| Sachmo12345 |
03-21-2005 08:27 PM |
If you thought the mighty Nissan R-34 GT-R was dead and buried, think again. Nissan’s racing arm Nismo has resurrected the phased-out Skyline for one last blast. Only this time, they’re not stopping at half measures.
Unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon this week, the 500hp GT-R Z-tune is not only the most powerful GT-R ever, but at $170,000, it’s also the most expensive. Why did they make it? Simple. To show what's possible. And when we hinted at any relation to the next generation GT-R due in 2007, Nismo staffers started sucking through their teeth and looking skywards. One thing is for sure. The 2007 GT-R's sticker price will be around half that of the Z-tune but pump out nearly as much power. Leaning heavily on 15 years of racing experience with the R-32, R-33 and R-34 GT-R’s, Nismo engineers have created the mother of all GT-R’s.
Looking like a GT-R on steroids, the Z-tune has been fitted with CFRP lightweight aeroparts including the front bumper, hood, front fenders Nismo increased the stock twin turbo 2.6 liter bore to 2.8 liters by employing the block from a 2001 GT500-spec GT-R race car, and then further refined and reinforced just about every component inside. It gets race-spec forged pistons, conrods and camshaft, a large titanium exhaust and two oil coolers as well as the heavy duty IHI turbos fitted to the class-winning GT-R in last year’s Nurburging 24-hour race. And with an upgraded ECU, that gives the Z-tune a respectable 500hp and 540Nm of torque with a strong focus on low end response. To handle those extra herbs, Nismo employed a special heat-resistant Super Coppermix Twin clutch that was developed to cope with power up to 600hp. Incorporating a fully reinforced chassis, this GT-R also gets SACHS 3-way adjustable dampers, once again from the GT500 car, and huge mono-block 6-piston Brembo calipers with 365mm race rotors. Now depending on where you wish to drive your Z-tune, you can either have it delivered wearing stock Potenza high performance road tires or semi slicks, which are both shod on 18-inch LM GT4 GT500 rims made by Rays. Inside a specially fitted 320km/h speedo and titanium gear knob hint at what the Z-tune is capable of on the track.
When you consider that Nismo are only making twenty Z-tunes, yep 20 only, you’d better get that cheque book out quick smart. Because they’re already taking orders. A Nismo staffer told us that one Brit and one American had already signed on the dotted line. Add freight from Japan and insurance, and you won't get much change from $200,000.
- Car and Driver
I have also read that Nissan bought these Skyline GTRs used each of them having less than 18,000 miles on them and completly stripped and redid them
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