GT-R NISMO Records 7:08.679 at Nürburgring

Nissan brought a total of three concept cars, along with the minor-change GT-R, to the Tokyo Motor Show, strongly emphasizing its performance image.



The most keenly anticipated among these were the 2014 model "GT-R" and the "GT-R NISMO" based upon it.



NISMO, which has competed in various motorsports as Nissan's works team, recently announced an intensified collaboration with Nissan, leading to a more active involvement in the development of Nissan's high-performance cars. While NISMO specifications are already available for models like the "Z," "Juke," and "March," the GT-R NISMO marks the flagship model in this series.



The GT-R NISMO, with its V6 3.8-liter twin-turbo engine tuned to produce 600ps (up from the standard 550ps), features suspension with superior road-holding capabilities, enhanced body rigidity, and refined aerodynamics. It recently set a new production car record of 7:08.679 at the Nürburgring test.

Nissan GT-R NISMO

Nissan GT-R NISMO

I recently spoke with racing driver Michael Krumm, who was responsible for the Nürburgring attack. He mentioned that the car's ability to generate significant downforce at high speeds, unlike any other production car, was particularly impressive. Watching the onboard footage from his time attack, his driving appeared remarkably effortless through braking, corner entry, and acceleration.



When I relayed this to Krumm, he agreed, stating, "Exactly, there were no difficult maneuvers required. However, once you exceed the limit, it takes time to bring the car back on line, which leads to time loss. The other three drivers all made mistakes, which prevented them from achieving a good time, but I focused on avoiding any errors to minimize time loss."



The price for the minor-change GT-R ranges from 9,051,000 to 10,111,500 yen. The GT-R NISMO is priced at 15,015,000 yen.

Two Concept Cars Born from Collaboration, Targeting Post-1990s Generations

Nissan also exhibited a concept car called the "IDx." It came in two specifications, "Freeflow" and "NISMO," both developed through research into the preferences of the "Generation Z" cohort, born after the 1990s.


While this "user-participatory" approach to new model development is highly innovative and holds potential for future growth, I personally found the resulting designs to be lacking in novel proposals.


For instance, the front fascia bears a striking resemblance to the Prince "Skyline" from the S54 era, and the area around the rear quarter windows evokes the first-generation "Silvia." While employing such traditional design motifs is not inherently bad, the IDx seems to rely too heavily on nostalgia, feeling somewhat lacking in originality. However, these aspects can likely be adjusted based on user feedback, so I look forward to future improvements.

Nissan IDx NISMO

Another concept car displayed by Nissan was named the "Blade Glider," notable for its proportions similar to the "ZEOD RC" that Nissan entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2012. The ZEOD RC concept itself was based on the "DeltaWing," which was once developed as a next-generation IndyCar. Nissan subsequently hired the creator of the DeltaWing and, following the ZEOD RC, developed this road car.


Judging by its exterior, it seems unlikely that the Blade Glider will go into mass production, but it appears that its commercialization is being seriously considered within Nissan.