listed here, please confirm the tolerance capabilities meet or exceed the minimum requirements to support GT-R. Brand of

equipment is secondary to ensuring the equipment is capable of measuring to these tight tolerances and calibrated correctly. Verification of equipment performance and calibration will be required for certification.

Access to Nitrogen – This vehicle will be shipped from the factory with nitrogen filled tires. Nissan does not specify an essential tool for this purpose. However, each certified dealer must
have access to nitrogen to ensure vehicles in inventory can be maintained in factory condition for delivery to the customer. This could include a nitrogen generator system, bottled nitrogen gas or access to a reliable sublet source for the purpose of maintaining tire inflation pressure.

Special Supplies – GT-R is engineered with many new and unique Powertrain design features.

As a result, only certain chemicals are authorized for use in GT-R. They are as follows:

•

Engine Oil – Mobil 1 only 0w-40 or 5w-40 (this requirement is key to protect the plasma

coating on cylinder walls)

•

A/T Oil – Proprietary Blend developed specifically for GT-R, to be ordered thru NNA PDC

only

•

Final Drive Oil – Castrol 75w140 only

•

Brake Fluid – Proprietary DOT-4 Blend developed specifically for GT-R, to be ordered thru NNA PDC only

Optional Process - Tires

GT-R will be equipped with unique run-flat tires manufactured by Bridgestone (summer tire) and Dunlop (all-weather tire) mounted on specially designed 20-inch alloy wheels. These tire/wheel combinations will require the most modern equipment and techniques to remove/install tires from/on the wheels. Dealers who participate in the Dealer Tire program

and have the proper equipment and training to service these wheel/tire combinations, may choose to keep this business in-house. However, a dealer can still become a certified GT-R dealership without tire service capabilities. In these cases, a factory Bridgestone and Dunlop
distributor must be utilized for service of GT-R wheels/tires.

Specifications for dealers to perform tire service:

•

Tire Machine - Hunter TC3500, TCX550 or TCX500 series Tire Changer or equivalent

•

Wheel Balancer - Hunter GSP9700 series Balancer or equivalent

•

Technician Certification - Dealers must have at least one technician successfully

complete a training course in the proper use of equipment to service run flat tires.
Acceptable sources of training include Hunter, Bridgestone, Dunlop, Tire Industry Association (TIA) providers or other manufacturers of compliant tire changing/balancing equipment. A certificate of completion will be required as part of the Sign-off Process.

Body Shop

Because GT-R will incorporate a variety of innovative materials and leading-edge bodyconstruction techniques, only one type of collision repair equipment has been authorized foruse in body shop repairs. The vehicle is designed with the cooperation and participation ofCelette. The Celette MZ+ system utilizes upper body and under body jigs designed specifically for GT-R. No adjustable collision bench/jig system is approved for use on the GT-R. Only body shops with the Celette system will be authorized to perform collision repairs. NNA is working
with Celette to identify body shops in the US and Canada that are properly equipped and trained. If your dealership already has a relationship with a body shop that is equipped with the Celette MZ system, please advise your DPSM so they can forward this information back to
Parts and Service Operations, Tool & Equipment group.

Sign-off Process

Once the participating dealers are identified and have returned their certification agreements, the process of verifying dealership attainment of the requirements will begin. Lists of facing Bridgestone, Dunlop and Celette certified bodyshops will be provided so GT-R dealers can establish relationships with sublet providers in locations best suited to their needs.
A Parts & Service checklist is under development which will be utilized by the District Parts & Service Managers (DPSM/DPSSs) to verify that every GT-R dealership candidate meets the minimum requirements. It is important for potential GT-R dealer candidates to consider the costs associated with any required upgrades to shop equipment and tool inventories. The informationcontained in thisbulletin outlines the major Parts and Service requirements to become a GT-R dealership and is intended to assist each dealer in making an informed decision regarding becoming certified. We believe the information provided to date to be reasonably complete. However, if additional necessary information or requirements are identified as the pre-launch process progresses wewill promptly advise as that additional information becomes available.

2009 Nissan GT-R Nurburgring Lap Analysis

From GTR.co.UK forums