2017 Nissan GT-R launches in UK ahead of September debut for Australia

The once-again facelifted and upgraded GT-R was first unveiled back in March at the New York motor show, revealing a number of exterior and interior enhancements, along with the requisite increase in power.

Nissan says this latest round of tweaks represent the most significant update since the car’s launch nine years ago.

On the styling front, the facelifted super-sports coupe gains a reshaped bonnet and front bumper, new daytime running lights and Nissan’s ‘V-motion’ grille.

The grille not only serves to put the styling further in-line with the wider Nissan family, but also increases engine airflow.

According to the Japanese car maker, tweaks to the bonnet also serve to improve aerodynamics, but only when the speed heads north of 200km/h.

Similarly, Nissan claim that nearly all the aesthetic changes aid aerodynamic performance in some way.

Subtle changes have been made to the exterior and underbody of the car aimed to improve aerodynamic downforce, to reduce drag and to enhance cooling of the mechanical systems. Changes include an extended and lowered front ‘under spoiler’, reshaping of the side sills (to reduce lift) and the C-pillars (to reduce turbulence at the rear of the car).

The rear bumper section adopts design cues from the GT-R Nismo and features new air vents, while tweaks to the quad exhaust outlet – now with quad titanium tips – and diffuser creates less airflow interference around the rear of the car. The lower beltline as also been raised to enhance the appearance of the body shape.

Inside, the interior is wrapped in nappa leather and features a dash that Nissan says adopts a ‘horizontal flow’ said to offer ‘high stability for the car’s front-seat occupants’.

The new 8.0-inch infotainment screen in the more simplified central stack is complemented with a new controller located in the carbon-fibre centre console, the new design both cleaner in appearance and more upmarket in feel.

The infotainment software is new, the display array for vehicle parameters are customisable, and the number of controls for the navigation and audio systems – some of which are machined aluminium – has reduced from 27 in the outgoing model to just 11 in the MY17 version.

Also fresh is the sharper, leaner multi-function steering wheel that, for the first time in the R35’s nine-year lifecycle, moves the paddle-shifters from the steering column to the wheel itself.

The front seats have also been reshaped in order to offer both more support during spirited driving and improved comfort for general driving.

The 2017 GT-R retains the hand-built VR38DETT twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6, which benefits from increased boost pressure and an ignition timing system adopted from the GT-R Nismo. Net gains are lifts of 15kW and 4Nm, raising peak outputs to 419kW at 6800rpm and 632Nm across a now wider 3300-5800rpm peak torque band.

Aiding the GT-R’s increased outputs is a new titanium exhaust system, which has a sound attenuation system that can be driver-activated to reduce noise by 10dB. The MY17 GT-R is also equipped with both Active Noise Cancellation and Active Sound Enhancement systems to make the car louder or quieter depending on the occupants’ whims.

Nissan claims to have further refined the six-speed dual-clutch transmission to provide less clatter at idle and a smoother, more-refined character at low-speed. The transaxle-based ‘Attesa E-TS’ all-wheel-drive system remains largely unchanged in MY17 form.

Revisions to both the body structure and adaptive suspension is said to have improved both ride comfort and dynamic handling through the various drive modes, which remain the trio of Normal, Comfort and R (for Race).

The MY17 GT-R adopts six-piston 390mm front and four-piston 380mm rear brakes supplied by Brembo, while the new-design forged alloy 20-inch wheels are fitted with 255mm and 285mm rubber.

With a global launch just around the corner, a local launch remains slated for September this year.

When the car does launch, it’s expected buyers will be able to choose between either the Premium edition or the Nismo-tuned Track Edition.

Though unconfirmed, a third variant - the Black Edition - is not expected to be offered locally.

While local pricing and specification of the 2017 Nissan GT-R will be confirmed closer to the Australian debut, it is unlikely that pricing will deviate much from the current MY16-generation’s $172,000-$182,500 price band.

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