Ever since the new Nissan GT-R made its return, it’s been considered the pinnacle of supercar performance. It nails everything from acceleration, to braking, to cornering to the overall way it makes a driver feel. Our friends at AutoCar decided to pin the new 540-hp 2013 Nissan GT-R (known as the 2012 model year in the UK) against the new 560-hp 2012 BMW M5 to find out if the new M5 can hold up to the hardcore Godzilla.

Check out their take after the jump.

Refresher:

• BMW M5: The 2012 BMW M5 is powered by a 4.4L V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo (consisting of Twin Scroll Twin Turbo Technology) making 560-hp between 6,000 and 7,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 502 lb-ft from 1,500 rpm. Mated to a 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission Drivelogic (with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters), the 2012 BMW M5 goes from 0 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds, 0 to 124 mph in 13 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph or 190 mph with M Driver’s Package.
• Nissan GT-R: The 2013 Nissan GT-R being the most powerful, is powered by a 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine making 545-hp, an increase of 15-hp over the 2012 GT-R, and torque has been increased from 448 lb-ft to 463 lb-ft. 0 to 62 mph for the 2013 GT-R has been reported to come in at 2.84 seconds.

- By: Omar Rana

Teasing GT-R enthusiasts, Francois Bancon, Infiniti of Tokyo head of advanced planning, has recently mentioned the strong possibility of an Inifiniti model based on the Nissan GT-R platform.

“It’s too good a platform to use only on one model,” Bancon said. The GT-R based model would be a flagship sports car for the luxury brand.

He also adds that “We have three or four proposals we are looking at right now. Once we have launched the new smaller Infiniti (coming in 2015), the time would be right to have a flagship.”

It will be at least two years before we know Infiniti’s plans for sure, so if the brand does decide to move forward with the project, it would be at least another five years before production.

Check out more news on the Nissan GT-R.

If Infiniti does need a halo car, is it right to mess with the 545hp V6 icon? In order to place its badge on the car, it would take some refinement over the sports car, which almost feels wrong. Part of what makes the GT-R iconic is that it is great in its own way, all by itself, boasting awesome horsepower and track-ready performance. On the other hand, Bancon could be right, is it simply a waste to use this platform on just one model? From a business standpoint this may be a good perspective, but as an enthusiast, the GT-R platform should be left alone.

By: Alexandra Koken

Source: CARMagazine

Car and Driver loves doing special features. So they’re back with their latest one for the 2012-year: the annual Lightning Lap. The competition is to compare some of the most critically acclaimed cars as of recent.

Taking place at Virginia’s International Raceway, the C/D team will compare a series of cars organized in various price classes and see who’s the fastest. The diversity includes and are not limited to the latest Volkswagen Jetta GLI, the Corvette ZR1, and for the first time, SUVs like the BMW X5 M and the hot new Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT-8.

It really needs no explanation. And to make things more interesting, they even provided a video!

Check it out after the jump.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: CARandDRIVER

Nissan has just unveiled its newest racecar for the FIA GT3 European Championship and Japan’s own SuperGT league: the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3.

Co-developed by Nissan’s in-house tuning firm, NISMO, and their official motorsports partner, JR Motorsports, the new Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 is powered by a 3.8L twin-turbocharged V6 that’s based on the mill in the original GT-R. The result is 523hp at 6400rpm, which is channeled through a semi-automatic six-speed rear-mounted cog swapper.

Click here for more news on the Nissan GT-R.

So if you feel like you have what it takes to handle such a beast, pricing for the GT-R NISMO GT3 starts at just 298,000 Euros.

- By: Chris Chin

Nissan North America has just announced pricing for the 2013 Nissan GT-R, which is currently arriving at certified dealers nationwide.  Prices for the 2013 Nissan GT-R will start at $96,820 for the Premium Edition.

For the 2013 model year, output has been bumped to 545 hp (from 530 hp), with torque now at 463 lb-ft (from 448 lb-ft). In addition, the suspension has been retuned to enhance both performance and comfort. Other changes for the 2013 model year include a standard RearView Monitor and the Black Edition receives a new dry carbon fiber rear spoiler.

