Nissan GTR spec V two years out

Nissan expects buzz to carry GT-R for two years before the hard-core Spec V with potentially 550 hp debuts in the U.S.

BY ALISA PRIDDLE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFERY G. RUSSELL, KGP PHOTOGRAPHY, AND THE MANUFACTURER
June 2008

Here in the U.S., the hype continues to build in anticipation of the July on-sale date of the 2009 Nissan GT-R. But in Japan, where the car has been on sale since December 2007, it is the Spec V—on sale this December—that has buyers excited.

In North America, be prepared to wait a couple model years for the performance Spec V, which will be lighter, faster, and pricier than the conventional sports car. We expect to learn more of the specifics at the 2008 Paris auto show in September, but heavy use of carbon fiber coupled with some decontenting reportedly will shed anywhere from 220 to 330 pounds. Visually, the Spec V has a new front splitter and tweaked rear spoiler. A modified suspension sits in between, and the car has distinctive spoke wheels.

Larry Dominique, Nissan North America vice president in charge of product planning, says he wants to see how the regular GT-R plays out and save the Spec V for when the buzz dies down and demand starts to fall off.

With sports cars, that can start as early as the second model year. But the GT-R is somewhat of an exception given its legendary status and limited volumes. The U.S. allotment is an average of 1500 GT-Rs a year for five years, but Nissan is skewing production higher in the first year, to 2400 units. Dominique suspects the U.S. may need 2400 in the second year as well. The third model year is when the numbers are expected to drop off and the Spec V will make its timely entrance as a 2011 model.

Nissan wants to strategically introduce the Spec V to keep the GT-R fresh, Dominique says. The automaker also needs time to educate U.S. buyers on the GT-R itself. While this is the seventh generation of the Japanese icon, it is the first to be sold in the U.S.

Volumes for the Spec V will be even smaller than the limited run for the GT-R. And if customers are clamoring for the higher-performance version from day one, Dominique says he is fine with years of anticipation.

Initial rumors had the Spec V lapping the grueling Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 25 seconds, but with a base production GT-R (480-hp, twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-6) on regular tires making the loop in 7 minutes and 29 seconds, we probably need to rethink the Spec V figures as its engine will be tweaked to pump out horsepower somewhere in the 512 to 550 range.

Nissan execs tell us the GT-R itself is not a money-maker for the company, but as more products share its unique platform, it will be.

In addition to the Spec V, the platform will yield products for Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand. We likely will get our first glimpse of what’s to come with a new full-size Infiniti concept slated to be unveiled in less than a year. It will reflect the brand’s new design language for the second generation of Infiniti products. And, presumably, it fills the division’s need for a flagship as Nissan continues to roll out its luxury brand globally and aims to make it a true tier-one luxury marque.