- Nissan is now planning the next round of changes for the GT-R.
- Changes will include more power and should arrive for the 2013 model year.
- 2011 will be the last year for the track-based Spec V in Japan.
YOKOHAMA, Japan — Another power upgrade for the already potent Nissan GT-R is in the works for calendar year 2012, which suggests it will coincide with the 2013 model year in the United States.
It was just eight months ago that Nissan rolled out a heavily revised 2012 GT-R, with new styling, improved chassis and extra horsepower to take its iconic hypercar up to the next level.
In Japan, the upgrade bumped the GT-R from 485 horsepower up to 530 hp and gave us the focused, highly lauded machine that program chief Kazutoshi Mizuno had wanted to build right from the start.
Now comes news that another power increase is in the pipeline for next year. Japan's Best Car magazine reports that the bump will amount to an extra 30 hp.
A Nissan insider with direct knowledge of the program confirms to Inside Line that the GT-R's output will increase, but says Best Car's number is wrong. The good news is that the unspecified under-hood jump will not just be confined to Japan, but will go global.
What is for sure is that production of the hardcore Spec V model that's JDM-exclusive will end this year.
At just a whisker under $200,000 in the domestic market, the car is too expensive with the standard engine and has not been a commercial success.
To replace the Spec V, there are rumors Nissan will prepare another lightweight special which may be called Spec R. Word is it will be 130 pounds lighter than the stock GT-R and a lot cheaper than the Spec V, coming in at around $150,000 in Tokyo. No word yet on possible U.S. shipments.
Nissan's Mizuno, however, has never been a big fan of these niche GT-Rs, preferring instead to make the stock model the best he can. In this way, like the evergreen Porsche 911, the Nissan GT-R is set to progress and evolve for some time to come.
Inside Line says: Nissan is not resting on its laurels with the GT-R, but is sensibly planning a steady stream of upgrades to keep the car fresh. — Peter Nunn, Contributor
Add A Comment »
jkcar6 says:
08:50 AM, 07/21/2011
@zr1man
Why buy american when they still aren't king of the ring? Even though for some reason a bunch of corvette fan boys claim that they are.
zr1man says:
08:45 PM, 06/27/2011
------MORE BREAKING NEWS-----
The 2012 Z06 just did the Nürburgring in 7:22.68. Thats right the ZR1's little brother just beat the gtr like big brother did a few days ago. Way to go Chevy! You now have two models that beat the gtr. I bet the Js at nissan are flipping out. HA HA HA.
Be Proud. Buy American.
raylo993 says:
06:11 PM, 06/17/2011
@kageryu
You claimed that you bought a Z06, huh?
How come you didn't react to the insults given to your Corvette earlier but you rebuked the slightly negative opinions of the GTR??
See the earlier post by someone as follows,
" 5010avanti says:
08:22 AM, 06/15/2011
@dg: You couldn't afford a Sentra with a WalMart body kit. So, shut up.
ZR1 is still a hunk of cheap American plastic that is overpriced. The next GT-R will eat it up on the 'Ring.... "
I would be offended if I own a Corvette myself. Corvettes aren't cheap and overpriced American plastic, esp. the C6 Vettes.
You are just a hypocrite and a phony...don't tell me again that you are the owner of a Z06!!
You've turned yourself into a joke with no credibility!!
Most likely you drive a mod Nissan Sentra but wish that you could own a GTR!!
How many posters of GTR do you have on the walls of your bedroom?...LMAO
kageryu311 says:
11:37 PM, 06/16/2011
"Why you continue to criticize the people on this forum who are only expressing their opinion? If you have to, criticize the opinion, not the person. Lets be civil. Please. Why you call Corvette owners "elitist pricks?" Everyone is entitled to their opinion or choice of car they own."
"Where you get your data? The ZR1 has always out sold the less expensive gtr. Last year there were only 889 gtrs (http://www.gtrinformation.com/tag/nissan-gtr-sales-numbers/) sold world wide. In the same time frame more than twice as many ZR1s were sold... just in the USA. People just like the ZR1 better. I said it before and I will say it again, the gtr is on the way out. It is not a money maker for nissan."
