Tokyo show: Nissan unveils tweaked GT-R supercar

NISSAN unveiled an upgraded version of its GT-R supercar at the Tokyo motor show this morning, highlighting recalibrated suspension settings and better engine performance via an improved-flow catalyst system.

Due on sale in Japan in December and international markets, including Australia, in the first half of 2010, the $150,000-plus twin-turbo V6 AWD GT-R is described as having gone through “continuous evolution” to remain on the “cutting edge of multi-dimensional performance” since its introduction in its home market late in 2007.

Nissan, which also revised spring and damper rates for the current Model Year 2009 (the first version sold in Australia), claims the suspension upgrade offers “enhanced, premium quality ride comfort” while “still providing the driver with a feeling of direct contact with the road surface”.

Engineers aimed to increase the accuracy of the front shock absorbers and springs, while the stiffness of the rear suspension radius rod bushings also has been strengthened.

Rear diffusers with cooling ducts, as seen on the Japanese market race-oriented GT-R SpecV, are now used across the range, improving cooling performance around the rear floor area.

Left: Nissan GT-R SpecV. Below: Nissan GT-R interior.

Sporting an exclusive race suspension set-up with Bilstein Damptronic struts, SpecV variants also receive revised rear shock absorber settings to enhance the combination of “supple ride comfort and flat, predictable handling”.

The lighter and higher-performing SpecV has also switched from 20-inch Bridgestone Potenza RE070R run-flat tyres – the same used on the GT-R Premium version sold in Australia – to a set of Dunlops, although the former remain an option.

The current standard-issue Australian-spec GT-R runs on 20-inch Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSSTs.

Both the GT-R and GT-R SpecV use essentially the same 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 producing 357kW of power and 588Nm of torque, although the SpecV features a high-gear boost control device that momentarily increases boost from the turbochargers to provide an extra 20Nm between 3500rpm and 5000rpm.

With the latest upgrade, all GT-Rs are now claimed to offer improved low- and mid-range engine response with the introduction of hexagonal meshed catalyst cells that reduce ventilation/airflow resistance.

The cabin also picks up a USB port with iPod connectivity, along with a new navigation system for the Japanese market.

The current GTR is priced from $155,800 in Australia (plus on-road costs and statutory charges), with the Premium version requiring a further $4000 for the different wheel pattern and tyre combination, a premium Bose stereo and red seat trim accents.