Nissan GT-R Unveiled

U.S. based car magazine Motor Trend accidentally broke the embargo on images of the Nissan GT-R yesterday, prior to the Tokyo Motor Show world premiere, so Nissan decided to lift the embargo and let the press shots loose.

2008 Nissan GT-R R35

What we do know is that the GT-R will be powered by a twin-turbo V6 with a 0-100km/h time of about 3.6 seconds and a top speed in excess of 300km/h. The V6 will deliver 352kW of power and 586Nm of torque.

Nissan GT-R

As with all GT-Rs power will be going to all four wheels through a rear-mounted transaxle. We can’t be certain, but it appears the GT-R might be available with a dual-clutch six-speed automatic (F1 style paddles) only.

Nissan GT-R

In the U.S., the GT-R is set to start at $80,000 USD ($90,000 AUD), which might mean we will get our hands on the GT-R for under 150k!

11am update: More photos added thanks to Inside Line.

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49 Responses to “Nissan GT-R Unveiled”

  1. Flying High Says:

    Sign me up.

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  2. Glander Says:

    Hell yes!
    I cant believe that power,
    Porsche is going to have some problems!

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  3. MrBean Says:

    Hmm hard to say, it looks stunning, and given they have been hard at work for the last 5yrs trying to beat the 911, they might have just succeeded..

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  4. Baji Says:

    It looks absolutely awesome. It’ll definitely give the 911 a run for its money. The interior looks alright, but i still don’t get why they have those back seats. i mean what do they expect to fit back there? Just some unecessary weight i reckon. But i guess with the amount of grunt in this beast, your bags would probably need to be buckled down as well.

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  5. Supercujo Says:

    The GT-R will not be under $100K when it lands here in Oz. Think more like $160K or more.

    The Porsche Carrera S retails for USD$83,800 in the US and is a direct competitor for the GT-R I would guess. In Australia, through the magic of importing, the retail price jumps to AUD$227,600.

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  6. Adam Says:

    Supercujo is on the money.

    There are plenty of examples.

    The BMW M3 is around the 50k USD mark but retails for 140k+ here.

    This car is coming from Japan however.. I am going to guess at a figure of about $125k + onroads.

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  7. Supercujo Says:

    I think my initial estimate might be off… sadly, on the low side.

    Check out the US price of a Lexus LS460:
    http://www.lexus.com/models/LS.....icing.html

    Starting price of USD$61,500

    Now check the Australian price on the same car:
    http://lexus.com.au/models/spe.....p;specid=6

    Starting price of AUD$186,200

    Does that mean the GT-R will come to Australia over the $200,000 mark? I hope not.

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  8. Chris Says:

    It just means there will be an active import market for these given the current price of the Aussie Dollar.

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  9. Lexus fan Says:

    $61,500 for a stripper LS with no Nav no 19 speakers in the states, while in Australia, 186k gets you fully loaded LS which worths at least $80k USD. And there are hundreds people lining up for a $150k M3, RS4, C63, why would you think GTR not justifying $150k price tag?

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  10. Supercujo Says:

    It may justify a $150K price tag, I’m not arguing that, import duties and taxes account for a huge percentage of the price of a car.

    And forget about importing one yourself, isn’t it illegal to import and register a vehicle that is/was on sale here?

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  11. ImportJap Says:

    You’re right, Supercujo. If it goes on sale here, we’ll pay more than private importing, which will become outlawed since it’ll be sold locally. And it will come in at a premium.

    I’d love one, however, full compo on this would break the bank, not to mention servicing costs on this, which are huge.

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  12. tommo617 Says:

    Hmmn,

    not sold on the styling. The simple, original godzilla (the one that destroyed Gp A racing with Gentleman Jim and Skaife so that we ended up with V8Supercars) styling was what MADE the Nissan GT-R. The new one seems a bit overblown, like they are trying too hard.

    Porsche sell shedloads of 911s despite not really altering the styling since the 60s. And Every BMW is a minor update on the previous one.

    Yes, it still has the stovetop tail lights, but what other styling element does it have in common with the other GT-Rs. (Hey, I could be wrong)

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  13. tommo617 Says:

    Oh, and didn’t all previous kylines/GT-Rs have in line sixes?

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  14. Supercujo Says:

    “Porsche sell shedloads of 911s despite not really altering the styling since the 60s”

    Porsche stylists… the laziest folk on the planet… People buy them because of the engineering under the skin, not the styling.

