Nissan has unveiled the new 2017 GT-R at the South Africa Festival of Motoring, highlighted by an exciting new look both inside and out with significant driving-performance enhancements and key new features ever witnessed since the super sport car was introduced in 2007.
The new GT-R features fresh, more aggressive front fascia and an enlarged grille to cool the hand-built potent engine, along with carbon fibre material additions to the front bumper and a reshaped hood to help the car better endure extreme speeds, according to Nissan.
Nissan says the new chrome matte finish “V-motion” grille represents one of Nissan’s latest design signatures. It has been enlarged to provide better engine cooling and now features an updated mesh pattern.
A new hood, which flows flawlessly from the grille, has also been significantly reinforced, contributing to stability during high-speed driving, this is in addition to a freshly-designed front spoiler lip and front bumpers with finishers situated immediately below the headlamps that gives the new GT-R the look of a pure-bred racecar, while generating high levels of front downforce.
The GT-R’s familiar wind-cutting shape defines its profile, but the side sills have been pushed out for improved air flow. The rear of the car also received a thorough makeover.
While the GT-R’s hallmark four-ring taillights remain, Nissan has enhanced the bodywork to help improve air flow, as well as side air vents next to the quad exhaust tips. Also, the belt line that separates the lower black section from the body panel has been heightened to give the car a wider and more aggressive look from the rear.
These exterior changes don’t result just in a sportier-looking car; they create an aerodynamically efficient vehicle, with less drag but retaining the same amount of downforce as the current GT-R to keep the car stable at high speeds.
Managing Director Sales and Marketing Xavier Gobille, Nissan South Africa who said this much at the presentation of the car explained that the shift paddles are now mounted to the new steering wheel to allow drivers to change gears in mid-turn without having to take their hands off the wheel. The paddles themselves, along with the ventilation controls, have improved feel and better sound when engaged or adjusted.
Mated to an award-winning 3.8-litre V6 24-valve twin-turbocharged engine – each unit handcrafted by its own Takumi technician, The GT-R now delivers 421kW at 6800rpm and 633Nm of torque that generates a hefty 600 horsepower.
The engines are the definition of Takumi expertise. The improved output, which are the result of individual ignition-timing control of the cylinders and extra boost from the turbochargers, allow the new GT-R to possess superior acceleration in the mid- to high-ranges (3200rpm and above).
The resonance of the new lightweight titanium exhaust system and Active Sound Enhancement (ASE) enhance the driving experience, especially during acceleration.
And with a thoroughly refined six-speed dual-clutch transmission that features smoother shifts and less noise, that familiar GT-R tone has now been substituted with an engine that has never sounded better.
The increases, which are the result of individual ignition-timing control of the cylinders and extra boost from the turbochargers, allow the new GT-R to possess superior acceleration in the mid- to high-ranges (3200 rpm and above).
Nissan GT-R has always been regarded as one of the world’s best handling machines, and for 2017, its cornering abilities have become even better.
The cabin now dons a redesigned, premium interior, befitting a high-performance super sports car. The entire dashboard is new, including an instrument panel wrapped in a single, seamless piece of hand-selected Nappa leather artfully stitched with Takumi-style precision.
The shape of the dashboard adopts a “horizontal flow” to deliver a sense of high stability for front seat occupants, while the line from the instrument cluster to the centre console provides a distinct driver-oriented environment for the driver.
The cushion layer of the instrument panel leather has been updated with a new, thinner material to reduce weight, and the front seats themselves are also lighter, thanks to a new side-support construction method that provides greater comfort and support on long drives.
Couple with this is the improved and simplified centre dashboard layout with integrated navigation and audio controls which reduces the number of switches from 27 in the previous car to just 11 in the 2017 model.
An 8-inch capacitive touch-panel monitor now replaces the 7-inch one and features large icons on the display screen, while a new Display Command control on the carbon-fibre centre console also allows easy operation.
“As the icon of Nissan’s driving performance, the GT-R continues to evolve. With the signature V-motion grille, the GT-R now possesses the latest Nissan design language. Its exceptional aerodynamic performance and upgraded interior have given the GT-R a more mature character, which will continue into the future,” Nissan assured.