The ZR1 sold more but did not sell twice as many ZR1s as GT-Rs. http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2010/06/16/final-2010-corvette-production-statistics/
This year the GT-R has already sold 728 units in the United states in 2011 which is forecasted to make its sales much higher that they were in 2010:
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=33169
There are a lot of companies that sell performance cars that aren't a money maker for the Company and still keep/kept the cars in production for a long time. The Bugatti Veyron, the NSX, the Dodge Viper, etc. Its main point is to be a halo car to showcase the performance side of Nissan as well as boost sales for their other cars. The Corvette and 911 are the only true (by definition) sports cars in the world that actually make a profit for any company.
"Mizuno misled the public into thinking that the 2012 gtr was the final step in the evolution of the gtr."
Mizuno didn't mislead anyone, he kept on improving the car. If making the car faster is misleading the public then there must be
"A few days after the gtr got it's butt kicked by the ZR1, nissan announces increased horsepower coming in 2013. This is not a smart business move. Who will want to buy a car with less horsepower when a more powerful one is on the way?"
While I do agree its a bad business move 30hp bump on newer cars isn't going to sway more people away from the older cars especially when bigger discounts are being put on older models that are in brand new condition.
"Even IL believes that the announced horsepower increase is in reaction to the gtr's loss to the ZR1. Check this out: http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/20714/report-more-powerful-nissan-gt-r-in-the-works-for-2013
'Inside Lines sources say that power bump may be exaggerated, but it's clear that Nissan doesn't want to be slower around the Nürburgring than a Corvette ZR1. As it stands today, the latest GT-R lapped the 'Ring in 7:24.22, giving up two and a half seconds to the Corvette's 7:19.63'"
The hp bump was scheduled for the car from January of this year, well before the 2012 ZR1 came on the track. This thread was created weeks before the ZR1 came to the ring:
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=57606&st=0&start=0
"I agree with most on this forum, that the gtr is ugly."
And you are entitled to your opinion like raylo is.
"Be Proud. Buy American."
I buy American whenever it is a good car, like my Z06. :)
NOW @ raylo993:
You need to chill out there buddy. I overreacted a little but you did as well when I said the 911 looked like a Frog. Now as far as looks you would need a survey to really assess what the general public think about the car's appearance. The bottom line is that Mizuno didn't create the car to conform to anything western but to encompass styling that is more Asian than anything. If its not your cup of tea that is fine.
kageryu311 says:
11:36 PM, 06/16/2011
"Why you continue to criticize the people on this forum who are only expressing their opinion? If you have to, criticize the opinion, not the person. Lets be civil. Please. Why you call Corvette owners "elitist pricks?" Everyone is entitled to their opinion or choice of car they own."
"Where you get your data? The ZR1 has always out sold the less expensive gtr. Last year there were only 889 gtrs (http://www.gtrinformation.com/tag/nissan-gtr-sales-numbers/) sold world wide. In the same time frame more than twice as many ZR1s were sold... just in the USA. People just like the ZR1 better. I said it before and I will say it again, the gtr is on the way out. It is not a money maker for nissan."
The ZR1 sold more but did not sell twice as many ZR1s as GT-Rs. http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2010/06/16/final-2010-corvette-production-statistics/
This year the GT-R has already sold 728 units in the United states in 2011 which is forecasted to make its sales much higher that they were in 2010:
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=33169
There are a lot of companies that sell performance cars that aren't a money maker for the Company and still keep/kept the cars in production for a long time. The Bugatti Veyron, the NSX, the Dodge Viper, etc. Its main point is to be a halo car to showcase the performance side of Nissan as well as boost sales for their other cars. The Corvette and 911 are the only true (by definition) sports cars in the world that actually make a profit for any company.
"Mizuno misled the public into thinking that the 2012 gtr was the final step in the evolution of the gtr."
Mizuno didn't mislead anyone, he kept on improving the car. If making the car faster is misleading the public then there must be
"A few days after the gtr got it's butt kicked by the ZR1, nissan announces increased horsepower coming in 2013. This is not a smart business move. Who will want to buy a car with less horsepower when a more powerful one is on the way?"
While I do agree its a bad business move 30hp bump on newer cars isn't going to sway more people away from the older cars especially when bigger discounts are being put on older models that are in brand new condition.
"Even IL believes that the announced horsepower increase is in reaction to the gtr's loss to the ZR1. Check this out: http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/20714/report-more-powerful-nissan-gt-r-in-the-works-for-2013
'Inside Lines sources say that power bump may be exaggerated, but it's clear that Nissan doesn't want to be slower around the Nürburgring than a Corvette ZR1. As it stands today, the latest GT-R lapped the 'Ring in 7:24.22, giving up two and a half seconds to the Corvette's 7:19.63'"
The hp bump was scheduled for the car from January of this year, well before the 2012 ZR1 came on the track. This thread was created weeks before the ZR1 came to the ring:
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=57606&st=0&start=0
"I agree with most on this forum, that the gtr is ugly."
