2016 New York Auto Show: 2017 Nissan GT-R

Godzilla Reborn

Pulling the cover off the blaze orange redesigned GT-R, Keno Kato, Vice President of Global Product Planning for Nissan uttered only three words: “Power, Performance, Refinement.” That pretty much sums up the changes that have been made to Nissan’s $100,000 flagship sports car, lovingly known as Godzilla.

The GT-R has been a track monster since it was first introduced as the Skyline GT-R in 1969 (pictured above) and continues to set the pace for Nissan. For this upgrade horsepower has been increased, handling has been improved and the interior has been significantly refined. So it’s more powerful, more capable and more comfortable.

The hand-built, 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V6 engine now makes 565 horsepower and 467 lb.-ft. of torque. This jump in power comes thanks to individual ignition timing for each cylinder, increased turbo boost, and a titanium exhaust with Active Sound Enhancement, that not only helps the engine breath more freely but also sounds great. The drivetrain’s 6-speed dual-clutch transmission has been refined, offering smoother and quicker shifts.

Outside, this new GT-R may look similar to the previous model, but several changes make the car more stable at high speeds while still maintaining an extremely low 0.26 drag coefficient. Up front, the fascia has been redesigned to improve airflow and cooling while showcasing Nissan’s V-Motion signature grille. There’s a new front lip spoiler to improve downforce. In all the car looks more aggressive and purposeful than its predecessor which is hard to imagine.

Moving to the side, you can see the sills have been pushed out which directs air flow around the car. The functional side air vents pull the air over the disc brakes to improve cooling. And in back, there’s new bodywork holding the signature four taillights, with four, chrome-tipped tailpipes and additional venting around the pipes to keep the air moving.

Whereas the changes on the outside subtle but significant, it’s inside the car where Nissan has really changed Godzilla’s character. Gone is the video game cluster on the center stack that had 27 separate controls. Now you can use the navigation, entertainment and HVAC systems with just 11 buttons. The center screen is also larger, up to 8 inches from 7.

The materials, fit and finish have been elevated to a level befitting a six-figure sports car. The instrument panel has been wrapped in a single piece of premium Nappa leather. the front seats are lighter, thanks to new side bolsters that provide greater comfort and support on long drives. To make shifting easier, the paddles are now mounted to the steering wheel so they move with you as you turn the wheel. That makes it easier to up and down shift through the corners.

The chassis is now stiffer, and the suspension received several upgrades. The GT-R wears 20-inch tires on 15-spoke forged aluminum wheels for better grip and Nissan says, more confidence as you power through the corners. We’ll find out soon enough when we drive the GT-R in the next few months. At that point, we’ll let you know whether it lives up to the hype and is worth pulling a few bills out of your bank account when it goes on sale later this summer.

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