Mated to a dual-clutch transmission, 0 to 62 mph comes in just 2.8 seconds.

Check out our original post on the Nissan GT-R.

MSRP for the 2013 Nissan GT-R include:

Check out the official Nissan GT-R website:

- By: Omar Rana

There is no doubt that the Nissan GT-R has improved every year since it made its debut in the market in 2008.

The 2013 Nissan GT-R being the most powerful, is powered by a 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine making 545-hp, an increase of 15-hp over the 2012 GT-R, and torque has been increased from 448 lb-ft to 463 lb-ft.

Click here for our original post on the 2013 Nissan GT-R.

0 to 62 mph for the 2013 GT-R has been reported to come in at 2.84 seconds and that’s blistering fast.

So how does the new GT-R stack up to its predecessors? Find out in the video after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

Enthusiasts can certainly appreciate the UK based Skunkworks engineers stuffing a 3.8-liter GT-R engine under the hood of the Juke, but the Nissan executives at the company’s headquarters in Japan seem a bit unhappy about not being the first to know.

It seems that Nissan of Europe’s team picked up their air guns and welders before getting approval from higher-ups to go ahead with the concept. Even though teasers were showing up online, the release of the concept was still unknown to much of the staff and higher ups at Nissan. So when they caught wind of what was happening with their iconic motor it was not well received.

Click here for more news on the Nissan Juke-R.

The concept is hard to overlook with over 485-hp and plenty of fine tuning. This was a solid effort, with plenty of video to reinforce that.

Not only did Nissan of Europe just make one Juke-R – they made two - one in left-hand-drive and one in right-hand-drive.

- By: Alexandra Koken

Source: AutoBlog

Click here for more news on the Nissan GT-R.

So what to the upgrades include?

• Externally the Track Pack is identified by lightweight 6-spoke RAYS alloys with gloss black painted center.
• The brakes are cooled by additional cooling ducts built into the front bumper. Similar ducts are hidden behind the rear wheels, giving cool air over the rear discs.
• The GT-R Track Pack suspension’s spring rates have been revised to be strong for track use.
• Recaro front seats are trimmed with blue bolsters. Rear seats have been thrown out.

Prices for the Nissan GT-R Track Pack adds about

The Track Pack adds £10,000 ($15,624 USD) to the £74,450 ($116,323 USD), making the total GT-R price with the package at £84,450 ($131,947 USD). First deliveries are expected in March 2012. No word if it’s going to be available in the United States.

- By: Omar Rana

Following a video yesterday of the GT-R powered Juke-R Concept hitting up the track, Nissan of Europe has dropped the official details and pictures of what’s known as the world’s fastest crossover.

The “Nissan Juke-R is a unique concept car that combines the power, speed and handling of Nissan’s flagship GT-R sports car with the bold, exciting design of the Juke crossover model,” Nissan said in a statement. “Images and video reflect the thought-provoking, energetic style of this urban rebel crossover, while its foreboding matt black finish enhances the car’s rebellious personality.”

Power comes from a 3.8 liter twin-turbo V6 from the Nissan GT-R along with the supercar’s drivetrain, suspension and transmission. Output comes in at a whopping 485-hp so at the back of the car are dynamic split rear wings that provide the supercrossover with down-force.

Click here for more news on the Nissan Juke-R.

Inside the Nissan Juke-R Concept comes complete with twin race seats, race harness for each occupent and a race-spec roll cage. The GT-R’s steering wheel, pedals, dials and 7-inch touch-screen display are also built into the interior.

Nissan says that the Juke-R Concept is not a production car but it is a road legal car. Only two versions are being build one in left-hand-drive and one in right-hand-drive.

- By: Omar Rana

Following a bunch of clips showing the development process of the new high-performance one-off Nissan Juke-R, the automaker’s European division has finally released a video that’s worth watching.

The new video shows the 485-hp Nissan Juke-R undergoing testing on the track.

Click here for more news on the Nissan Juke-R.

“The moment has finally come for Juke-R to hit the track!” Nissan said. “With the build complete, engineers take Juke-R to MIRA proving ground to check all systems work correctly before heading to Silverstone to push the car’s limits. It looks like a Juke but sounds like a GT-R, and performs like one on its first circuit tests.”