And you are entitled to your opinion like raylo is.
"Be Proud. Buy American."
I buy American whenever it is a good car, like my Z06. :)
NOW @ raylo993:
You need to chill out there buddy. I overreacted a little but you did as well when I said the 911 looked like a Frog. Now as far as looks you would need a survey to really assess what the general public think about the car's appearance. The bottom line is that Mizuno didn't create the car to conform to anything western but to encompass styling that is more Asian than anything. If its not your cup of tea that is fine.
zr1man says:
09:11 PM, 06/16/2011
@kageryu311:
Why you continue to criticize the people on this forum who are only expressing their opinion? If you have to, criticize the opinion, not the person. Lets be civil. Please. Why you call Corvette owners "elitist pricks?" Everyone is entitled to their opinion or choice of car they own.
Where you get your data? The ZR1 has always out sold the less expensive gtr. Last year there were only 889 gtrs (http://www.gtrinformation.com/tag/nissan-gtr-sales-numbers/) sold world wide. In the same time frame more than twice as many ZR1s were sold... just in the USA. People just like the ZR1 better. I said it before and I will say it again, the gtr is on the way out. It is not a money maker for nissan.
Mizuno misled the public into thinking that the 2012 gtr was the final step in the evolution of the gtr. A few days after the gtr got it's butt kicked by the ZR1, nissan announces increased horsepower coming in 2013. This is not a smart business move. Who will want to buy a car with less horsepower when a more powerful one is on the way?
Even IL believes that the announced horsepower increase is in reaction to the gtr's loss to the ZR1. Check this out: http://www.automotiveaddicts.com/20714/report-more-powerful-nissan-gt-r-in-the-works-for-2013
"Inside Lines sources say that power bump may be exaggerated, but it's clear that Nissan doesn't want to be slower around the Nürburgring than a Corvette ZR1. As it stands today, the latest GT-R lapped the 'Ring in 7:24.22, giving up two and a half seconds to the Corvette's 7:19.63"
I agree with most on this forum, that the gtr is ugly.
Be Proud. Buy American.
raylo993 says:
07:35 AM, 06/16/2011
@kageryu
You are absolutely the quintessential fanboy to the highest degree...why get so defensive and reactive towards the slightest opposing viewpoints of your beloved JDM.
Hey, fanboy idiot, lots of people outside of this website find GTR ugly. It's a fact and it's not insulting by all means. It's you who can't take it. It's you who can't deal with it, fanboy. Some like its styling but lots of people don't, so just let it rest and stop insulting the others.
You are really unbelievable...
You just enjoy rebuking others' opposing viewpoints. Be that way...you are hopeless anyway. So long and enough said.
Yes, the GTR is the greatest and the sexiest sports car ever made on this planet....are you happy now?? LMFAO
kageryu311 says:
07:01 AM, 06/16/2011
@raylo993 "Hey, GtR fanboy, why can't you just let others express their opinions and not rebuking them??"
Hey 911 Fanboy, I did and responded by giving my opinion on their opinions.
"I did praise the car's performance by calling it super, didn't I??
It's just that I hate its looks and I ain't the minority here, man. Open your eyes and read other posts, fool."
What's said on one site does not represent the majority of people who have actually seen the car. It would be better to put up a survey on this to find out what people think.
"Stop insulting the 911 by calling it frog looking whatever crap you put it, you idiot."
Well then, stop insulting the GT-R by calling it ugly. I think the Porsche look like a Frog. Excellent performers but not my cup of tea.
"It happens that this frog looking thing has more fans than you will ever know around the world....a classic shape which lasts thru generations!! It's the icon of Porsche, a very successful sports car maker. By comparison, your beloved GTR's body would change many many times over and don't stand any freakin' chance of test of time, period."
Well the skyline name has been around since 1954. Porsche has been around longer but the skyline and GT-R name have both been around for a long time, longer than any other Japanese import car model. It's met a test of time. Just because they change the body style of the car doesn't mean that it won't meet the test of time. Look at how many times the Corvette changed over the generations.
"It takes a real man and his skills to drive and appreciate this machine which of course for a fanboy like you would never quite comprehend....you can only drive with all those technological aids as your life-saver and you need them.
