It all began at the Geneva motor show in 2002, when Nissan Great Britain decided to turn a wild midengine concept for the dumpy Micra minicar into something you can drive. The guys at Nissan GB did it again with another midengine Micra concept in 2005 and now they have become so confident about their magic touch that they've gone a step further with a supercharged Nissan 350Z GT-S and a turbocharged Nissan Murano GT-C. We recently drove them on the road in Britain just to discover what all you Yanks are missing.
The 350Z GT-S
It started off as a secret project in Nissan GB's skunk works, as a crack team of engineers at Nissan's technical center were tasked with building a special Z-car for this year's vintage-car hill climb at the well-known Goodwood Festival of Speed. By working with off-the-shelf parts both after hours and on weekends, the Nissan techs were able to create a track-day warrior that could also serve as an everyday road car.
A Novidem supercharger was adapted to the 350Z's V6 engine. The engineers also installed an electrically controlled bypass valve into the exhaust system to create a rich exhaust note, worked with Bilstein to create a suspension package optimized for British roads, and finally fitted a bodywork kit from Strosek.
The results are impressive. The supercharged V6's power output increases to 378 horsepower from 297 hp, and the peak torque climbs to 313 pound-feet from 260 lb-ft. On the road, the concept car feels much, much faster than the standard car, as the acceleration rises seamlessly beyond 3,000 rpm. Nissan says the car gets to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, a full 1 second quicker, then accelerates to 100 mph some 2.5 seconds quicker than before.
Also successful are the Bilstein suspension revisions. The 350Z turns in more keenly than before and is much more nimble. Turn the stability control off and this car feels like a rear-wheel-drive bruiser of the old school, with oversteer just a twitch of your foot away. For the committed it's terrific fun, yet the ride quality is comfortable enough to make this car a versatile, everyday tool. You can even turn off the supercharger, Mad Max-style, via a button on the center console.
Nissan GB is currently investigating ways to put this Z-car into production and targeting a price in the neighborhood of $66,000. At that price it will be cheaper than an entry-level Porsche Cayman and should appeal to an army of enthusiasts who are already seeking ways to tune their Z-cars.
Nissan Murano GT-C
While the 350Z GT-S relies on a supercharger to get its kicks, the Murano GT-C employs a single Garrett turbocharger. This is enough to increase the Murano's power output to 336 hp and its torque to 265 lb-ft. The acceleration time to 60 mph dips under 7 seconds, which is not bad for a vehicle that weighs 4,156 pounds.
Nissan is hoping the GT-C will appeal to those who aspire to either a supercharged Range Rover Sport or a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The exterior aesthetics are self-consciously bling-bling (a style only now reaching our faraway shores), with 22-inch alloy wheels complementing quad exhaust pipes and the requisite all-black paint treatment. Inside the cabin, leather trim takes the Murano's austere interior a ways upmarket, there's a unique lacquer paint for the center console and the translucent knob for the gear lever looks suspiciously like a sex toy.
Nissan GB is confident that the Murano GT-C could find a ready market at a price about $65,000, about half that of a Porsche Cayenne, but I have to say that this is the least successful of all the one-off concepts done by the company. There's no way the Murano's continuously variable transmission will survive so much additional power, while the cabin's execution lacks quality. Ultimately, the GT-C feels like it's trying to fight above its weight.
Final thoughts
While other manufacturers spend millions on fancy marketing campaigns in an attempt to redefine their image, Nissan GB has invested in the product. As a result, a label once known in Britain for nothing other than mainstream mediocrity has tantalized enthusiasts with an interesting range of potential performance cars. It's a reminder that product has a stronger and more lasting attraction than advertising, a lesson as relevant in the States as it is here in Britain.
The 350Z GT-S
It started off as a secret project in Nissan GB's skunk works, as a crack team of engineers at Nissan's technical center were tasked with building a special Z-car for this year's vintage-car hill climb at the well-known Goodwood Festival of Speed. By working with off-the-shelf parts both after hours and on weekends, the Nissan techs were able to create a track-day warrior that could also serve as an everyday road car.
A Novidem supercharger was adapted to the 350Z's V6 engine. The engineers also installed an electrically controlled bypass valve into the exhaust system to create a rich exhaust note, worked with Bilstein to create a suspension package optimized for British roads, and finally fitted a bodywork kit from Strosek.
The results are impressive. The supercharged V6's power output increases to 378 horsepower from 297 hp, and the peak torque climbs to 313 pound-feet from 260 lb-ft. On the road, the concept car feels much, much faster than the standard car, as the acceleration rises seamlessly beyond 3,000 rpm. Nissan says the car gets to 60 mph in less than 5 seconds, a full 1 second quicker, then accelerates to 100 mph some 2.5 seconds quicker than before.
Also successful are the Bilstein suspension revisions. The 350Z turns in more keenly than before and is much more nimble. Turn the stability control off and this car feels like a rear-wheel-drive bruiser of the old school, with oversteer just a twitch of your foot away. For the committed it's terrific fun, yet the ride quality is comfortable enough to make this car a versatile, everyday tool. You can even turn off the supercharger, Mad Max-style, via a button on the center console.
Nissan GB is currently investigating ways to put this Z-car into production and targeting a price in the neighborhood of $66,000. At that price it will be cheaper than an entry-level Porsche Cayman and should appeal to an army of enthusiasts who are already seeking ways to tune their Z-cars.
Nissan Murano GT-C
While the 350Z GT-S relies on a supercharger to get its kicks, the Murano GT-C employs a single Garrett turbocharger. This is enough to increase the Murano's power output to 336 hp and its torque to 265 lb-ft. The acceleration time to 60 mph dips under 7 seconds, which is not bad for a vehicle that weighs 4,156 pounds.
Nissan is hoping the GT-C will appeal to those who aspire to either a supercharged Range Rover Sport or a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The exterior aesthetics are self-consciously bling-bling (a style only now reaching our faraway shores), with 22-inch alloy wheels complementing quad exhaust pipes and the requisite all-black paint treatment. Inside the cabin, leather trim takes the Murano's austere interior a ways upmarket, there's a unique lacquer paint for the center console and the translucent knob for the gear lever looks suspiciously like a sex toy.
Nissan GB is confident that the Murano GT-C could find a ready market at a price about $65,000, about half that of a Porsche Cayenne, but I have to say that this is the least successful of all the one-off concepts done by the company. There's no way the Murano's continuously variable transmission will survive so much additional power, while the cabin's execution lacks quality. Ultimately, the GT-C feels like it's trying to fight above its weight.
Final thoughts
While other manufacturers spend millions on fancy marketing campaigns in an attempt to redefine their image, Nissan GB has invested in the product. As a result, a label once known in Britain for nothing other than mainstream mediocrity has tantalized enthusiasts with an interesting range of potential performance cars. It's a reminder that product has a stronger and more lasting attraction than advertising, a lesson as relevant in the States as it is here in Britain.
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