Note: We posted some videos of the Nissan Juke-R on the track yesterday as well.

Check out the video after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

Personally, I think those long Nissan Juke-R teaser videos are a bit boring so I was pleased to finally see two videos showing the 485-hp crossover in beast mode on a wet Silverstone track – and the videos aren’t even from Nissan.

Spanish automotive magazine AutoHebdoSport,were given access to the Juke-R on a rainy day at Silverstone and this is the video they came back with. We also have another video from Caradisiac’s Cailliot Manuel taking a spin.

Click here for more news on the Nissan Juke-R.

Power for the Nissan Juke-R comes from the Nissan GT-R’s 485-hp V6 turbo. It also gets the transmission and other vital systems straight from the GT-R.

Check out the videos after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

The Nissan GT-R is undoubtedly a performance icon. And to maintain that, the Japanese brand is making sure that their halo car remains blazingly fast for a relatively affordable price.

That said, a new video was released featuring the revised 2013 (2012 in Japan) GT-R at Japan’s Sendai Hiland Raceway, completing a spring to 62 mph in 2.84 seconds. Blimey!

There’s really no need for explanation, so have a look at the video after the jump.

Click here for our original post on the 2013 Nissan GT-R.

Refresher:  The 2013 Nissan GT-R is powered by a 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine in the 2013 GT-R now produced 545-hp, an increase of 15-hp over the 2012 GT-R, and torque has been pushed from 448 lb-ft to 463 lb-ft. The 2013 Nissan GT-R is will go on sale at select certified Nissan dealers in January 2012.

- By: Chris Chin

Nissan Chief Vehicle Engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno presented the 2013 GT-R supercar at Japan’s Sugo International Race Circuit saying that it may be able to beat previous model year’s Nurburgring lap times.

The GT-R has been continually beating its previous times, with the 2011 model clocking in at 7:26.4 and the 2012 model year taking that time down to 7:24.22. For 2013, the Nissan GT-R is expected to run a Nurburgring lap time of less than 7:20.

“We have a car that has the potential to go from 0-100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in under 3 seconds, lap the Nurburgring in less than 7 minutes 20 seconds, and cruise at speeds of 300 kilometers per hour (186 mph),” said Mizuno. “But what makes the GT-R today is that you can drive it on the autobahn at speeds like that with a degree of comfort.”

Click here for our original post on the 2013 Nissan GT-R.

Refresher:  The 2013 Nissan GT-R is powered by a 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine in the 2013 GT-R now produced 545-hp, an increase of 15-hp over the 2012 GT-R, and torque has been pushed from 448 lb-ft to 463 lb-ft. The 2013 Nissan GT-R is will go on sale at select certified Nissan dealers in January 2012.

- By: Alexandra Koken

“The 2013 Nissan GT-R once again sends a bold statement that it remains on the leading edge of international sports car design, technology and performance,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. “It’s our desire to keep pushing the envelope, to never settle for second best or second place – a philosophy that makes Nissan GT-R one of the most coveted and affordable supercars in the world today.”

The 3.8-liter twin turbo V6 engine in the 2013 GT-R now produced 545-hp, an increase of 15-hp over the 2012 GT-R, and torque has been pushed from 448 lb-ft to 463 lb-ft.

Nissan has also improved intake efficiency, reduced airflow resistance including an enlarged air intake duct for the intercooler, and improved exhaust emissions efficiency and enhanced control. The feel of the 6-speed dual-clutch transmission has been refined with a strengthened design of the shift fork arm and a firmer fixing bearing for the flywheel housing.

Click here for more news on the Nissan GT-R.

Nissan says it has also returned the suspension and added a handmade dry carbon rear spoiler to the Nissan GT-R Black Edition model. Other upgraded touches include the addition of a new blue lighting treatment inside the tachometer ring and a RearView Monitor is now standard on all models.

The 2013 Nissan GT-R is will go on sale at select certified Nissan dealers in January 2012.

