2009 Nissan GT-R - Zero tolerance for asshattery

[Tornado]

Doesn't the Z06 do 11s, and for that one guy who had perfect conditions that time, with stock tyres and everything, a 10.9 or something? Obviously those guys didn't have roll cages.

Which is why you don't see a lot of stock Corvettes on the drag circuit.
Rotary Junkie is not making this up: NHRA rules require a 6 point roll cage in any car capable of a quarter mile time of under 11.5 seconds. Which means tossing the rear seats and interior bits. You will not be able to race the car in any officially sanctioned drag race in the country unless you sandbag it every time you run it.

 

[mustangGT90210]

Which is why you don't see a lot of stock Corvettes on the drag circuit.
Rotary Junkie is not making this up: NHRA rules require a 6 point roll cage in any car capable of a quarter mile time of under 11.5 seconds. Which means tossing the rear seats and interior bits. You will not be able to race the car in any officially sanctioned drag race in the country unless you sandbag it every time you run it.

Thank you for that! I'll remember it.

11.6 is as good as I think I'll ever go on a car if I have money constraints now.

 

[YSSMAN]

Doesn't the Z06 do 11s, and for that one guy who had perfect conditions that time, with stock tyres and everything, a 10.9 or something? Obviously those guys didn't have roll cages.

Yes. I've seen averages between 11.5-11.7 with good drivers and destroyed clutches (afterwords). Its not easy in the Corvette, but it can be done. Certainly, in the GT-R you just have to flip a few switches. But where is the fun in that?

The problem with the Corvette (and most FR cars in this performance class) is that they're starting to have major difficulties getting the power to the ground. That, I assume, is why we're starting to see 0-60 times level off around the 3.3-3.5 second range, and quarter mile times essentially stopping in the 11.5-11.7 range.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Yes. I've seen averages between 11.5-11.7 with good drivers and destroyed clutches (afterwords). Its not easy in the Corvette, but it can be done. Certainly, in the GT-R you just have to flip a few switches. But where is the fun in that?

The problem with the Corvette (and most FR cars in this performance class) is that they're starting to have major difficulties getting the power to the ground. That, I assume, is why we're starting to see 0-60 times level off around the 3.3-3.5 second range, and quarter mile times essentially stopping in the 11.5-11.7 range.

It's a shame, I know. I'd much rather be in a RWD car, but with these power levels automakers need to get serious about downforce, and tyres, if they want to put that power down better.

 

[niky]

Downforce doesn't help launches. Tires do... but to an extent... there's a fine balance in tuning the suspension, too, when weighing off-the-line traction against handling. Of course, taming a squiggly rear end going down the strip is all part of the fun.

Too much power is too much power. That's why the Veyron is better than people think it'll be... simply because at these power levels, traction difficulties make it hard for lighter cars with big power to get a good launch.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Downforce doesn't help launches. Tires do... but to an extent... there's a fine balance in tuning the suspension, too, when weighing off-the-line traction against handling. Of course, taming a squiggly rear end going down the strip is all part of the fun.

Too much power is too much power. That's why the Veyron is better than people think it'll be... simply because at these power levels, traction difficulties make it hard for lighter cars with big power to get a good launch.

Of course downforce doesn't help with off the line traction (no air is moving over it when it's not moving 💡 ), but when going through a turn downforce can help hold the car on the road so you can put the power down earlier.

 

[Leonidae]

tell that to GM.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

tell that to GM.

I would if I could. As has been brought up already (in this thread I believe just the other day), downforce also means drag, which means worse fuel economy. Hopefully the C7 Corvette changes things..........

 

[Omnis]

Is the GT-R for sale in the US yet? There's a white one in the showroom at Maroone Nissan in Fort Lauderdale, but I don't know if it's grey market.

 

[Keef]

That said, even THEN it's not legal to be run at any drag strip in the US. 11s means a 6-point rollbar minimum, 10s means an 8-point, and 9s means a full 'cage.

Bah! Thirteens or faster and you need a helmet around here, lol. Even if the driver would get thrown out, he could just make sure everyone is looking and hope for good launch traction. He only needs one run to prove his point...

 

[YSSMAN]

Is the GT-R for sale in the US yet? There's a white one in the showroom at Maroone Nissan in Fort Lauderdale, but I don't know if it's grey market.

