The current Nissan GT-R, also known as the R35, was
introduced in 2007 as a successor to the popular R34. Redesigned from the
ground up, the R35 set many new benchmarks for the GT-R nameplate. It’s the
first to no longer feature the Skyline name and the first GT-R to use a V-6
engine (previous generations have used inline-six units).
It’s the first GT-R offered
globally, being exported to the U.S. and giving Nissan unprecedented popularity
in the sports car market. Finally, it is also the longest-running GT-R model.
While previous versions were produced for three to five years, the R35 is ten
years old as of 2017. Although a bit long in the tooth, the current GT-R is
still making headlines on both the road and the track, the latter fueled by
numerous versions prepped by Nismo. One of them is the GT500 and it just
received an update for the 2017 racing season.
Used by Nissan in Japan’s top-spec Super GT racing
division since 2008, the GT-R has brought the company five championship
triumphs in nine years. However, after winning the series in 2014 and 2015, the
GT-R was defeated by Lexus and its RC F-based GT500 race car in 2016. Nissan
wants to fix that in 2017, which brought significant modifications to the GT500
rule book, with a revised version of its Nismo-built, race-ready GT-R.
The new GT-R GT500 was unveiled at the Twin Ring
Motegi along with entries for rival companies Lexus and Honda, and was
showcased once again at the Nismo Festival at Fuji Speedway in December. The
2017 Super GT Series is begin in April.