- By: Omar Rana

Nissan of Europe, which is currently busy building the super Juke-R, is reportedly working on an ‘extreme GT-R’ for the United Kingdom. The model is rumored to be another version of the Club Track edition that is currently on sale in Japan.

The head of the Nissan GT-R project Kazutoshi Mizuno says that model could be offered in the UK.

Click here for more news on the Nissan GT-R.

The model will be powered by the standard 3.8 liter twin-turbo V8, will get slick performance tires, an adjustable suspension and a stripped out interior with a roll cage.

Why we wouldn’t get it in the United States is beyond us.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoExpress

Nissan says that it only plans on creating two versions of the Juke-R – one which will be left-hand while the other will be right-hand drive. The car was developed by Nissan and is being built by motorsports outfit RML with help from Nissan Technology Center in Europe.

Click here for more news on the Nissan Juke-R.

Testing of the Nissan Juke-R is scheduled to begin next month and we definitely expect it to hit up the Nurburgring for some hot laps.

Check out Nissan’s Official Juke-R Facebook page for more pictures.

Power for the Nissan Juke-R comes from the Nissan GT-R’s V6 turbo 480-hp. It also gets the transmission and other vital systems straight from Godzilla.

Check out the video after the jump.

- By: Omar Rana

When the Nissan GT-R first came out, there was controversy as to how fast the GT-R truly was with inconsistencies in lap times on the famous and most difficult racetrack in the world: the Nurburgring.

As a result, Nissan has been hard at work to make sure that the GT-R remains a vital player in the high-end sports car market. That said, “the father of the GT-R” Kazutoshi Mizuno has supposedly told some journalists that the 2013 GT-R will be much faster. So fast in fact, that it will shave eight seconds off of the original Nurburgring lap time.

To start, Mizuno said that the GT-R gets a power hike for 2013. He wasn’t specific on the figure, but the number 550, the word horsepower and GT-R have ended up in the same sentence in the rumormill.

Click here for our post on the 2012 Nissan GT-R Nurburgring Lap Time.

Next, Mizuno also added that right-hand drive only GT-Rs will get an asymmetric suspension set-up, which he pitches as what could be the world’s first for any production car. The result is a design that’s meant to counterbalance the extra 50kgs in weight from the different steering assemblies between right- and left-hand drive.

And to conclude, Mizuno said that he’s considering “platform extension possibilities with the GT-R,” in which he said: “The GT-R is a two door coupe with a very big boot. Use your journalistic skill to imagine what might be next.” And that makes all of us automobile journalists wonder…a GT-R convertible perhaps?

Refresher: The 2012 Nissan GT-R is powered by a VR38DETT 3.8L twin turbo V6 that produces 530-hp and 488 lb-ft of torque. Off-the line performance is also improved with an upgraded “R mode” for the transmission and to control tight corner braking. That allows 0-60 mph to come in at 2.9 seconds. Prices for the 2012 Nissan GT-R start at $89,950 for the base model and $95,100 for the Premium and Black Edition.

- By: Chris Chin

Source: PistonHeads

We’ve already seen the first official image of the Nissan Juke-R – but what’s more interesting to us are the videos Nissan of Europe has been releasing along with the development of the GT-R powered crossover.

Nissan has already shown us how technology is transferred from the GT-R to the Juke. Having tested that the GT-R’s systems  and components work in a shortened wheelbase, the engineering team has now released a video (#3) of the build process of the Juke-R. Work involved building a roll cage inside the Juke’s body shell, as well constructing the structure that houses the GT-R’s engine, drivetrain and other vital systems.

Click here for more news on the Nissan Juke-R.

The next video (#4) is probably the most interesting out of the ones released so far. It shows how the heart of the GT-R – the V6 turbo 480-hp – is transferred to the Juke. Engineers not only build the Juke around the engine but also find space to house all the cooling systems that it needs to perform.

Hit the jump for the two latest videos in the Nissan Juke-R Development Series.

Check out Nissan’s Official Juke-R Facebook page for more pictures.

Nissan JUKE-R Video 3 – The Build Begins:

Nissan JUKE-R Video 4 – The Engine:

- By: Omar Rana