2014 Nissan GT-R Japanese Spec Yeah, yeah, we know. The 2014 Nissan GT-R seen here looks identical to last year’s model. That’s because it is. Huh? Then why allocate precious editorial space for a new drive story? Well, while Godzilla may look the same (apart from a new carbon fiber rear wing) it handles far better, boasts improved ride quality, and delivers beefier torque in the upper rev ranges thanks to some strategic modifications, according to Nissan. Those changes helped the 2014 GT-R drop even more seconds off its official time around Germany’s famed Nurburgring. At 7 minutes, 18.6 seconds with Nissan’s top gun Toshio Suzuki at the wheel, the updated GT-R is now the second-fastest production car around the ‘Ring on stock tires, after the Lexus LFA. To test out the updated GT-R, we were summoned to the Sportsland Sugo Circuit some 230 miles north-east of Tokyo, where we heard from outspoken chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno -- the guy who boldly stated he’d continue to upgrade the car with each succeeding model year.
2014 Nissan GT-R Japanese Spec
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| 2014 Nissan GT-R Japanese Spec |
2014 Nissan GT-R Japanese Spec
2014 Nissan GT-R Japanese Spec
Mizuno-san has lived up to that claim, continuing to boost the GT-R’s power and torque plus, revising the chassis, suspension, and other bits. His main goal is to make the GT-R the fastest production car on standard road tires around the Nurburgring. He’s close
This time, Mizuno’s obsession has a lot more to do with the new car than all previous updates, as the 2014 GT-R reportedly benefits from feedback gained from competing in this year’s Nurburgring 24-hour race. Mizuno’s press briefing, in which he outlined the updates to the car, felt more like a sermon than a lecture. No other Japanese chief engineer speaks as passionately about their creations as he does. It was kind of like the world of supercars according to Mr. M. “The GT-R is faster out of the blocks than anything else, can corner faster than anything else with higher G forces, and maintain greater cornering stability under higher loads than anything else,” Mizuno said. “Apart from its near 50:50 front-rear weight distribution, the GT-R has the ideal engine power-to-curb weight-to-tire footprint ratio, something that guarantees industry-leading results.” He assures us that the 2014 GT-R’s 545 horsepower; its claimed 3825-pound curb weight (our long-term, 2013 GT-R tipped the scales at 3887 pounds); and sticky, run-flat 20-inch rubber will help the car rocket from 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds (our long-termer hit 2.8), corner at up to 2.8 g, and stop from 60-to-0 mph in less than 100 feet, even in the wet! He says that any changes to this ideal “power-weight-tire footprint ratio” would lead to slower times and less stability. “For example, if we were to lighten the GT-R by 200 pounds, its 0-60 mph sprint time would fall from 2.7 seconds to around 3.3 seconds. And its stopping distance (from 60 to zero) would stretch from 99 feet to around 115 feet,” explains Mizuno. “The ratio we have now is the ideal one. Only this time, our modifications make it an even better car to drive!” stresses the man who answers directly to CEO Carlos Ghosn.
He has a point. Based on our test laps around Sugo, the revised coupe turns in sharper, is more stable into and out of the corners, has a more compliant ride, and delivers stronger throttle response in the high rev ranges than last year’s version. So how did he achieve that? First, the engine. As Mizuno so poignantly pointed out, next season’s GT-R will not get any power or torque upgrades. The 3.8-liter twin turbo V-6 will still produce 545 horsepower and 463 lb-ft of torque, “ideal numbers,” according to Mr. M. Also, no changes have been made to car’s superb twin-clutch GR6 gearbox, rear transaxle, or brilliant Atessa 4WD system. The addition of high- output injectors that better control fuel injection in the mid-ranges, as well as a new orifice fitted to the turbo bypass valve that retards the loss of boost pressure, combine to deliver a stronger punch from higher revs when you get back on the gas. We were amazed with the beefier response between 4500 and 7000 rpm in the high-speed twisty sections when constantly switching between on gas, off gas, dabbing the brakes, then back on the gas again. The better response allows for even quicker exits from corners. “This was an idea we picked up from the 24-hour race this year, because Nurburgring has many high- speed, twisty sections, and maintaining beefier boost on tap in the mid- to top end was a must,” he insists. Some additions may seem a little obscure, but that’s the nature of upgrading a supercar. Mizuno tells us his team added a special baffle plate to the bottom of the oil pan, a modification that helps to stabilize oil pressure, while reducing rotational friction in the oil pan at the same time. Its merit? Apparently it helps to deliver more stability to the car in high-speed corners.
This time, Mizuno’s obsession has a lot more to do with the new car than all previous updates, as the 2014 GT-R reportedly benefits from feedback gained from competing in this year’s Nurburgring 24-hour race. Mizuno’s press briefing, in which he outlined the updates to the car, felt more like a sermon than a lecture. No other Japanese chief engineer speaks as passionately about their creations as he does. It was kind of like the world of supercars according to Mr. M. “The GT-R is faster out of the blocks than anything else, can corner faster than anything else with higher G forces, and maintain greater cornering stability under higher loads than anything else,” Mizuno said. “Apart from its near 50:50 front-rear weight distribution, the GT-R has the ideal engine power-to-curb weight-to-tire footprint ratio, something that guarantees industry-leading results.” He assures us that the 2014 GT-R’s 545 horsepower; its claimed 3825-pound curb weight (our long-term, 2013 GT-R tipped the scales at 3887 pounds); and sticky, run-flat 20-inch rubber will help the car rocket from 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds (our long-termer hit 2.8), corner at up to 2.8 g, and stop from 60-to-0 mph in less than 100 feet, even in the wet! He says that any changes to this ideal “power-weight-tire footprint ratio” would lead to slower times and less stability. “For example, if we were to lighten the GT-R by 200 pounds, its 0-60 mph sprint time would fall from 2.7 seconds to around 3.3 seconds. And its stopping distance (from 60 to zero) would stretch from 99 feet to around 115 feet,” explains Mizuno. “The ratio we have now is the ideal one. Only this time, our modifications make it an even better car to drive!” stresses the man who answers directly to CEO Carlos Ghosn.
He has a point. Based on our test laps around Sugo, the revised coupe turns in sharper, is more stable into and out of the corners, has a more compliant ride, and delivers stronger throttle response in the high rev ranges than last year’s version. So how did he achieve that? First, the engine. As Mizuno so poignantly pointed out, next season’s GT-R will not get any power or torque upgrades. The 3.8-liter twin turbo V-6 will still produce 545 horsepower and 463 lb-ft of torque, “ideal numbers,” according to Mr. M. Also, no changes have been made to car’s superb twin-clutch GR6 gearbox, rear transaxle, or brilliant Atessa 4WD system. The addition of high- output injectors that better control fuel injection in the mid-ranges, as well as a new orifice fitted to the turbo bypass valve that retards the loss of boost pressure, combine to deliver a stronger punch from higher revs when you get back on the gas. We were amazed with the beefier response between 4500 and 7000 rpm in the high-speed twisty sections when constantly switching between on gas, off gas, dabbing the brakes, then back on the gas again. The better response allows for even quicker exits from corners. “This was an idea we picked up from the 24-hour race this year, because Nurburgring has many high- speed, twisty sections, and maintaining beefier boost on tap in the mid- to top end was a must,” he insists. Some additions may seem a little obscure, but that’s the nature of upgrading a supercar. Mizuno tells us his team added a special baffle plate to the bottom of the oil pan, a modification that helps to stabilize oil pressure, while reducing rotational friction in the oil pan at the same time. Its merit? Apparently it helps to deliver more stability to the car in high-speed corners.