Nissan Shows 2012 GT-R Facelift in Paris but won't Release Details Until October 18th

Tucked away in a glassed corner of Nissan's Paris Motor Show booth was the 2012 GT-R facelift. So, did the updated GT-R make its world premiere in Paris or not? Yes and no. See, while the car made its first public appearance in Paris, oddly enough, Nissan said it wouldn't release any information until mid October.

Here's the official statement from the Japanese automaker: "The GT-R engineering team are currently at the Nordschliefe, the legendary circuit in Germany, where they are in the process of signing-off the final updates on the forthcoming enhanced GT-R. Full details of the enhanced GT-R will be announced on 18th October 2010,"

From what we can see, the 2012 model year version of the Godzilla boasts a new front bumper with LED running lights, a revised rear diffuser and new alloy wheels.

According to documents leaked back in August, the changes are said to help drop the GT-R's drag coefficient from 0.272 to 0.268 while also improving rear downforce by 10%. The car is also expected to benefit from chassis and engine modifications.

We'll update this story as soon as Nissan comes out with all the juicy details.

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READ MORE - Nissan Shows 2012 GT-R Facelift in Paris but won't Release Details Until October 18th

Nissan GT-R to Play the Role of Godzilla at this Year’s Top Gear Live

The 478 hp Nissan GT-R is no stranger to Top Gear UK. Jeremy Clarkson famously raced it against co-presenters Richard Hammond and James May riding a bullet train just two years ago. Now the GT-R is set to play its monster movie nickname - Godzilla - in a special stunt sequence of Top Gear Live.

The 80 minute live show features the three presenters and a host of cars driven by professional stuntmen, in what the media has dubbed 'the cirque du soleil of cars'.

The GT-R will play the daikaiju (strange beast) from the tokusatsu (superhero movie) 'Gojira' in an explosive driving sequence inspired by Japanese street racing and manga.

"Ever since we drove the new GT-R through the streets of Tokyo on the television programme, I've wanted to incorporate one into a stunt driving sequence on the Live show." said Rowland French, Executive Producer of Top Gear Live.

The GT-R will make its official Top Gear Live debut at the "MPH: The Prestige & Performance Motor Show" at Earls Court, London in the first week of November, with a second showing at the NEC in Birmingham the following week.

By Tristan Hankins

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2011 Nissan GT-R Receives Mechanical and Equipment Upgrades [Mega Gallery with 110 High-Res Photos]

2011 Nissan GT-R Receives Mechanical and Equipment Upgrades [Mega Gallery with 110 High-Res Photos]

We know it sounds bizarre as the GT-R was only launched in late 2007, and in spite of the fact that the sports coupe received several model year upgrades including engine and suspension revisions in December 2008, Nissan has yet again announced the release of a 'facelift' model that will go on sale in Japan on December 7 and the rest of the world in spring of 2010.

For the 2011 model year, the updated GT-R receives a number of enhancements, including a revised navigation system, recalibrated suspension settings and an improved-flow catalyst system.

More specifically, equipment improvements comprise of a new HDD-based CARWINGS navigation system with enhanced entertainment functions and USB port with iPod connectivity.

According to Nissan, the 2011MY GT-R's suspension has been retuned to offer "enhanced, premium quality ride comfort, while still providing the driver with a feeling of direct contact with the road surface".

Suspension changes include the increased accuracy of the front shock absorbers and springs and the strengthening of the stiffness of the rear suspension radius rod bushings has been strengthened.

In addition, Nissan said that the rear diffusers with cooling ducts that improve cooling performance around the rear floor area which were previously available only on the more hardcore GT-R SpecV, are now offered on the base model.

As for the GT-R SpecV, the 2011 model year brings revised rear shock absorber settings, with Nissan claiming that they enhance "the characteristic combination of supple ride comfort and flat, predictable handling".

Furthermore, the 2011 GT-R SpecV now ride on Dunlop tires while the previously standard Bridgestone tires are available as a factory-installed option.

Finally, both the Nissan GT-R and GT-R SpecV get new hexagonal meshed catalyst cells that are said to reduce ventilation/airflow resistance resulting in improved low- and mid-range response of the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine.

2011 Nissan GT-R





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2011 Nissan GT-R SpecV

READ MORE - 2011 Nissan GT-R Receives Mechanical and Equipment Upgrades [Mega Gallery with 110 High-Res Photos]