    “Oh, and didn’t all previous Skylines/GT-Rs have in line sixes?”

    And didn’t 911s used to be 4 cylinders? What is your point?

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  15. shoon Says:

    Speak for yourself.. I’d buy a Porsche for the styling.

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  16. Bavarian Missile Says:

    Yep me too………Porsche is also more prestige!

    Ricer boys will love it not subtle enough for me though!

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  17. danny Says:

    If Nissan is greedy and over prices it in OZ they will miss out on a lot of sales. I was going to buy a EVO MR but if they price this competively i will go for the GTR.
    Lets face it once you start modifying the EVO, GTR or WRX they all can all have super car performance. The all wheel drive of these cars, beats rear wheel drive any day.

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  18. Supercujo Says:

    “Porsche is also more prestige!”

    Otherwise known as ‘Wank Factor’.

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  19. Bavarian Missile Says:

    Not arguing with someone that has no class!

    I guess its just as well us Wankers buy Porsches as you wouldn’t have a GTR ! After all isn’t the Porsche GTRs bench mark to meet!!!!!!!!mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

    So how many Porsches have you owned compared to GTRs you have owned?

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  20. duglet Says:

    hmmm Supercujo is PWNED.

    I would still rather the porsche…because at the end of the day…its still a NISSAN.

    And other jap high end cars, 3000GT and NSX…they drop in value dramatically after being sold….i know euro cars lose value as well…but they are usually easier to sell.

    Nice try Nissan…stick to Tiidas.

    Happy Motoring
    duglet

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  21. KC Says:

    Idiocy at its best ladies and gents. The people that buy a GT-R aren’t going to be looking into going to cocktail parties or black tie receptions. They’re buying a GT-R because its the best value for money and one of the greatest drives out there.

    The Nissan badge isn’t something to be ashamed of as at the moment everything seems to indicate that the GT-R floors the Porsche at its own game, driving.

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  22. Azza Says:

    At the end of the day, it’s still the car that moron’s buy just to showoff… There is nothing special about it, and the only reason that it is making power like that is thanks to the dual hairdryers installed on it… Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice looking car, but would be better suited off without trying to take on a Porsche 911T.

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  23. alborz Says:

    Azza, there is everything special about this,
    Its a 911 killer for prob 2/5ths of the price!
    Its a true race car, not a show-off car, I thikn you are thinking of all the fake GT-Rs going around with massive wheels and loud exhausts.. this is a beast, and it will prove it self.

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  24. Azza Says:

    Good for Nissan if it does do well. For Nissan’s sake I hope it does better then what the other failures out there before it have done… But I will argue this point, it does not deserve to be up against the 911T. If that is the case, then Porsche should have the right to remake the 911T and go all out with it.

    To me, this just looks like a 350Z with dual round tails (lights and exhaust) and a Twin-Turbocharged engine. Maybe the question should be raised of what would happen if other companies had there version of the GTR? I can assure you now, Nissan wouldn’t get a mention if that was the case.

    In the point of view that I have, Nissan should be keep to challenging the companies that they can beat (just). Ie, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Mazda… etc. This comes very close to the same situation of the Holden challenging BMW case.

    It’s a case of regardless if the GTR is faster, Porsche will still win.

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  25. alborz Says:

    Hmm, if the Japs never challenged the Europeans, we wouldn’t have the WRX, the EVO, the entire Lexus brand and lots more,

    Besides, reports from Germany say the new GT-R can lap the Nurburgring 2.5 seconds faster than the 911T, which is a big big big thing.

    I agree with you though, the 911 will probably be the better car, but the GT-R will be the more affordable one, and it will shame the majority of the “lesser” 911 variants.

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  26. Steve Says:

    This is an absolute beast. It really shows in the styling that this car has grown up, and is ready to shame a few cars in the process for little money. I love the looks of this car, its conservative yet creative, with performance to boot. If i ever get myself into a situation of affording one i’ll sign straight away. Good Job Nissan!

    Converted 911 turbo fan.

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  27. Naughtyius Maximumus (not KFC) Says:

    ALBORZ is spot on, the Japs are taking it to a level always. Gee the Nissan GT-R, what a beast. AWESOME AND DAM VERY STYLISH! LUSTy look! Like who cares about others when you have a terrier of a car in the EVO or little bit sedate WRX. I think with the REX you will find the following year release will polish up some styling changes and then I would say to others = LOOK OUT!Would rather drive that then a fugly Pug or Astra!

