bonzelite

ok. so the 11th gen will be offered worldwide as the Nissan GT-R. that is just freaking awesome. i can't wait to see one finally driving around here, at least parked at the curb, so i can get out to look at it, fantasizing about having one of my own. the looks so far are killer, the lineup for the suspension and rumored drivetrain options are tantalizing, and overall the whole thing is just totally cool.

so.......

who will go the extra mile, namely the purists, and pre-order a JDM RIGHT HAND DRIVE version to import to North America? furthermore, who will, then, offer a RHD conversion kit? i predict this will happen and will be featured in popular car magazines and at SEMA shows, drifts, etc...

mr2inertia

Personally I am glad the gtr is coming to America but at the same time feel that its too little too late. The 35 has REALLY BIG shoes to fill and I don't think it can live up to it. You have to admit the 34 is a tough act to follow. I am in the Aftermarket tuning industry and as of late I have been hearing that they are still not sure of the powerplant. Either v8 or twin turbo v6 its up in the air. Personally I like the rb26. Oh well, As long as its turbo I guess thats ok. We'll have to wait and see.

bonzelite

hmm. good points.

spt

I think it really comes down to personal opinion. There are some people who believed that the r33 had really big shoes to fill when it replaced the r32. You may think that the r33 succeeded but there are many who would disagree. Personal preface has a lot to do with it.

I believe Nissan is putting a lot of effort in making this thing better then the r34. In fact, if you notice in some of the articles, they refer to the Z-tune as a model they are working off of. I can't say for sure if it will be better yet, but I'm crossing my fingers.

spt

I'm sure a lot of shops are thinking about it. I know I've been thinking about it. I guess it comes down to what the final product will be.

If the car doesn't live up to its hype then I'll have to figure out how to bring in a R34.

bonzelite

ultimately i'm a big geek for the GTR and have full faith in Nissan on this one. i think the GTR will be a spectacular performance machine all around, on par with Ferrari and Porsche. they're going for the one here.

as of now, the only means to an R34 for USA importation is under the radar completely and totally, and disassembled. and even that is dangerous. car is 200% banned.

bonzelite

^^^but there are ways

spt

Lol. Yeah I'm sure if the GTR isn't as expected, there will be someone out there who will spend the money to figure something out. Worst case, I could always move to Japan or Europe....

Message to Mr. Ghosn, in case you are reading: Please make the new GTR better then before. I don't want to leave the US.

invincible569

From CarandDriver.com

Spied: 2009 Nissan Skyline GT-R

Nissan's 450-hp all-wheel-drive supercar is coming to America. We catch it lapping the Nürburgring.
BY PETER LYON

Will the fabulous Skyline GT-R come to the U.S.? The answer is yes. At the 2006 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), Nissan president Carlos Ghosn announced that it indeed will come to America as a Nissan (not an Infiniti). The production car’s official debut will be at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show.

Nissan considered a V-8 for the next GT-R but has opted instead for a specially developed twin-turbo V-6, due to its lower weight and explosive power potential. A limited-edition 2005-model GT-R Z-tune, fitted with the now superseded twin-turbo straight-six, generated over 500 horsepower, showing the potential of this car. Britain’s Cosworth is helping Nissan extract more than 450 horsepower from the upcoming 3.7- or 3.8-liter V-6 while still meeting emissions laws.

The next GT-R will be configured with a rear-mounted transaxle. This fact raises a critical and as-yet-unconfirmed question about the GT-R: Will it employ rear- or four-wheel-drive? One company insider we spoke with puts the chances at 50:50 right now. Rear-wheel drive has become more viable with recent advances in traction- and stability-control systems, and it is inherently lighter. The Lexus LF-A and the next Acura NSX both are expected to employ rear drive. On the other hand, the GT-R has employed rear-biased four-wheel drive since 1989, and it’s become an integral part of the GT-R’s mystique. And given the power the next GT-R will have, more accelerative traction would be preferable to electro-nannies stealing the fun. If the GT-R does get four-wheel drive, it could use a revised version of the ATTESA four-wheel-drive system found in the R34 GT-R or a radically new in-wheel electric motor four-wheel-drive system. Driven wheels aside, it is rumored that Nissan has contracted with world-famous Lotus to help with fine-tuning the car’s track performance. As for the transmission, we can expect the GT-R to be fitted with a seven-speed setup with steering-wheel paddles and two pedals.

Even though the GT-R will employ a purpose-built body, chassis, and engine, one senior Nissan official says there is still a chance the new GT-R will share part of its name with the Japanese version of the G35, the Skyline. Whether it’s called the Nissan Skyline GT-R or just the Nissan GT-R, the 2009 model is expected to cost $75,000 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in the spring of 2008.

bonzelite

you reposted the News cover story, on the home page, as response to this thread topic?