heyitsme

Well lets say the mag has changed, all mags have. The vette, 911 and supra were a very good comparison...

heyitsme

Well, that seems to be the way huh? Sti, Evo, Gtr, and Supra, the wait seems to pay right. Think G35 life will be stretched till the GTR is ready. Then all G-cars will get everything new and go towards the BMW/m-series models.

bigman

#1 they are taking way too long. # 2 They better get this engine right. It better be able to handle modifications like the Rb24dett. That motor is known for taking 700 plus horses reliably with 1000 plus horsepower with minor engine mods. The VQ motor has a problem with boost. Greddy Twin turbos are known for taking the motor out with higher boost levels. The VQ needs to be seriously worked and beefed up to make this work. It also needs at least 500 horses to compete with today's sports cars. 450 wont cut it, DCX has all their SRT-8's with nearly that much power.

titan

I agree with the HP thing. But I guess it depends on competiton too. Who's the intended competeion. If the M6, they need atleast 500HP. Is it the M3, with 400HP? I think I would have preferred them working up from the Q's 4.5L V8 (bore and stroke it to 5L, freer exhaust) instead boosting the VQ. But then, they have weight to worry about, I guess. But as you said, whatever they do, they'd better get it right.

MaximaPower

i think they'll need 450+hp if they say they are targeting the porsche

and please keep the weight down on this car :o
the G35 is pretty heavy already

F23A4

UrbanRacer.Com's exclusive scoop on the GT-R

* SN - Nissan’s Senior VP of Design, Shiro Nakamura

UR: OK, everybody – I mean EVERYBODY - is waiting to see or hear about the next Skyline GT-R. What can you tell us about it?

SN: Well, Mr. Ghosn promised the world a new GT-R in 2007 and we are working to fulfill that promise.

UR: When you unveiled the Nissan Micra and the 350Z – you talked about the 350Z-ness or Micra-ness characteristics of the cars. What are the characteristics of a GT-R?

SN: Top level performance, highest technology, outstanding design, unique presence – having a GT-R aura. It’ll be nothing like a G35 or a Z – it’s really has strong performance. Nothing like any other sports car. Also it’s masculine.

UR: What about the design – is there a GT-R heritage? Which studio is heading the design?

SN: Yes we want to maintain it. When somebody removes the GT-R badges, I want people to recognize that it’s a GT-R. It will have some key heritage features. Our Japanese studio is designing the car.

UR: What about the engine or drivetrain? Will it be turbo six or V8-powered?

SN: I think four-wheel drive since the previous generation had four-wheel drive. I think that when you want high tech performance, two wheel drive might not be good enough. This will be a Japanese high tech performance car. As far as the engine, we haven’t announced it yet, but we will pick the engine best suited for the chassis.

UR: So you are developing the GT-R right now? Are there running prototypes?

SN: Yes. The design is almost, almost done. We only have two and a half years to come, so quite soon we might finalize. Normally, it we finish final design two years before launch so we might finalize this year. Yes, there are running mules.

UR: Okay, you’re killing us. Can you give us more?

SN: We don’t want to make it to expensive. The previous GT-R I think was about $60,000, but the previous generation’s interior quality was not as high when you compare to the performance side. And the new GT-R will have higher level of performance. Anyways, I think it will have a “good price”. Not as low as the previous GT-R, but not as high as $100,000. I think it will be a bargain compared with other European competitors. It will have outstanding performance, design, and quality.

UR: Soo, are we talking about 500 hp?

SN: We have not announced horsepower figures yet, but I think 500 hp is too high. There are serious tax issues in certain countries for that kind of horsepower.

UR: Will it wear an Infiniti or a Nissan badge in the U.S.?

SN: There are serious discussions right now as to what it would be badged as in the U.S. Because there is no heritage of the GT-R in the U.S., there are pluses and minuses for both cases. The GT-R has its own identity – maybe even higher than Nissan. Anyways, we have not decided yet.

UR: We’ve read in other interviews with you that some of your personal favorite car designs include the Shelby Cobra, Porsche 911, and the ’65 Mustang – all iconic cars. What do you think will be iconic 30-40 years from now? The 350Z?

SN: Yes, I think the 350Z will be iconic. The new GT-R will be also.

http://www.urbanracer.com/articles/a...asp?a=1437&z=2

Maximized

So reading into this....It will be over 60K and under 500hp. I guess this car is every ricers wet dream, but Z06 please.

MaximaPower

soo r u saying that every car that has less than 500hp and costs over 60k is a ricer??

charliemike

Yeah, I'd like to know that too ... I can't see a 911 Carrera S and a Ferrari F430 being a ricemobile ...

chef chris

Best Part:
SN: Yes we want to maintain it. When somebody removes the GT-R badges, I want people to recognize that it’s a GT-R. It will have some key heritage features. Our Japanese studio is designing the car.

So, they will keep the bold lines of the earlier model...IMO, that's very good news. And 400 HP isn't a bad deal either...hell, he says it will outperform the older version. Excellent on all accounts...whether it be a v-6 or an 8.

F23A4

I dont believe he meant that the car would be rice. Rather, I believe what he meant was that it'll be something that ricers will dream about day and night (i.e.: obsessing on it continuously) while selling only to a very small demographic and lacking any broad appeal. (The Carerra S and F430 would probably have MUCH broader appeal than the GTR.)

