The arrival of the R35 Nissan GT-R in 2007 made everyone happy, from buyers (because it was insanely affordable at the time) to enthusiasts (because yay! the lineage of these legendary cars carried on) and also Nissan as everyone and their grandmothers were talking about the car and the brand.
Since then, the GT-R has impressed many an auto critic including your humble servant every time I sat in the cockpit of this massive and wickedly fast car.
Now, for the 2017 model year, Nissan is giving its flagship supercar a facelift and, why the hell not, a boost in power.
Let’s begin with the important stuff. The GT-R’s handcrafted 3.8L V6 now puts out 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque, or specifically 20 horsepower and 4 lb-ft more than the previous model. Individual cylinder ignition timing control and more boost from the turbos improve mid-range acceleration. As always, the Nissan GT-R depends on a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission.
However, for 2017, it has been tweaked and refined for smoother shifts and less noise. The new lightweight titanium exhaust system and, sadly, Active Sound Enhancement (ASE) are now responsible for making the drive more involving, especially under load.
The cabin gets a number of upgrades, from switchgear to layout, and some new gadgets. Most notably, at least in my book, the shift paddles have been moved to the new steering wheel. For some, this would seem like a step backwards, but it will aid when a mid-turn shift is required.
The 2017 Nissan GT-R’s exterior sports the new Nissan “V-Motion” grille, although it’s bigger on this car to provide better engine cooling and now features a matte chrome finish and an updated mesh pattern. A new hood, front spoiler lip, and front bumper with finishers situated immediately below the headlamps give the revised GT-R the look of a pure-bred race car while generating high levels of front downforce. Aerodynamics on the car were reworked, as well, but looking at it from a distance, you’ll barely recognize that something’s different. It’s only when you get closer that all the changes become more apparent.