More power for Nissan GT-R

An improved Nissan GT-R has been unveiled today in Tokyo, with an increase in power and price, and better handling.

It's the first major round of changes for Nissan’s GT-R, which finally goes on sale in the UK next year with the new improvements.

Engine power is up by 5bhp to 478bhp thanks to improved engine computer management and finer manufacturing tolerances achieved on the GT-R's largely hand-assembled engine line.Fuel economy is now slightly better (23.4 mpg from 23.2 mpg) and the car also has a bigger 74-litre petrol tank.

Nissan has added new dampers and revised the front spring rates to tighten up handling and improve the ride. The GT-R's looks are largely unchanged, but Nissan is now doing a different shade of silver for the alloy wheels and a new pearl white joins the colour options chart.

High-grip Dunlop SP Sport 600 run-flat tyres, hitherto only offered on the base GT-R can now be ordered on the next one up, the GT-R Black Edition.Other tiny improvements include a better match between the front wing and bumper and a slimmer number plate mounting.

Perhaps recognising that the GT-R's been spectacular value for rather too long, Nissan has now jacked up prices by more than 10 per cent to boost profit margins.

The base GT-R now moves up from to £56,795. The GT-R Premium Edition is now £58,095 and the Black Edition is pegged at £59,395.Next in line is the more extreme GT-R Spec V, due to be launched in Tokyo next month. It uses the uprated 478bhp V6 twin turbo, and not the rumoured 542bhp engine.

Peter Nunn