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  28. Naughtyius Maximumus (not KFC) Says:

    Bloody top shelf stuff NISSAN!

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  29. jbot Says:

    I bet you’re looking forward to reviewing this one Alborz and Co! Love the back end styling, just wish they had gone with something more like the CGIs in Wheels December ‘06. Still, it looks great, and will go even better. To produce and sell a car that matches performance cars worth more than twice the price from 0-100km/h and around a track is an amazing effort. Congrats Nissan.

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  30. jbot Says:

    With the CGIs I was referring to the front end design.

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  31. Karl Peskett Says:

    Azza: Porsche will still win?

    On what basis?

    If the GT-R looks like a souped up 350Z to you, then you could say that a 911T is just a souped up Volkswagen. I mean take a regular 911, add twin turbos, 4WD and guess what? You have a 911T. And yes, that’s exactly what Nissan have done too.

    Your point about other companies bringing out their version of the GT-R is a moot one, as they haven’t. And that’s exactly why Nissan have the limelight.

    The whole reason that the GT-R is going to be such a hit, is that it gives you Porsche performance for Nissan price. It was specifically benchmarked against the 911T for performance only. And on that basis, the Nissan wins.

    I’m not sure why that’s such a bad thing….

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  32. wheelnut Says:

    Very impressive car - particularly the performance figures.
    I like the consealed exhaust pipes. However; I’m not all that keen on the decklid.. I feel one similar to the Porsche GT-3 of VE Supercar would look better.

    I’d be surprised if it sells for less than $150K given the luxury car tax and inport duty than the fact Nissan will want to make a considerable profit on such a eagerly anticipated cult car..
    Which puts it in the same price range as the M3 and Audi S5

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  33. ImportJap Says:

    Azza, you seem to believe that the euro marques are on some unreachable pedestal and other carmakers shouldn’t even try to match them (How dare they?! :D), despite the fact that this exact car shows the opposite - they can be knocked off their pedestal for performance. Maybe this will make Porsche produce a faster AND cheaper car?

    It’s not in the price bracket for the 911, it doesn’t carry the highbrow prestige or ‘refinement’, or accolades as the 911. But it makes up for these essentially social stigmas by being MUCH cheaper, and by all accounts, faster. How is this NOT a fantastic achievement? Even if it matched the 911, even if it was a few hundreths slower, it would be a serious achievement price/performance wise.

    GT-R’s no 350z, different chassis, drivetrain, engine.. list goes on.

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  34. Jamison Says:

    Ahem…

    I said it before on other threads..

    this car is going to be 160~180K AUD.

    You see, in US and Japan they can afford to sell it at that price since the demand is much higher than Oz.

    In OZ, sports cars and the market isnt big enough to sell it as a “low” production car…. the price is actually based on the sports cars being classified as “extremely low” production car, as I stated the market is very small. So to compensate AND, for the manufacturer to take advantage… they mark the price severely.

    Other examples… ahem… depressing news..

    The IS350 is sold for 35k in US… expected to sell for sub 85K in AU.

    Currently, the 350Z is being sold from 26K USD… AU is 65K starting price…..

    Porsche 911 Turbo here, is around 120K brand new… AU is around 250K+…

    Depressed yet?

    You get my point…

    In about 3-4 years, Japan’s second hand market is very good, I expect this to sell for equivalent of $60K AUD… IF…IF you buy it there… If you wait for importers, it’ll be around $120~$130K AUD. Trick is you have to live in Japan and own it for a year to take it back home. My plans exactly…. part of the job to live there… :-)

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  35. Jamison Says:

    Yeah I agree with the differences with Porsche market and GTR market…

    Engineers will buy GTR, Lawyers will buy Porches…. assuming they are sold at expected prices (GTR about 2/3 price of Porsche 911)

    Its best for your buck.

    Mind you if the performance is the same and the price is the same, I will pick the Porsche too… main reason it has that “Prestige” aura… and the name Porsche is more synonimous with “upper” class… even though under the bonnet and the underbody… from engineering point of view… is equal…. basically.. you rather be seen in a Porsche as it is generally respected by the ignorant masses as straight away “better” just by reputation and name.

