by Damon Lavrinc on Jan 8th 2009 at 8:01PM
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Nissan's press release on the GT-R SpecV left a lot of unanswered questions, particularly the geeky tidbits that we thrive on. So with the help of our friends at the GTRBlog, who were on hand for the unveiling in Japan, and a few of our super-secret sources abroad, we were able to scrounge up some of the more salient details on Nissan's upgraded Godzilla.

Gallery: Nissan GT-R SpecV Live

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Gallery: Nissan GT-R SpecV

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To begin with, Nissan maintains that the GT-R SpecV is aimed at the discerning enthusiast, the same kind of buyer that would pass up the Porsche 911 GT3 for the RS variant. For $170,000, that's a very select group of consumers, but we doubt Nissan will have much difficulty moving the 20 to 30 SpecVs it'll be producing each month when sales begin February 8th.



Peak output remains the same, at 478 horsepower, but a switch on the right of the steering wheel (shared with the cruise control) activates an electronic circuit to boost mid-range torque by 15 lb-ft (up to 449 lb-ft). A green light illuminates on the dash when the overboost function is enabled, giving drivers 80 seconds to perform any overtaking maneuvers, and then defaulting back to the standard setting.



The SpecV's carbon ceramic brakes were developed in conjunction with Brembo and are painted silver to differentiate the upgraded stoppers from the standard GT-R. Although the six-piston (front) caliper size remains the same, the discs have been upgraded to 390mm (15.35 inches) and fitted with SpecV specific brake pads. Nissan claims a weight savings of 11 pounds per corner and –2.0 Gs worth of stopping power, but the system comes at a cost: $45,000.




The 20-inch RAYS forged aluminum wheels – the same units offered on the NISMO Clubsports GT-R -- also contribute to the overall weight savings, which comes in 132 pounds lighter than the standard model at 3,704 pounds. As mentioned in our previous post, Nissan replaced several components with lightweight carbon fiber, including the seats, interior trim (even the seat-back adjuster), grille and brake ducts, along with the trick dry carbon fiber rear wing (coated in clear matte paint) that increases downforce. The Bilsteins have been retuned to be more responsive on the racetrack and the engine cover has been replaced with a SpecV-only piece. The standard GT-R hues are available, but if you want to stand out, the Ultimate Opal Black paint job will set you back an additional $6,100.



Nissan hasn't released 0-60, 0-100 or quarter mile times yet, but we expect some official figures in the coming weeks. And as for a Nurburgring time... just you wait.

the overall weight savings, which comes in 132 pounds lighter than the standard model at 3,704 pounds.

Peak output remains the same, at 478 horsepower, but a switch on the right of the steering wheel (shared with the cruise control) activates an electronic circuit to boost mid-range torque by 15 lb-ft (up to 449 lb-ft). A green light illuminates on the dash when the overboost function is enabled, giving drivers 80 seconds to perform any overtaking maneuvers, and then defaulting back to the standard setting.

The SpecV's carbon ceramic brakes were developed in conjunction with Brembo and are painted silver to differentiate the upgraded stoppers from the standard GT-R. Although the six-piston (front) caliper size remains the same, the discs have been upgraded to 390mm (15.35 inches) and fitted with SpecV specific brake pads. Nissan claims a weight savings of 11 pounds per corner and –2.0 Gs worth of stopping power, but the system comes at a cost: $45,000.

the overall weight savings, which comes in 132 pounds lighter than the standard model at 3,704 pounds.

Peak output remains the same, at 478 horsepower, but a switch on the right of the steering wheel (shared with the cruise control) activates an electronic circuit to boost mid-range torque by 15 lb-ft (up to 449 lb-ft). A green light illuminates on the dash when the overboost function is enabled, giving drivers 80 seconds to perform any overtaking maneuvers, and then defaulting back to the standard setting.

Legendary heroes always have a fatal vulnerability. Achilles had his heel and Superman has Kryptonite. The Nissan GT-R, supposedly, has its transaxle.

In the great unverifiable stew of message boards on the Internet, you can read about rumors of GT-R trannies grenading the moment a driver engaged the launch control feature and then (naturally) launched his all-wheel-drive 480-horsepower supercar.

