Nissan’s eagerly-awaited ‘complete makeover’ for its 2017 model-year GT-R has turned out to be little more than a light rub-down and an engine tweak.
The incredible performance car, revealed to the media at the New York International Auto Show, is almost exactly no more awesome than the 2016 car, but it does have a little more power, a simplified dashboard and ever-so-slightly massaged styling.
The 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 puts out 562bhp, up 20bhp versus the current version, thanks to new individual ignition timing for the cylinders and a little extra turbo boost.
Drivers can now change gear mid-corner or on corner exits more easily. The paddle-shifters have been moved from the steering column to the back of the wheel itself, turning with it.
A new titanium exhaust means the engine “has never sounded better,” according to Nissan, with resonance properties tuned to enhance the traditionally quite flat turbocharged roar.
At the front a new matte-finish ‘V-motion’ grille acts as the latest signature Nissan design feature, against a larger mesh area with a new pattern.
Inside, 27 console and dashboard buttons have been condensed into the 11 most-used and most important, simplifying the cabin and placing a new emphasis on the larger eight-inch touch-screen.
Not to be deterred by the undeniably minor nature of the changes, Hiroshi Tamura, the Chief Product Specialist of the GT-R, said: “The new GT-R delivers a heart-pounding driving experience at all times and on any road for whoever sits in the driver’s seat.
“We have continued to push its performance boundaries to the outer limits – it’s even more potent than before. At the same time, more refinement has been added to take the entire driving experience to an entirely new level.
“We’re proud to bring you what we feel is the ultimate GT that possesses amazing performance, new-found civility and a rich racing history.”
