Gone in one month….what? The stock of the GT-R that Nissan was planning on selling in a year in all of Europe. And the best part is that sakes will start only in March 2009.

A month from the opening of orders, the Japanese company has already received 1500 requests, of which 950 are just from Great Britain: in fact, whoever wants to order a GT-R now will have to wait until 2010. Before next March Nissan will organise a series of events to inform customers about the car they’ve ordered and to give them a taste of the sublime quality before owning it.

In the States things are no different: sales will start in July 2008 but production for the current year has already closed, and for 2009 only 40% of units remain.

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“Gentlemen, start your thumbs” could be heard when Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Nissan unite forces to launch a promotional initiative not to be missed. The idea is that of awarding the best playing of the Gran Turismo 5 Prologue with the chance of spending 24 hours in an endurance race in Dubai on board a Nissan 350 Z racing car.

The competition is called GT Academy and includes a first online elimination round on the PlayStation Network. Participants will then most probably confront each other in a competition with the GT-R, which will be characterised by the livery you see in the photo. GT Academy will start in May and will continue for eight months.

At the end of this, the winner will attend an intensive four-month course necessary to complete the special licencing requirements. The end of these emotional 12 months will be participation in the endurance race. Obviously we’re only talking about a stint but the smell of petrol and tyres, the sound of the engines and the night-time competition will certainly be enough for an unforgettable experience for the driver.

Via | Autoblog.com

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With the new arrival of a sports car developed from the Toyota/Subaru collaboration, Nissan appears more convinced about reviving the Silvia, so as not to leave the field open for competitors.

According to the latest information, the company is beating time on the alliance between Japan’s biggest car manufacturers: at Sol Levante testing has already commenced on the small Nissan sports, of which we still know very little.

The engine for example: the best informed amongst us are divided into two camps with the first foreseeing the adoption of a 2.0 aspirated and the second betting on a 1.6 or 1.8 turbo with direct injection and the Nissan VCR (Variable Compression Ratio) system, able to marry performance and consumption.

Continue reading: Updates on the Nissan Silvia

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Not even two months after the Fbg par Hermès, and only about seven after the Pur Sang, Bugatti, not yet satisfied, has revealed a new variant on the Veyron: the Sang Noir is in fact the new celebrated version dedicated to reviving the Atlantique 57S of the 30’s - a “surbaissé” model (literally “lowered” and therefore sporty) of the legendary Type57 presented in 1934.

The particularities of this special series are the black opaque colour with chromo inserts, the aluminium mirrors and front grill, and the alloy wheels. Unfortunately technical specifications and production details have so far been kept in the dark.

Continue reading: Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir: power in a dark suit

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It has arrived on the Old Continent, even if only for the moment for some test runs on the ‘Ring. We’re referring to the Nissan GT-R V-Spec, definitive derivation on the GT-R theme and the most probable candidate for the supercar of the millennium, given the incredible base already established on the “normal” version.

The photographers from AutoExpress have immortalised the prototype at the entrance to “green hell”, already theatre to the incredible rounds done by the initial version. Now with a smile on our face, we’re wondering if the GT-R will be capable of humiliating the noble German supercars. Every point of reference might be casual but what will be the capabilities of this katana of a car?

The nasty black wheels and the stack of tyres already promise dark times for competitors and (like many readers passionate about supercars), we’re waiting to see the effects of the monstrous 550 hp (as foreseen).

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R V-Spec: spy shots from Nürburgring

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The new Nissan Murano will have a diesel engine. Its parent, while having discreet success here in Europe, was not quite up to the competition - in terms of sales - having had a reduced capacity of 3.5 V6 petrol, certainly not the most adapted to our latitudes.

The new Murano, presented in November in Los Angeles and closely linked to the Infiniti EX, will come with a 3.5 V6 petrol of 265 hp (31 more compared to the prior model) and 325 Nm. But in particular it will include the brand new 3.0 V6 dCi developed by the parent company Renault and presented in Frankfurt in the lovely Laguna Coupè concept. Unfortunately however, the wait for the new diesel unit will take until 2010.

Via | AutoWeek

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A new name, updated body-work, unseen engine and more performance: it could be apt to discuss a revamped model, but the Nissan 370Z is only a more full-bodied version of the current job.

The line, revealed in a Japanese magazine, will have a modified sides (economically disadvantageous to change), more full-bodied and edgy: even the rear, stockier, and the front with aquiline headlights, render the idea less of evolution and more just of change.

As already confermed, the engine will be the new V6 3.7 already seen with the Infiniti G37: it’s probable that the 330 bhp taken from its cousin will also be kept on Tokyo’s sporty model. The debut will probably occur at the Los Angeles show.

Via | Autoblog.com

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Autocar’s Chris Harris, whom we have got to know from other interesting test-drives on the website, presents us with a face-off that will really get the fans going. The new Nissan GT-R is pitted against two german competitors. In place of the Porsche 997 Turbo, its ‘natural’ competitor (it has the same horsepower and it was the target of Nissan engineers), we find instead the BMW M3, which is within the same price-range and the Porsche 997 GT3, more extreme and expensive but with a driving experience similar to that of the Japanese monster.

Continue reading: Video: Autocar drives the Nissan GT-R, BMW M3 and the Porsche 997 GT3

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What is better than efficient? Perhaps “super-efficient” would be the word. Well according to the Nissan, the word on everyone’s lips is V-Spec; and it is easy to imagine why. It originally took 7 minutes 38 seconds for the Nissan GT-R to tear round the track at Nuerburgring, but Nissan want more - they want to beat the record of 7 minutes 25 seconds.

In reality, the GT-R is not so much a devastating rocket, but a precision rifle - extremely efficient. The forthcoming ‘extreme’ model, the V-Spec will be a bit of both. It will be optimised to attain, or perhaps even redefine, perfection. Auto Express, going by the latest gossip, have put forward the idea that the
original power output of 473bhp will be increased to a huge 550bhp, matched by a weight reduction of 150kg. Consequently, the redefined weight to power output ratio of 2.9 kg/ bhp, would be a formidable weapon. Even the body-kit will get a make-over, with side-skirts and rear spoiler in order to prevent
take-off. It should be released in 2010 at a price of no less that 100,000 Euro.

Via | Auto Express

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Nissan engineers are working hard on putting the finishing touches to the new Nissan Skyline GT-R, which will debut at the next Tokyo auto show (october 24th). While we wait for official photos, the japanese magazines Response.jp and Holiday Auto have some very interesting information regarding the price and the engine of this new super-car from Nissan.

Response.jp writes that the GT-R will cost 7,700,000 yen, the equivalent of 48.000 € (or 65,000 $) on the home market. For comparison purposes, the Nissan 350Z costs about 4 million yen: if the proportions stay the same on all markets, the european price of the GT-R would be about 75-80,000 €, while in the usa it would be around 65,000 $. If these prices were confirmed, the GT-R would be priced below the base Porsche 911 but with an engine (and performance) that are much closer to those of the 911 Turbo, as we can see below.

Continue reading: Nissan Skyline GT-R - info about the price and the VR38 engine

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