    Porsche is very well engineered… as German engineering is known for precision… But as of late, Japan has established many many tech centers in Europe and in a limited time have improved dramatically in terms of producing vehicles to match German’s best. Thats the truth…. obviously, everyday production car’s you won’t really see or experience direct influences… but the higher class brands such as Infiniti, Lexus, Acura etc… they all are heavily bench marked against the Germans, as I said before, Lexus is the closest one to matching Germany’s best… and in the future, the way things are going, Japan looks like they will equal the Germans and maybe even exceed them as the gap in knowledge and technology between the 2 is erased… Japan has the advantage of “efficient” methods.

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  36. Sexythang Says:

    im not fan of GTR’s but approx 150k car =porsche’s approx 350k car in performance. thats got to count for something.

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  37. D 1 0 N Says:

    It’s great for what it is, but when someone asks you what you drive, what would you rather reply: “A Nissan”, or “A Porsche”? It sounds shallow, but when you start spending around the $200k mark for a car, image is everything. And honestly, in terms of style, the Japanese still have a long way to go in matching the Europeans. In 20 years time, a Porsche 911 will still look hot. This will look like a toy. And I dare predict that the quality of the fit and finish on the GTR will still be way behind that of European cars.

    If the car sells here for $150-180k, I don’t think too many people would be willing to shell out that sort of money for a Nissan. The brand just doesn’t have the kind of attraction to sway potential buyers of Porsches, BMWs and the like away from their 911s, M6s, etc. Let alone potential buyers of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, etc (which if the GTR can indeed go from 0-100 in 3.6s onto 300kmh+ then it can compete with, at least in the performance stakes).

    Yes, it’s a magnificent technological achievement, and it fills a niche, but noway it’s going to outsell the 911, regardless of whether it’s cheaper and faster.

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  38. Sexythang Says:

    at least not many people will have a GTR. that will be a good selling point.

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  39. screamer Says:

    hey Jamison…

    listen i read ur post… about having to live in japan for a year… to get the gtr (or any other car) back to oz… could u give me the details… the thing is… ive already started making plans post college… hehe… do u think work holiday works? coz i figure… that ways id be able to get the car back with abt 70-80 aud… and plus have a japan stint on my resume… presuming i get work there. i really dont want to pay 120 as thats the final figure thats coming out for the base.

    thanks man…

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  40. Nissan GT-R: $69,850 &raquo Australian Car Advice | News Blog Says:

    […] like to be able to tell you that when the Nissan GT-R lands on Australian shores, it will be available for the paltry sum of just […]

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  41. No Nissan GT-R till 2009 &raquo Australian Car Advice | News Blog Says:

    […] new Nissan GT-R, which has beaten the Porsche 911 around the infamous Nurburgring track, will go on sale this week […]

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  42. Nissan tries to stop GT-R imports &raquo Australian Car Advice | News Blog Says:

    […] GT-R is not expected in Australia until early 2009. For more pictures of the Nissan GT-R click here. Location: Home / Nissan, Car News / […]

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  43. Max Says:

    Its an awsome car. Stop arguing about whats better 911T or GTR. They are both awsome in their own right. Sorry to all modifiers out there but you’ll be really hard pressed to modify that one. 0.15 mm film of plasma on the cylinder wallsthat has to be checked once a year, turbos made as part of the exhaus manifild (read: not removable) and lack of aftermarket support (for now) will hurt. Stuck there with stocker for a while.

    Other then that. I love this car. Porsche is not agressive enough for me. But you dont argue the tastes. Lets just celebrate an awsome achievement by NISSAN! Cheers!

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  44. brendan Says:

    Great Car Nissan!

    Yes a porsche may be better but an Enzo would be better than both. When price comes into the equation the nissan on top by miles

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  45. Neshi Says:

    so do you think this car would be around 150k in oz

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  46. Neshi Says:

    so do u think this car would be priced around 150k in oz

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  47. Neshi Says:

    so do u think this car would run for around 150k in oz

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  48. Neshi Says:

    my bad

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  49. Devon Says:

    The GTR is an all round better car. Now that it has been tested a few times its doing 0-60 in 3.2 and whats the 911? 3.6? And all the technology in it! The rear diff incorporates the transmission and the diffferential for a perfect 50/50 weight distrobution. And the controll screen inside. you can monitor every engine function throttle position, brake%, oil press, turbo, everyhting! the 911 has got what? a CD player? this all comes stock on the GTR.

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