Then — rumor atop rumor — there are stories about Nissan voiding warranties simply because a driver engages the highly touted launch control system, so that once the intricate transaxle fails, the owner is left with the choice of either paying $22,415.38 (plus $1,380 for installation labor) for a new one or turning their GT-R into a garden planter. Although Nissan won't comment, we know there is some litigation being pursued by GT-R owners regarding this.

Is the Nissan GT-R's unique rear-mounted, computer-controlled dual-clutch six-speed transaxle really so fragile? Is Nissan really running away from a launch control feature it once promoted so heavily? Are GT-R warranties falling like Don Barzini at the end of The Godfather? We have some answers.

The Imminent Change
"In our view," says Scott Vazin, Nissan North America's chief of product public relations, during a conference call with Inside Line, "this has been blown way out of proportion."

According to Nissan, "less than 1 percent" of the transaxles in the GT-Rs delivered to customers in the United States have failed in some way. With somewhere between 1,750 and 1,800 GT-Rs in the garages of American enthusiasts, this puts the number of transaxle failures experienced in this country at somewhere between 16 and 19 cars. This is not an insignificant number of GT-Rs, but it's short of an epidemic of transaxle failures.

Regardless, Nissan has already instituted a running software change to the onboard computers of any still unsold 2009 Nissan GT-Rs. This software modifies the action of the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), which incorporates the so-called launch control protocol. This affects about 50 GT-Rs that are currently awaiting dealer allocation at Nissan's facility at the Port of Long Beach in Southern California. The new software will also be offered as a retrofit — with Nissan's vigorous encouragement — to the current owners of the 2009 Nissan GT-R.

This is a software change for all R35 GT-Rs worldwide, Nissan asserts; it isn't limited to the litigious United States.

How It Works
The revised programming, Nissan promises, will offer acceleration similar to that with the current launch control, but will do so while the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system remains on. Instead of launching at 4,500 rpm as the original launch control system does, the new system will launch at considerably fewer revs. (Nissan isn't quite sure what this final number will be, but it will be more than the 2,000 rpm currently used when the car is brake-torqued for an acceleration run with the VDC turned on.)

Launching hard with the VDC turned off, however, does potentially void the warranty on the transaxle (though the rest of the car's warranty is unaffected). In fact, the GT-R owner's manual has always expressly warned against driving with the VDC system turned off except when trying to extract the vehicle when it's stuck in mud or snow. And the internal memory of the GT-R's computers will tattle on an owner who launches with VDC turned off. Indeed, it will record any events in which the VDC is turned off.

What Nissan Says
Here's the whole text of a letter Nissan sent to all its dealers today regarding the GT-R software change:

Nissan has enhanced the Model Year (MY) 2009 GT-R by incorporating new MY 2010 programming that will optimize clutch engagement control for improved drivability. This upgrade also improves vehicle acceleration with the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) ON/activated.

Nissan will provide this MY 2010 specification upgrade to MY 2009 GT-R owners at no additional cost. Nissan has already incorporated this programming into the GT-R vehicles in its U.S. inventory and will resume shipping of those vehicles to dealers. We will advise you soon on how to install this new program into all MY 2009 GT-Rs (see below).

The GT-R will continue to offer supercar characteristics of exceptional handling, maneuvering and overall driving experience. This upgrade provides the consumer improved drivability and enhanced acceleration performance with VDC ON (as required by the warranty). Standing acceleration capability with VDC ON (VDC-R mode) will improve compared to the original model-year 2009 performance while such acceleration with VDC OFF will be moderated. Customers should be reminded to drive safely and obey all traffic laws. [Please note independent media reports of 0-60 drive times with VDC OFF (or what the media call "Launch Control") on closed-courses with professional drivers will likely increase after this change.]

The GT-R Owner's Manual expressly warns against driving with the VDC OFF (except to free the vehicle when stuck in mud or snow) to avoid damage. Repeated acceleration launches with VDC OFF have resulted in some reported instances of damage to the transaxle. Repairs for damage caused by driving with VDC OFF are expressly excluded under the terms of the Nissan GT-R New Car Limited Warranty... Except when stuck, there is no reason to drive with VDC OFF.

