2009 Nissan GT-R - Zero tolerance for asshattery

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Source: http://news.windingroad.com/auto-news/caught-2008-nissan-skyline/

Nurburgring shots here: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2448521&postcount=46
Caught - 2008 Nissan Skyline!!

skyline-1.jpg

The enthusiast world has been waiting for the next Nissan Skyline for some time now, particularly American enthusiasts, who are set to get their first factory-sanctioned taste of the performance legend when it makes it into US showrooms for the first time.
Looking very close to the sensational GTR-Proto concept shown back in 2005 at the Tokyo Motor Show, the 2008 Skyline appears to be in its final stages of development, as evidenced by these KGP Photography shots of the car caught testing at the Nürburgring.
While all previous Skylines were sedan-derived, the new model will reportedly gain its own two-door architecture, which bodes well for the car from a performance standpoint.
Prevailing rumors have the car taking on a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-6, itself derived from the engine in the 350Z. Power bogeys put the mill in the range of 450 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of twist. In true Skyline fashion, the car will be all-wheel-drive, with a further evolution of the GT-R’s electronic ATTESA ET-S torque-sensing system, tied into a four-wheel steering system.
All of which should be good for a 0-60 miles-per-hour time of well under 4 seconds, and a top speed somewhere on the ambitious end of 180 mph.
Interested parties might want to start inquiring with their local Nissan dealers now.
(Click through to the jump for more images!)
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This should have an R rating in the thread title because that is just pure sex. That's 100% pornography! Now, where are my tissues?
 
It'll never be able to look as "stealth" as the R32 / R33 which is one thing I praise highly about the Skylines...
 
Filth, pure FILTH!! That car is just STUNNING!! I was very skeptical when the concept car first surfaced. But now, seeing this thing, I'm sold. It looks great, and you can't even really see it. But, the whole feel and shape is just great. Can't wait for better shots.

Hilg
 
Once again I find myself at odds with the majority of GTPers when it comes to automotive styling. :lol:

The lower half of the car looks great (not excellent or mess-in-the-pants-inducing, just great), even though that vent on the front fender looks really out-of-place, and the car is still missing the details that a finished car needs (this looks too concept-ish).

However, that greenhouse is hideous! :yuck: Why on earth did Nissan think a blacked-out A-pillar, a porthole rear side window, and a C-pillar as thick as a tree trunk would look cool?? The whole thing looks like a half-assed convertible hard-top, but of course, it can't actually take the top down to hide its ugliness.

Nissan really needed to cross this concept (which had a fluid body with an ugly, boxish greenhouse) with their 2001 GT-R concept (which had an ugly, boxish body with a fluid greenhouse). That would have looked much better. :indiff:

gtrproto3ou.jpg


Oh well, at least it should still be quite a performer.
 
Dude, look at those awesome twin turbo ducts on the hood.

I'm EXTREMELY pleased at how they changed the C-Pillar and the window in front. I had a huge problem with the acute angle of the glass where it met the pillar, but I just love the new obtuse angle. It gives a better look and better visibility at the same time.
 
Dude, look at those awesome twin turbo ducts on the hood.

I'm EXTREMELY pleased at how they changed the C-Pillar and the window in front. I had a huge problem with the acute angle of the glass where it met the pillar, but I just love the new obtuse angle. It gives a better look and better visibility at the same time.

Care to illustrate these changes? I can't see any difference between the GT-R Proto and these spy photos, so I have no idea what you're on about. :confused:
 
Care to illustrate these changes? I can't see any difference between the GT-R Proto and these spy photos, so I have no idea what you're on about. :confused:

I concur, where do you see these changes Omnis? I've been looking at the GTR Proto pictures for a good 20 minutes and have not seen a difference at any of the pillars.

Damn, I think they should make the front of the car the way it does right now with the camo on it! Look how pissed the car looks from the front with that camo!
 
It looks pretty good. The body looks better than the greenhouse, which resembles a robot, but it's okay. The exhaust tips are quite cartoon-like and a little overkill they're so big. The wheels are ugly as crap. It's a sports car, not a luxury car, so give it some sporting wheels.
 
