Nissan GT-R SpecV (2009) first pictures and video

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

08 January 2009 09:52

Porsche watch out! This is the new Nissan GT-R SpecV, with lighter exterior bodywork, a stripped-out interior and more grunt from the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 engine. It's just been unveiled in Japan, costs over £100k and Nissan says the new car is ‘targeted specifically at enthusiast drivers who desire race car-level performance in a street-legal vehicle’.

The lighter kerbweight, which will benefit performance, handling and emissions. There's no official figure yet, but the SpecV features a new carbonfibre rear spoiler, grille and brake ducts for nibbling away those pesky pounds.

Inside, the two rear seats have been jettisoned and the front seats are now Recaro carbonfibre buckets. The black stuff also coats the instrument panel and lines the rear centre storage box. And to round it all off, the SpecV only comes in an Ultimate Black Opal paint job. Very stealthy.

New NISMO (Nissan Motorsports) forged aluminim wheels, which reduce unsprung weight, as do the new carbon-ceramic brakes. Nissan also promises revised suspension and new high-grip tyres.

Other tweaks to the SpecV include a titanium-coated exhaust and a ‘high gear boost control device’ which momentarily increases the twin-turbo's boost for greater torque at medium-to-high revs, but also helps improve fuel economy at lower revs.

Incidentally, Nissan has also just announced the official fuel consumption and CO2 figures for the 'regular' GT-R. It'll do 15.4mpg in town, 31.0mpg while cruising and 22.8mpg on the combined cycle, plus it'll puff out 298g/km. A 911 Turbo, by comparison, will do (at best) 15/29.7/22.1mpg and emit 307g/km.

At the moment just from seven specially selected dealers in Japan, who will each have specially trained SpecV technicians who, Nissan says, are knowledgeable of racing circuit driving.

The SpecV goes on sale on 2 February 2009, so best drop your importer a friendly note now. And a hefty deposit – current exchange rates means the GT-R SpecV costs the equivalent of £114k. That means it’s no longer a bargain supercar, and makes the £109k ZR1 and £100k 911 Turbo look cheap.

Let the arguments about Nurburgring lap times recommence...

By Ben Pulman