New Car: 2010 Nissan GT-R Spec-V

Before the 2009 Nissan GT-R ever hit the streets, fans of the Japanese supercar were already salivating over the possibility of an even-higher-performance Spec-V model. Rumors have flown and spy shots have been captured, and now, the 2009 Nissan GT-R Spec-V has finally been officialy unveiled, but alas, for the Japanese market only.

Nissan hasn’t said what kind of performance we can expect from this limited-production model, but there are some clues. To become the Spec-V, the GT-R had to go on a diet, something we felt the 3891-lb car definitely needed to do. A generous helping of carbon-fiber and other lightweight materials have found their way on to the Spec-V, though Nissan has yet to say just how much weight was saved. On the outside, those parts will manifest themselves in the form of a carbon-fiber grille, rear spoiler and brake ducts, along with forged aluminum wheels. Inside, Nissan has ditched the rear seats and swapped out the front seats for carbon-fiber buckets from Recaro. Some carbon-fiber trim has also been thrown in for good measure. Also missing are the two speakers normally found in the center console between the rear seats.

Unless more details are forthcoming, it would appear that Nissan’s primary strategy for turning a regular GT-R into a GT-R Spec-V was the aforementioned diet. Under the hood, the only noted differences are a “high gear boost control device” and a titanium-coated exhaust system. The new boost controller will allow the twin turbochargers to momentarily increase their output for more torque at medium- to high-speeds. Aside from providing a “more powerful feeling of acceleration,” Nissan says this will allow the engine to run at lower RPMs, increasing fuel efficiency.
Keeping this newfound performance under control is an “exclusive” suspension featuring Bilstein shocks, high-grip Bridgestone Potenza tires and carbon-ceramic binders that will likely be even more effective now thanks to the weight loss. While we don’t know what kind of performance the Spec-V is capable of yet, it’s safe to say that it will best the stock GT-R. Will it beat the stocker’s 3.3-second 0 to 60 time, its 11.2-second quarter-mile time and 102-foot stopping distance? We don’t know yet, and we may not know for some time.

The GT-R Spec-V will go on sale February 2 at seven select Nissan dealers in Japan. Those dealers each have mechanics who are specially trained to work on the Spec-V and who are knowledgeable about racing and race driving. No mention of a U.S. model has been made yet, so we can only hope that the Spec-V will someday see our shores. Every Spec-V will come in Ultimate Black Opal and will retail for 15,750,000 yen with tax (US$170,283.47 at the current exchange rate, nearly $100,000 more than the stock GT-R).