Nissan brings minor facelift changes to the aging Nissan GT-R which will remain off-sale in Australia.
Revealed on stage at the Tokyo motor show by Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta, the new GT-R looks largely similar to the previous car, save for a new front grille design.
Key changes have been made under the bonnet and there are adjustments to the brakes and transmission, as well as moves to reduce noise and vibration and to improve ride comfort.
Two new trim levels, T-Spec and Nismo, have been added to the GT-R range, bringing the total number of specifications to eight.
All cars are driven by the same 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine, with an output of 419kW in standard guise. However, range-topping Nismo cars produce 441kW.
Nissan says the first new addition, T-spec, has been inspired by “trend and traction”, with improved grip, specially tuned suspension and carbon brakes all contributing to bolstered driving dynamics.
A second addition is the new GT-R Nismo, which features technologies drawn from motorsport and racing. Aerodynamics have been improved with some modifications to the GT-R’s front end and there are carbonfibre intakes, a carbonfibre bonnet and sleeker wheel arches.
Rear downforce is enhanced by a stronger rear wing, derived from Nissan’s GT500 race cars. Additional carbonfibre added at the back helps to enable a 13 per cent increase to rear downforce.
All cars feature all-wheel drive, a GR6 dual-clutch transmission and specially designed Recaro sports seats. The firm has also modified the GT-R’s exhaust note to adhere to stringent sound regulations.
Under the skin, Nissan says, the GT-R Nismo benefits from weight-balanced engine parts, including a new crankshaft, piston rings and connecting rods.
The new GT-R will go on sale in Japan in Q2 2023 before the more powerful Nismo versions join later.
We won’t see the model on sale in Australia though, since updated side-impact rules forced it off sale.