Nissan is looking to get as much mileage out of the current, R35-generation GT-R as it can. At the 2016 New York Auto Show, the 2017 GT-R debuted as the most significant update of the model since it first appeared about a decade ago. Now, Nissan is giving the hotter GT-R NISMO version the same treatment.
The 2017 Nissan GT-R NISMO debuted at the Nürburgring motor sports complex in Germany, where its predecessor achieved lap times to match much more exotic supercars, and also where significant development work on both generations of NISMO was done. The outgoing NISMO was a range-topping model focused solely on performance (NISMO stands for “Nissan Motorsports,” after all), but with the 2017 GT-R, Nissan is emphasizing luxury. So what kind of animal will the new NISMO be?
From the outside, at least, the 2017 NISMO resembles the “standard” 2017 GT-R. The grille incorporates Nissan’s familial “V-motion” shape, and the hood has some new bulges. Unlike other GT-R models, the NISMO gets a front bumper made from carbon fiber, along with more aggressive aerodynamic aids like a jutting front spoiler and massive rear wing. Unfortunately, the overall look isn’t quite as handsome as the more elegant 2016 GT-R NISMO. Nissan says the changes produce more downforce, at least.
Read more: Watch a 1,380 hp Nissan GT-R go 189 mph… sideways
Under the hood, the new NISMO is the same as the old NISMO. The 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 still produces 600 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque. As in other GT-R models, that power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automated transmission. The NISMO still boasts significantly more power than the standard GT-R’s 565hp and 467 lb-ft, even though that model got a power boost for 2017.
Interior design was never a priority in the old GT-R NISMO, but the new model tries to balance driver-focused simplicity with some of the upgrades bestowed on the rest of the 2017 GT-R lineup. It gets the same redesigned steering wheel and dashboard, covered in alcantara. As in the standard GT-R, the number of switches is cut from 27 to 11, and the driver gets a new 8-inch display screen to play with. The NISMO also has special leather Recaro bucket seats with red synthetic suede inserts.
Expect the 2017 Nissan GT-R NISMO to go on sale some time after the rest of the 2017 GT-R lineup, which hits showrooms this summer. We can’t wait to find out if it lives up to the NISMO name.
