2013 Nissan GT-R

The Nissan GT-R just gets better and better every year and 2013 will be no exception. Theoriginal version launched back at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show delivered a total of 473 HP; the most recent model - Model Year 2012 - went up to an impressive 530 HP; and things aren’t slowing down for the Japanese automaker. The new version (2012 in Japan, 2013 in USA) has made its official debut at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, and Nissan has delivered the kind of performance the GTR is known for, but not what we expected.

The bad news from this reveal is that, despite previous rumors, the 2013 GT-R will not deliver 560 HP. Its output has been increased indeed, but "only" to 542 HP - an increase of 12 HP over the current model. The most impressive part however is that the 466 lb-ft of torque will be delivered from 3,200 rpm all the way up to 5,800 rpm.

For 2013, the GT-R will also offer a new "For Track Pack" special edition that adds new high-friction seats, a stiffer suspension, and lighter wheels.

UPDATE 01/20/2012: Nissan has just announced prices for the 2013 Nissan GT-R, which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. The model will be offered in two versions: the GT-R Premium at a starting price of $96,820 and the GT-R Black Edition priced at $106,320. An optional Special Paint-Super Silver will add another $3,000 to the car’s price.

Exterior and Interior

Nissan has mostly focused on improving the car’s performance for the 2013 model year, so the exterior and interior have remain largely unchanged. The changes that did make the cut are mostly for the interior. Nissan has updated the inside of the GTR to create a more sophisticated atmosphere. This was done by adding blue lighting inside the tachometer ring to match the shift position indicator light and exchanging the Bose sound system woofers to Bose Precision Sound System woofers.

The GTR has also received minor changes to its body, but nothing to change the overall look of the vehicle. The vehicle has been reinforced in certain areas around the rear engine compartment and dash panel for more responsive handling and to improve the inter-vehicle detection capability. The inter-vehicle communication was improved by changing the position of the sensor and adding more accurate acceleration sensor. The rear view camera has also been thrown in as standard for this model year.

New for the 2013 model year is the "For Track Pack." The new optional Track pack GT-R will be distinguished by lightweight six-spoke RAYS alloy wheels with gloss black painted centers. The new wheels will be combined with brakes cooled by additional cooling ducts built into the front bumper. These reduce the operating temperature of the front brake discs by as much as 100 degrees during track use, improving the stopping performance. Similar ducts, hidden behind the rear wheels, channel cooling air over the rear discs. The suspension system has also been revised to be optimal for track use, while adjustable dampers offer more comfort when the car is being used on the road.

This will be one of the lightest GT-R models offered due to the fact that it comes in a two-seat configuration: the rear buckets have been removed to save weight and the front seats have been replaced with lighter Recaro racing seats trimmed with blue bolsters in a high-grip fabric.

Engine

The 2013 Nissan GT-R is powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine found on the previous model, but with the output increased to 542 HP at 6,400 rpm - an increase of 12 HP over the current model - and 466 lbs-ft of torque delivered from 3,200 rpm all the way up to 5,800 rpm. Despite the extra 12 HP, Nissan is promising that the 2013 GT-R will be more fuel efficient.

Engine response and torque at mid- and low-speeds, and power at high revolutions, has been significantly improved, mainly due to:

Improved intake efficiency
Better air flow resistance, which has been reduced by the addition of an intake manifold fitted to the head of each unit and the use of resin in the enlarged air intake duct for the intercooler.
Improved exhaust emissions efficiency and enhanced control.
Reduced air flow resistance thanks to a more compact under floor catalyzer which improves emissions efficiency and reduces weight.
Improved exhaust valve cooling performance by the adoption of a newly-designed metallic sodium-filled valve. At the same time, valve control timing, the air mixture ratio and ignition timing have been improved.

The engine is mated to an improved transmission as well. The shift feel and quietness have been refined through a strengthened design of the shift fork arm and a firmer fixing bearing for the flywheel housing. Also, all versions will be offered with a high-performance differential oil R35 COMPETITION type 2189E.

Another significant improvement is the new asymmetric suspension which is similar to the one offered in racing cars. For the front suspension, a harder spring rate on the left side has been set and for the rear, the suspension arm has been installed upward on the left side and downward on the right for an imbalanced wheel load when the car is stationary, but equalized during driving. This provides improved responsiveness and smoothness which the driver feels when steering, as well as enhanced cornering stability and riding comfort.

The GT-R Premium Edition and EGOIST will also be offered with NCCB (Nissan Carbon Ceramic Brakes) that help accentuate the car’s agile road hold and supple ride feel.

"We have a car that has the potential to go from 0-100 km/h (0-62mph) in under 3 seconds, lap the Nurburgring in less than 7 minutes 20 seconds, and cruise at speeds of 300 kilometers per hour," said Chief Vehicle Engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno, speaking trackside at Sugo. "But what marks out the GT-R today is that you can drive it on the autobahn at speeds like that with a degree of comfort."

Only a few days after its official launch in November 2011, the new GT-R managed to score a new record: it made the sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.72 seconds. This is a considerable increase over the previous year’s 3.5 seconds. Check out the video of the sprint below.