In case you haven't been paying attention, the Nissan GT-R just received yet another power boost to its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6. At 545 hp and 463 lb-ft of torque, it's just 15 hp and 15 lb-ft more than before. That's a smaller jump than the 45-hp increase from 2011 to 2012, but it's still significant. Thanks to the extra power and some additional mods, the 2013 Nissan GT-R is now said to be capable of a high 10-second quarter mile, on a leaner gas mixture to boot.
Unless you've got an eagle eye like the lads from "CSI: Miami" and happen to be a hard-core GT-R fanatic, you'll be hard-pressed to see the aesthetic revisions made to the 2013 model year car. The narrow brake ducts built into the front lip spoiler and the unique Rays alloys on the Track Pack special edition are about it. Inside, mod-spotting is a little easier as the Track Pack gets specially fitted slip-resistant seats and, well, no seats in the back.
Spring rates at all four corners have also been modified to generate a more compliant ride while delivering even flatter cornering potential. To sample this latest Godzilla, we headed 230 miles north of Tokyo to Sugo Sportsland raceway. Arriving in the pits, we were greeted by five of these new GT-Rs, sitting there like a bunch of road-going F-15 Eagle jet fighters. Strapping ourselves in and heading out onto the track, we noticed a difference in the ride.
t is still firm for sure, but there is less harshness and crashing as it rolls over bumps in the tarmac. As we approach the 7000-rpm redline in second, we start to feel the presence of the additional torque, particularly past 4500 rpm. With the throttle planted, it almost feels like you've got an extra turbo engaging as power overflows all the way to redline. More significant than the extra power is the beefier top end response, which makes the GT-R feel faster in every gear. What was a blisteringly quick car to start with is now just about unrivaled.
After we get some heat into the tires, we kick it up a notch by heading towards redline in third before using the Brembo brakes to tuck the nose into a long right-hander, then gun it on the way out. The extra rigidity built into the steering column is noticeable by virtue of even sharper response and improved pinpoint accuracy in the corners. We notice that the cornering g meter on the dash reads 2.3 g, and are not surprised to see a figure of 1.6 g pop up as we stomp on the brakes for a tight hairpin.
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