It’s a corny video so it might not have quite the intended impact on Porsche 911 fans, but here’s a mini film in which we see the Nissan GTR pick off the 911 in a race, the winner of which gets the inheritance. It looks like a fun drive around the estate and this time round, you could do worse than be the butler.

Continue reading: Nissan GTR vs Porsche 911: Daddy's little rich kids

How Lotus Evora became UK’s Best Handling Car according to Autocar.co.uk testing. Contenders: Lotus Evora, Jaguar XFR, Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche Panamera, Audi R8 V10, Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Lamborghini Murcielago LP 670-4 SV, Ford Focus RS, Renault Sport Clio 200 Cup, Nissan 370Z.

Continue reading: Britain's Best Handling Car by Autocar

Porsche has declared a time of seven minutes and 40 seconds for its new 911 GT3 3.8 model, driven on the north side of the Nurburgring by Walter Rohrl. The vehicle is identical to the production model that customers will have, and in this case a challenge to rival the Nissan GT-R, wasn’t lacking.

Another discussion regarding the veracity of times has started, comparing the Porsche 997 with the GT-R. Nissan declared 7:27 for the GT-R, with Porsche challenging, saying that for a production series on sale in the US, 7:54 would be closer to reality, outside of tyres and lowered bases used to obtain the record.

It seems that Rohrl has also tested the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, achieving a time of 7:45, throwing Ferrari into the mix as well. The challenge is still open and the only thing that’s certain is that we’re talking some very fast cars.

Source | Motortrend

Continue reading: Porsche 911 GT3 runs 7:40 at the Ring

After the Nissan GT-R SpecV pics, here is the official video of the Japanese supercar presented on January 8.

If you weren’t convinced about oriental sportscars, the images of the SpecV screaming down the track might do the trick.

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R SpecV: first video

The Nissan GT-R SpecV is finally ready for its debut and here we give you the official shots of this high powered Nissan performance vehicle and its carbon fibre exhaust. The aerodynamic aspects give the SpecV a different look to the standard version, along with carbon finishings and new air intakes for the brakes. Other elements include 20-inch Nismo alloy wheels and a specific “Ultimate Black Opal” colour in addition to other colour options.

Mechanically speaking, work has been carried out on the turbine pressure and overboost to improve torque, together with a titanium exhuast system with twin outlets. While no official news has been released on the power, it is expected to be about 480hp.

A new wheel base and carbon ceramic brakes complete the package, while weight has been reduced on the standard model, with rear seats eliminated and extensive use of carbon fibre for internal finishings. The seats are an ergonomic, racing, shell shape from Recaro.

Continue reading: Official pics of the Nissan GT-R SpecV

Japanese dealers of the new supercar, Nissan GT-R, have been instructed not to take any further orders for the vehicle at this stage, due to possible production problems. The order to temporarily suspend orders relates to Japanese dealers only, leading to speculation that there is a probably with Japan-manufactered components.

Plenty of rumours abound as to the halt, but so far Nissan has released no official statement. The GT-R is currently beleaguered with a material price increase, claims of differences in Nurburgring lap times and a launch control transmission issue which doesn’t cover emission norms. Here’s hoping the problem doesn’t disperse to other GT-R production lines.

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R production blocked

As if the GT-R wasn’t extreme enough, according to Motorauthority, the Japanese have upped the ante with a V-Spec version that’s lighter and more powerful. This could really challenge for the title of fastest car on the ‘Ring, and if we’re lucky, we’ll be seeing it at the Paris motor show.

Up to 100hp have been added to the Spec-V, in addition to a carbon fit-out that will give it an edge in terms of weight. The tuner, Nismo, has worked on this prototype, spotted at the Nurburgring, and the debut of the final vehicle is expect for 2009.

Source | Motorauthority

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R V-Spec: get out the stop-watch

These images come from our sister blog in Italian, autoblog.it, and are from a lucky reader who, come 2010, will be the owner of a Nissan GT-R.

Having ordered the car, our reader has had no contact much with his new acquisition apart from a presentation at the Nissan Performance Centre in Turin. But all that changed with the arrival of this kit, whose contents show some grand style from the company in service to its new customers.

The kit includes an invitation to a half-day of test driving on the Nürburgring track, along with instructions as to how to measure one’s head. Why? Because Nissan will give a personalised helmet to each customer who participates in the event.

Our reader will attend the event in October (and we’re green with envy here), and for 2009 other surprises are in store for the European owners of the GT-R. We’ll let you know the impressions from the test drive event.

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R test drive event: while waiting for 2010

Some nice graphs showing curvy power and torque lines are dedicated to the sceptics, or the European competition. There are no invasive spoilers, no splitters, no inapproprite alloy wheels - the Nissan GT-R is nasty and intimidating but it’s all on the inside with 90hp more added by HKS.

Unfortunately this kit won’t venture out of Japan meaning we can’t truly evaluate the improvements. But the re-vamped turbo, intercooler and catalisers mean the car reaches a final power of 570hp and 730Nm. We prefer not to place bets on its performance…

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R HKS GT570: just a few extra "discreet" horse power

While I can’t understand a word of the commentary, it sounds very exciting as a Nissan GT-R holds it own against a Lamborghini Murcielago LP 640. While the Italian car still wins, the Nissan shows itself worthy, losing only a few metres despite a good 160 hp less.

Source | Autoblog.nl

Continue reading: Lamborghini vs Nissan video

With official details released, records at the Nurburgring, and competitors shaking in their shoes, we’ll have to hold back the enthusiasm a little for the V-Spec as she makes us wait. If the normal version is a prima donna, the V-Spec is the diva stealing the show, but Japanese magazine BestCar has reported that the Nissan GT-R V-Spec has been put back to a date still to be decided.

No reason has been provided as to the delay, although the release in Japan is still not expected to go beyond the beginning of 2009. The good news to be had is that on August 20 Nissan will present the Evolution (or S-Tune) version of the GT-R, developed with endurance technology seen on the NISMO prototype.

Via | Autoblog.com

Continue reading: Nissan GT-R V-Spec delayed. But in the meantime...

Jeremy Clarkson is well impressed by the Nissan GT-R (can anyone tell me what car he drives..?), as demonstrated in this Top Gear video which tests the new Nissan. The fact that Clarkson was carried off in an ambulance at the end of the test could be all you need to know (neck problems due to over-indulgence in speed, nothing serious).

He discusses the stability and balance of this car, which even has a specially designed rim so the wheels don’t fall off in more extreme situations. All that switch flicking at the beginning can’t dampen his enthusiasm for the feel of the vehicle as he says: “It is extremely hard to explain how this feels. Agony’s probably the best word. It feels mechanical, it feels analogue, it feels human. It feels fab-bleeding-tastic!”

With the final test on the Top Gear circuit, this car results faster than the Ferrari 430, a McLaren and a Porsche. And it costs a whole lot less. As Clarkson says: “They haven’t built a new car, they’ve built a new yard-stick”. We’re asking ourselves what the V-spec version will produce with 100kg less and 70hp more…

Thanks to “joker1372″

Continue reading: Video: Top Gear tests the Nissan GT-R