As cat and dog breeders have done for years, Nissan has put a price on an animal. Godzilla, to be exact.
The ultimate Japanese track monster, the 2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo, will start at $149,990. (Destination and handling charges will add on $1,595.) Its VR38DETT 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V6 has been tuned to 600 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque, made possible by better-breathing, high-capacity turbos; an upgraded fuel pump; and individual ignition timing control for each of the six cylinders. Tamer models (are there such things?) will develop 545 hp and 463 lb-ft.
Nismo is on more than just the end of this GT-R’s name. Its influence is all over the car. The mad scientists have specially tuned the 4-wheel independent suspension, reduced its weight and increased its roll stiffness. They’ve even made the body, which can be sprayed in one of five colors, more rigid by combining additional structural adhesive bonding with spot welding. Inside, there are racing-style RECARO seats and a driving recorder, in addition to an 11-speaker Bose stereo set-up.
Nissan’s tuning arm has also added a special front bumper, engine belly pan and carbon fiber rear spoiler for 220 more pounds of downforce (at 185 miles per hour) relative to other 2015 GT-Rs. The center of gravity has been lowered, too.
All of those tweaks combine to help the GT-R Nismo slingshot its way to a maximum of 2 Gs in lateral acceleration and lap the Nurburgring in a jaw-dropping 7:08.68.
Those who want their very own pet Godzilla will have to wait until July 31 for the Nismo and the $115,710 Track Editions. Black Editions, which have an MSRP of $111,510, and $101,770 GT-R Premiums are currently available.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
