Currently reading: Nissan GT-R Nismo gets 591bhp
Chassis mods and tweaked engine create £100k-plus firecracker capable of lapping the Nürburgring in less than 7min 9sec

The Nissan GT-R Nismo will become one of the world's fastest accelerating cars when it goes on sale next September, priced at more than £100,000. The car, created by Nissan's performance arm Nismo, is one of the stars of this week's Tokyo motor show.

Power comes from an uprated version of the standard GT-R’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 engine. Peak power now stands at 591bhp at 6800rpm, up from the 542bhp at 6400rpm in the standard GT-R. Torque is rated at 481lb ft.

The extra power and torque are the result of larger-diameter turbos taken from Nismo’s GT3 motor racing efforts. Optimised ignition timing control for each cylinder is another new feature, as is an upgraded fuel pump, all of which helps improve breathing and combustion. 

No performance figures have been released yet, but the all-wheel-drive GT-R Nismo is expected to improve on the standard car’s 0-62mph time of 2.7sec, dropping it to about 2.5sec.

Nissan has also announced that this is the fastest Nissan GT-R to date, with a version of the car with 'track options' lapping the fabled Nürburgring circuit in 7min 8.679sec - some ten seconds less than the previous model. For comparision, even the likes of the Lexus LFA with the Nürburgring package takes 7min 14.64sec.

CEO Carlos Ghosn said: "With this lap time, we can authoritatively say that the 2014 Nissan GT-R Nismo [with track options] holds the volume production car lap record at the Nordschliefe, which is the gold standard of high performance achievement."

The chassis changes are derived from Nismo’s 2012 entry into the Nürburgring 24 Hours in 2012, including a new suspension set-up converted from race to road use. Changes include new rear anti-roll bars, new springs, custom Damptronic dampers developed by Bilstein, exclusive Nismo tyres developed by Dunlop and special links in the front double wishbones.

All changes are said to improve rigidity, reduce road noise, increase roadholding, add more finesse to the handling, withstand greater cornering forces and cut roll.

Exterior changes include a new carbonfibre body kit with rear spoiler, front bumper and front undertray that produce 100kg more downforce than the standard car at 186mph. Other features include a Nismo colour scheme and six-spoke gloss black alloy wheels inspired by Nismo’s GT500 racer, which competes in Japan.

Inside, there are carbonfibre-backed Recaro seats, a new Alcantara-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel and red Nismo stitching. It is also possible for the driver to download data from the Advanced Performance Telemetry System. 

Read more 2014 Tokyo motor show news.

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Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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fadyady 19 November 2013

0-62mph Hall of Fame

The only other cars that do the 0-62 sprint in 2.5 seconds are Bugatti Veyron at about 20 times the GTR's price, more than twice as many horses and torque and the Ariel Atom which slips under 2.5seconds but is a track focussed car and doesn't even have a roof, not to mention any other creature comforts that the GTR comes loaded with.
bomb 19 November 2013

Surpised...

...it didn't get more power. 600PS (why do Autocar insist on changing everything around - 591bhp FFS?) is plenty but it's been out 5 years, had a few tweaks and a Track Pack version, a 2014 version around the corner and this ultimate version is only 120PS more than where it was in 2008.
Demonic Soul 19 November 2013

Should be a corker! Decent

Should be a corker! Decent power gain and more track focused.