This change was initially implemented with the start of MY 2010 GT-R production and has been completed for all 2009 GT-Rs still in NNA inventory... In a few weeks, you will receive the Technical Service Bulletin explaining how to implement this specification change for all remaining 2009 GT-Rs...

Bottom line, the GT-R with the revised software will be quicker with the VDC on, but not as quick as it was before with the VDC turned off. Only a trip to the track will reveal exactly how performance will be affected. That's why Inside Line plans to take the 2009 Nissan GT-R that we purchased for long-term testing to the track as soon as we can get the new software installed.

The Part in Question
As sophisticated as the GT-R is, there's no single component aboard this starship that's more technically advanced than the transaxle. Tasked to contend with the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6's 480 hp and 430 pound- feet of peak torque, it has to be robust. But it also has to reliably distribute power to all four wheels, respond instantly to the driver's gear selection and enable the car to putter around smoothly at low speed. This is simply one of the most technologically advanced automotive components on Earth.

In fact, Inside Line's own GT-R (purchased outright and not part of any Nissan public relations fleet) had its transaxle replaced at Santa Monica Nissan when fluid was found around one of the seals. "I've been regularly servicing six or seven GT-Rs here and yours is the only one that's needed a transmission," said Doug Chaske, our service advisor at Santa Monica Nissan.

"When something goes wrong with a GT-R," Chaske further explained, "we're supposed to call Nissan. It's not like when something goes wrong with an Altima and we can determine what to do ourselves. With the GT-R, Nissan always sends out an engineer. And they determine what to do."

The Ownership Experience
Most GT-R owners that Inside Line has contacted did report using launch control, but they suffered no ill effects. Darryl Alison, whose JspecConnect.com imported two right-hand-drive Japanese-market R35 GT-Rs before he became the first person to take delivery of a U.S.-market GT-R, has had no problem with any of his GT-Rs, including the second U.S.-market car he bought and subsequently modified for increased engine output.

"It has a less restrictive exhaust for more power," Alison says. "We ran it in Sport Compact Car's Ultimate Street Car Challenge and made seven launches. Plus it survived the 'Gross Display of Horsepower' competition and the car still drives fine." Subsequently, Alison also had the memory flashed by Cobb Tuning for even more power and reports no problems with the car.

Yes, some cars that have been launched repeatedly with the VDC off have munched their transmissions. The proof of that is as close as YouTube. For instance, here's Samurai Speed's 600-hp GT-R losing its transmission after the shop says there had been more than 100 runs with launch control.



Despite some Internet postings to the contrary, Inside Line has yet to verify a GT-R transmission failure in a car that didn't endure at least several hard launches with the VDC system turned off.

Extraordinary Car, Extraordinary Treatment
While Nissan is well within its rights according to the warranty to not cover such transmission failures, it also appears that it has covered failed transmissions in GT-Rs that were launched with the VDC off.

For example, one GT-R owner (who insists on anonymity) says that Nissan installed a new transaxle in his car after it failed following several hard VDC-off launches. He also says that as a condition of getting his replacement transmission, he had to sign a non-disclosure agreement, promising not to talk about the circumstances under which his car was repaired. So far Nissan hasn't commented on the existence or non-existence of such non-disclosure agreements.

Nissan is apparently within its rights to deny warranty coverage to any GT-R that regularly operates with the VDC off. And it seems, at least so far, that Nissan has considered GT-R warranty claims on a case-by-case basis. What it will do going forward — particularly for cars with owners who refuse the software change — is open to speculation.

The Nissan GT-R is no ordinary car. And it appears that Nissan is breaking new ground not just in performance but also in the complicated promise a car manufacturer makes to an enthusiast when it sells him leading-edge technology.

Bottom Line: Phenomenal handling, but is the price worth it?

And there's more GT-R in the pipeline. Mizuno tells us, "The SpecV, in contrast to what you might be thinking, is not the high-performance version of the GT-R." That's right. Mr. GT-R has more magic up his sleeve.