MY17 Nissan GT-R showcased at New York auto show
When the R35 GT-R was introduced in 2007, 473 horses and a lot of traction trickery ensured Nissan’s halo product turned out to be a giant killer. It embarrassed cars twice its price on road and track, so much so that if you wanted to buy a performance car on a budget, the GT-R always got first preference. Nissan has been active with its Godzilla updates every other year since the R35’s launch bringing up the 2015 model year GT-R’s output to 542bhp. That’s the car we drove two months ago at the BIC.
For 2017, Godzilla gets meaner and supposedly rides better than ever before. Power is up to 573bhp and torque improves marginally to 633Nm. Added performance comes from more boost and now each cylinder get individual ignition-timing control. Step on the gas and you will hear a much louder and growly GT-R as it gets a new titanium exhaust and active sound enhancement. It still uses the six-speed dual clutch gearbox but Nissan claims that it’s been refined for smoother shifts and lesser noise. There are more updates to the MY17 GT-R. The suspension has been retuned for a smoother ride, it gets better sound insulation and it even comes with an acoustic windshield. Not that it needed but the Nissan has further bolstered the body structure to improve rigidity. This simply means that the GT-R should be quicker on track and more comfortable on road.
Better suspension tuning does add to comfort, and that means you’d be spending more time in the drab cabin. The Japs are considerate of this fact. For 2017, the GT-R gets its biggest interior update to make Godzilla feel like a more premium car. There are acres of Nappa leather now, new side bolsters to hold you in place and an 8-inch infotainment display that combines audio and navigation controls. The result is a far less clutter cabin with just 11 switches from 27 in the MY15 GT-R. Even the oddly placed air vents have been reworked and the central stack goes symmetrically below the display screen. The biggest change however is the steering wheel, the prime reason why the GT-R felt old before this facelift. It’s again a three-spoke unit but feels more chiselled and all the controls are better placed for easier access. The paddles now come on the steering wheel so you can conveniently bang in mid-corner shifts now.
There are at least another four years for the new GT-R to arrive. After its 10 year life span, the GT-R does look a bit dated but we can see efforts to liven up the exterior. A sharper lip spoiler and skirts all round give it a wider stance, the V-motion grille is larger that’s aimed at increasing air flow, and the front bumper gets re-profiled too.