Bring on the Sports Car Battle: Japan vs. USA vs. Europe
I'm picturing it now the Skyline GT-R, Corvette ZO6, and the 911 Turbo pitted against each other.
 
That is one mean lookin' automobile... :drool: Can't wait to see it sans camo, not to mention hear the final numbers.
 
I'm surprised at how "meh" this car looks to me... I'm definitely not as impressed as others seem to be.

I'm going to agree with you here, it gets a "meh" thus far. That said, it isn't a negative "meh" per-se, but one with cautious optimism. This COULD be an amazing car, but once again I'm waving the "wait and see flag" and putting on my air-raid gear. This car has a HUGE reputation to live up to, and unless Nissan/Renault is pouring money into this program, I'm not expecting the world here.

...Sure, she will be fast, look great, and have the fanboys going nuts around the world...

But consider what exactly this car is going up against:

- Audi R8
- BMW M3
- Chevrolet Corvette (inc Z06)
- Porsche 911 GT3 and Turbo
- TVR Sagaris

...etc...

Thats a tough crowd to come into, and they are going to have to prove that this is a car worth buying. Keep in mind that there are MILLIONS of people around the world that have no idea what a Skyline GT-R is, and thus Nissan will have to work it's magic to make this car seem special.

---

It is still a very "cool" car, and I can't wait to see the specs, performance data, and the first tests of the cars. There will be a battle royale going on here folks, and don't be surprised to see those old "USA vs EU vs JP" battles splatter across the front pages of magazines worldwide once again...

(It all brings me back to the early '90s, don't know about anyone else...)
 
I liked the original GTR Proto concept a number of years ago, but was really let down with the most recent concept, then this which hasn't changed anything that much. I've never really liked the looks of any of the Skylines, so it doesn't really bother me that this one isn't so good looking in my books...
 
I'm not disagreeing with you per se, but...
But consider what exactly this car is going up against:

- Audi R8
- BMW M3
- Chevrolet Corvette (inc Z06)
- Porsche 911 GT3 and Turbo
- TVR Sagaris
The thing is, this was essentially designed with the express written intent on being better than the 911 Turbo. Not the Corvette, not the Sagaris, and not the R8 (In my opinion the M3 isn't quite in that class anyways). This means it has to beat the 911 at it's own game like the old 300ZX and GTR did, which means not only performace wise but also in driving dynamics and overall quality; which is something that none of those cars you listed can possibly do at all.
The Corvette Z06 may be faster than the 911 Turbo, but the Turbo is still a better car. The same applies to the Sagaris. The R8 will probably be a better car inside, but it's driving dynamics will probably be lacking. This needs to be better than the 911 at everything, which is precisely what Nissan wants it to do.

Now the fact that this means that it has a lot to lead up to is rather misleading, because Nissan all-but said it was going directly against the 911 Turbo; which was quite the opposite of what the R32-R43 GTR's were made to do. They were designed to take on the Carrera 4 in all aspects, and it was assumed (wrongly) that they were capable of besting the 911 Turbo as well.
Keep in mind that besting the 911 Turbo is not going to be easy at all, despite Nissan doing it before with two different cars, as this 911 is far better than the 964 could even dream of being. In addition, Nissan doesn't have a tag-team this time, so its anyone's guess.
YSSMAN
(It all brings me back to the early '90s, don't know about anyone else...)
Nothing can replace the early 90's, as that lovely period was essentially the world vs. itself in sports cars. Even Renault got into it pretty successfully.
 
Well they certainly left the "direction" that the R32, R33, and R34 represented... This new "R35" more 350Z and G35 Sport Coupe like in porportions. Not a bad thing, but very "un-Skyline" in looks.

...But even then, the G35 (Skyline) became a bit more curvy this year, and that is indeed a good thing!
 
Care to illustrate these changes? I can't see any difference between the GT-R Proto and these spy photos, so I have no idea what you're on about. :confused:

Bah, I was talking about the older concept, not the Proto. They did thicken the B-pillar some, though, which I like, and then narrowed the window between the b and c pillar some.
 