That said with Maximized. Given it's projected price point, I'd be hard pressed to justify buying the GTR over the Z06. With 500hp on tap, the Z06 will DEFINITELY be a 200mph super car and I cant imagine what a performance pkg from LPE would do for it.

Maximized

No you took my comment out of context. The Skyline will be every RICER's wet dream. I wasn't saying it was rice.

heyitsme

Think its to early to even speculate, awd 350hp could make the car haul ass if the weight is right-evo/sti, so under 500 means nothing.

03TL-S

MaximaPower

wow...dats pretty old news right there ^

03TL-S

oh..lol...it sounded new. It was on some other forum. Now if only i could delete it

titan

I think that the car being badged Infiniti (I was pretty sure that was going to happen) and getting the VK (was alot less sure about that) will help it's sales in the U.S. A 5.4 or 5.6L V8??? They can get atleast 500Hp from a 5.6L VK... calling it the "R36 GTR" is a little confusing, though. Calling it the GTR 56, or simply GTR, atleast is more similar to Infiniti's other names.

gavriil

This is not old info. Only because the press has been on the fence about the name this vehicle will acquire in the end.

TLS no need to delete it (even if you could). It's fine.

cob3683

As long as this car has taken and as much as people are building it up, anything less than perfect won't be enough.

Motohip

Do you guys think they should badge it a Nissan, or Infiniti?

F23A4

Good question! I would think that the R36 GTR should be sold through a more upscale outlet like Infiniti. I really think Nissan would be hard pressed to sell a $60k+ vehicle as a Nissan. Then again, there's a $60k Chevy called the Corvette Convertible (loaded) that's worth every penny IMHO.

titan

Infiniti. It's the best way to justify a $55-60K car coming from Nissan Motor.

mrdeeno

I think that they would have more success under the infiniti badge, but would do quite well as a nissan.

If it were badged a nissan, it's popularity with "enthusiasts" who know about it (and can afford it) would buy it.

Those same enthusiasts would buy it if it was badged an infiniti as well. Hell, those same enthusiasts would buy it if it was badged KIA!

But badging it as an infiniti, it would gain some sales from unlikely "non-enthusiast" types shopping for luxury cars.

They're browsing through the infinti dealership, looking to buy an FX or QX or M, when all of a sudden, WHAM! "What is that awesome looking car over there? I'll check it out. DAMN this things got the goods...my wife will kill me, but WHAT THE HELL...I'LL TAKE IT!"

But that all depends on how many they're planning on shipping to the U.S. If they ship very few and badge it as a nissan and they all sell, it woudln't matter if they badged it as an infiniti or nissan since they'd sell out anyway.

bgsm1th

With all the anticipation between this and the Supra (if that ever happens) we have the potential to see the two biggest automobile let-downs of the last 10 years with these two cars if they are anything less than perfection.

B

ferizzo

I don't want a V8...I hope I can order a 3.2 TT version!

F23A4

....I'm thinking VQ40DETT.

subtledreamer

it surely has a LOT to live up to....

bkknight369

by badging it as an infiniti, they would be commited to putting in some luxary amnities, otherwise the critics would eat them up. My making it a nissan, they can get away with some of the luxary stuff (leather seats, quiet interior, etc etc) in exchage for a pure balls-out performance vehicle

mrdeeno

i wouldn't worry too much about quality or amenities and wouldn't even think it part of being the decision to be a nissan or infiniti. In this day and age and at this price level, Nissan hopefully KNOWS they have to offer amenities similar to the competition (porsche/corvette). $60k+ just DEMANDS certain amenities and levels of quality, Nissan badge or not.

No, I think at this point it's purely a marketing problem. if they badge it as a Nissan, they have the problem of selling a $50k+ nissan but keep the heritage. But this also undermines Infiniti, because the better/best offerings should be coming with Infiniti badges.

We'll just see what they decide...whatever they decide, it'll still be a bitchin' car.

derrick

With that article from the Aussie press, it would seem logical to assume they will make an upscale GTR and brand it an Infiniti then have a scaled down model (which they could brand a Nissan). This would parallel it to the Z350 / G35 models we currently have. Sound reasonable?

stangg172004

who cares anymore? I think this thread should be till this damn thing comes out, i get excited for nothing...

gavriil

Future Products: Japan -- Japanese automakers fill every segment - - Source: Autoweek

gavriil

Makes sense.

JnC

iTrader: (12)

Meh, just 400 bhp by 07-08 .

stangg172004

one small step for man, one giant leap for American automotive enthusiast

titan

Totally. That way it'll acutally get some sales. The question is, will it eventually be sold as an Infiniti around the world, where Infiniti continues to expand, or is this just for the U.S. market. Also; the aritcle said that the G gets a "reskin" for '07. I thought it was going to be a redesign (next gen car).

gocubsgo55

Thank god. Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi all had issues justifying why to pay a lot for a sports car (despite the incredible performance of these cars) back in the "Pacific Muscle" days of the 90's, let alone today!

srika

yes - most likely it will be called the Infiniti GT-R, and there is a strong chance it will have a 3.5L 6-cylinder TWIN-TURBO (not sure whether V or inline) making at least 450hp...

it will cost about $55-70K...

source: Nissan

03TL-S

This is the result i predicted. I think that the GT-R will also be an infiniti worldwide to further expand infiniti as a global brand.

Mokos23

why don't they also incorporate awd on the G35 coupe too like the Skyline GTR?