GROW UP, fanboy!!"
Face it dude, the DCT is going to replace classic 6 speed manual transmissions in the future. The GT-R is a foreshadowing of things to come. Look at the new 997 911's. They all have traction control, launch control and the PDK trans are exactly the same as the features offered for the GT-R. What the GT-R excells in is the best marriage of these techonologies.
911's are great and the best sport cars in the world but don't knock Godzilla.
raylo993 says:
12:04 AM, 06/16/2011
@kageryu311
Hey, GtR fanboy, why can't you just let others express their opinions and not rebuking them??
I did praise the car's performance by calling it super, didn't I??
It's just that I hate its looks and I ain't the minority here, man. Open your eyes and read other posts, fool. Stop insulting the 911 by calling it frog looking whatever crap you put it, you idiot. It happens that this frog looking thing has more fans than you will ever know around the world....a classic shape which lasts thru generations!! It's the icon of Porsche, a very successful sports car maker. By comparison, your beloved GTR's body would change many many times over and don't stand any freakin' chance of test of time, period. It takes a real man and his skills to drive and appreciate this machine which of course for a fanboy like you would never quite comprehend....you can only drive with all those technological aids as your life-saver and you need them.
GROW UP, fanboy!!
kageryu311 says:
10:30 PM, 06/15/2011
@ZR1man
"It's really funny that nissan has already announced a new improved version of the gtr for 2013. It has only been just a few months after the "big splash" nissan tried to make with the 2012 gtr. Especially after Kazutoshi Mizuno went on and on saying that the 2012 gtr was the gtr in it's purest form and the car that he wanted to make from the start. Mizuno made an almost mystical video describing how great the 2012 gtr was. He seems to worship it like it was a deity. I think it was sick."
Now the creator of the car caring about his product there isn't anything wrong with that. Jim Mero would probably say the same thing about the ZR1. So that point is absolutely moot.
"nissan's announcement comes on the heals of the ZR1 whipping the gtr's butt at Nurburgring. And what message does it their announcement send to the potential buyers of the 2012 model? Wait until 2013! That will be great for 2012 sales. Not."
What the hell are you talking about. The announcement of the 2013 GT-R upgrades have made headway since January. Just because you don't follow up on the GT-R doesn't mean that they announced these upgrades in desperation to the ZR1. It goes the same way for buying the 2012 ZR1 for owners of the older ZR1. Not to mention the Sales numbers for the GT-R are over double for the past three months compared to last years sales.
"Let's face the facts that the Js will never be able to beat the Americans or the ZR1."
The J's have beat the Americans in Sales since the late 70's. Up until the Earthquake the Top 3 have had significantly less sales than Toyota, Honda and Nissan in sales overall. The GT-R briefly beat the ZR1 around the ring but You never know whats gonna happen so don't get all big headed. Its people like you that are the reason why the rest of the car world think Corvette owners are elitist pricks.
@raylo993
"While GT-R's performance is super, its styling is rather cluttered and incoherent to the point of being ugly. It's either a love it, for the RICE fanboys or hate it, for most of the folks, type of thing. I have seen a few GT-Rs on the streets and just based on its styling, I won't buy it with my own money. Hey, for $95K+, there are prettier sports cars out there...they might not be as fast, but they look classier and sexier. After all, so what if I'm about 2-3 secs. slower than the other guy driving on the street. "
Its not only "RICE" which I guess you mean import fanboys who like this car. You should have seen the looks my friend got when he got the car. Just because you saw one on the street really doesn't do much about it. Acutally driving and experiencing the car is where it all is. This car is about PERFORMANCE primarily so its not a car for you. I personally think it looks good. But then again you are probably a guy who likes those Frog looking cars, noting the 993 at the end of your username.
[QUOTE]Another point, Nissan must be quite desperate to boost GT-R's sales....so many upgrades already within a rather short time span. Obviously, GT-R isn't doing in sales as well as Nissan expected.[/QUOTE]
Sales aren't that bad right now. Sales numbers have more than doubled since the production of the 2012 GT-R. This car sold more units than the SRT 10 Viper and the C6 ZR1 in a similar time frame comparison wise. Another thing to note is the NSX sold less units per year than the GT-R has and stayed around for over 10 years (1989-2005) without ever upgrading. Constant upgrades are good thing that improves the performance of the car. The 997 911 turbo made upgrades in a short time as did the ZR1. So how about you open your eyes from your bias.