But consider what exactly this car is going up against:

- Audi R8
- BMW M3
- Chevrolet Corvette (inc Z06)
- Porsche 911 GT3 and Turbo
- TVR Sagaris
You forgot the V8 Vantage.

The Sagaris is a different kind of car, and I doubt they will be compared often if at all. The R8 is unproven, and will probably be overpriced (like the AM V8). The Corvette was dynamically inferior to the GTR in the 90s, and while Corvette has improved, I dont expect this to change. The new M3 is possibly the only car ever to have higher expectations than this Nissan, and if it hits it, it will be great. The 911 is the target, unlikely to be beaten.

I believe this segment is weaker than the one above, F430, Gallardo, and soon Esprit and later NSX. Toyota's LF-A is doomed to fail. (Not saying they will, just looks tough)

Edit: God im slow, Toronado put it well, better than my half drunk ass could. Good post.
 
^ While I think you have a good point, I think you are underestimating the competition at the same time. The R8 is unproven, I'll give you that, and the same can be said of the M3. The 911 and the Corvette, as it seems to be worldwide, will be the thorns in the side of this car no matter where you are. They obviously represents the polar-opposites of sports car theories worldwide, and unfortunately for the Nissan, it sits between the two, and will get caught in the crossfire.

This will all depend greatly on how Nissan decides to place the car performance wise. Will they have the balls to chase after the 911 Turbo? Will they push-forward and attempt to kill-off the F430 and Gallardo? Or they could surprise us all and produce an amazing performance car in the price-range of the Z06 and SRT-10, and that indeed would be something to cause a "shift_" (ha ha) in the sports car segment.
 
This will all depend greatly on how Nissan decides to place the car performance wise. Will they have the balls to chase after the 911 Turbo? Will they push-forward and attempt to kill-off the F430 and Gallardo?
In my opinion, the performance range the Gallardo and F430 sit in is the very same the Z06 and 911 Turbo sit in. And I very much think that Nissan will try to personally take out the 911 Turbo in every category, which essentially means that it takes everything else out in that category.
 
The R8 is unproven, I'll give you that, and the same can be said of the M3.
The M3 sure has a lot more positive signs than the R8. The M3 has a previous generation (that was a great car), looking at the transformation of the previous M5 into the current M5 and a "sneek peek" with the 335i. The R8 is much more of a "?". The engine and the Gallardo-derivement are our only evaluation points. While both are good, neither blow us away, and it remains to be seen how they are implemented.
*I also get a feeling that this will just be a grand-TT, not something to look forward to, though I hope my feeling is way off.

I also have to point out that the 911 turbo is not the dynamic car that other 911s are and is a little bit vulnerable. It has been critisized for not being the fun drivers car that other 911s and past Turbos are. If the GTR addresses this issue, it could be a great success.
 
Before we get into any typical Gran Turismo slandering of this car, let me just say that it looks pretty wicked. My only concern about the car was its roofline. I think the primary angle of the roofline should be changed so that it doesn't look like something's pulling down the roofline from the rear. Other than that, the rest of the car is pretty sweet.

If they change up the roofline to something better and stylish, I'll give it 95% approval. But I'll give it 90% approval.
 
I like the car and while I agree that the concept front doesn't look that much like a Skyline GTR, I nevertheless like it and I also think, that all those Japanese tuners will conme up with bodykits and front bumpers, different lights to make it look like a true R34 successor..... I mean the first picture with the taped front shows the "potential"... with a little bit of imagination you can think of a R34ish front under the black parts. And from behind it is a true Skyline GT-R imo, although no Skyline anymore, I know I know ;)
 
Wow, I was extra skeptical of the car from concept drawing's/models but I was pleasantly suprised when I saw those photo's. 👍
 
I like the style in the sense that it's quite different but I agree it does look awkward, bit too much of a mix of styles. In terms of performance I'm sure it will be great, but it may be too expensive.

I have to point out as well though that this car is not a Skyline.
 
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