I don't know, to be honest. Fox Nissan is supposed to get two of them here in Grand Rapids, the one was already spoken for by the owner (one of the DeVos boys... Amway, yadda yadda yadda), the other I believe was going for $20K over sticker. I haven't called up to Gezon to see what they say, but I'm guessing they should be on sale any time now.

 

[Jay]

Is the GT-R for sale in the US yet? There's a white one in the showroom at Maroone Nissan in Fort Lauderdale, but I don't know if it's grey market.

Yes they are in the country (USA), and there has been a couple of reports of customers picking them up.


Here is a picture of some just arriving off the boat in Hawaii

 

[Leonidae]

Nismo goodies are on their way!

*click* tested and proved worthy on 24 hour race.👍

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Nismo goodies are on their way!

*click* tested and proved worthy on 24 hour race.👍

Wow, the older NISMOs in that picture in the article look so much better. There was always going to be a NISMO version, just like there is always going to be an HSV version of the Commodore, so long as Commodore is around.

 

[Leonidae]

Indeed.. if regular R35 is already giving the big boys run for their money, imagine what S-Tune, R-Tune or even Z-tune will do..

 

[McLaren]

Indeed.. if regular R35 is already giving the big boys run for their money, imagine what S-Tune, R-Tune or even Z-tune will do..

Against what? Other owners? Because the other manufacturers of the world won't care.

Nissan guys tried once before to show what a Z-Tune could do to other cars until the opponents pointed out the Z-Tune isn't a production car.

 

[niky]

A production car, is, by definition, any number of identically specc'ed cars built on a production line and offered for sale. Doesn't matter if they're based on an old chassis, if they're handbuilt or if they're not mass produced. As long as they're identical and built on the same line, they're production. (Of course, that brings us to the question... if every Zonda is custom-specced and custom-fit to its owner (a trend that many high-end manufacturers now follow)... is that production?

Unfortunately, total sales of the Z-Tune (apparently, just 19) don't qualify it in FIA events (minimum of 25) as a production sportscar... but that's a technicality. Homologation numbers change with the time and tide.

And any further edition of the GTR, as long as it comes that way from the Nissan factory, will be a production car, like it or not.

 

[McLaren]

A production car, is, by definition, any number of identically specc'ed cars built on a production line and offered for sale. Doesn't matter if they're based on an old chassis, if they're handbuilt or if they're not mass produced. As long as they're identical and built on the same line, they're production. (Of course, that brings us to the question... if every Zonda is custom-specced and custom-fit to its owner (a trend that many high-end manufacturers now follow)... is that production?

Unfortunately, total sales of the Z-Tune (apparently, just 19) don't qualify it in FIA events (minimum of 25) as a production sportscar... but that's a technicality. Homologation numbers change with the time and tide.

And any further edition of the GTR, as long as it comes that way from the Nissan factory, will be a production car, like it or not.

The Z-Tunes though, aren't the same kind of "production". Z-Tunes are nothing more than modified R34 GT-Rs that had been around for months before hand. I doubt there was even an assembly line when the Z-Tunes were being built.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Er, did you ignore niky's entire first paragraph?

 

[McLaren]

Er, did you ignore niky's entire first paragraph?

No, I didn't. However, Z-Tunes were most likely not built on a production line, and aren't the same kind "production" cars as most people think of.

A Skyline GT-R R34 is a production car, produced by Nissan. A Z-Tune is nothing more than a modified Nissan GT-R R34 that has already been produced, and is nothing more than a modified production car. I don't consider modified cars production cars in the same sense as a car that comes straight off Nissan, Ferrari, or Chevrolet's assembly line,

 

[Rotary Junkie]

No, I didn't. However, Z-Tunes were most likely not built on a production line, and aren't the same kind "production" cars as most people think of.

A Skyline GT-R R34 is a production car, produced by Nissan. A Z-Tune is nothing more than a modified Nissan GT-R R34 that has already been produced, and is nothing more than a modified production car. I don't consider modified cars production cars in the same sense as a car that comes straight off Nissan, Ferrari, or Chevrolet's assembly line,

RUFs are considered production by the German government despite being redone Porsches for the most part.

If multiple cars are modified in the same exact manner by the same company, they can rightfully be called production.

 

[YSSMAN]

Brad points towards what Saleen has done with the Mustang...

But, I understand where Rick is coming from. The Z-Tunes (as I understand it) were built using leftover R34s, making them more of a special "after thought" than this massively well thought out plan for world domination.

 

[Jay]

. The Z-Tunes (as I understand it) were built using leftover R34s, making them more of a special "after thought" than this massively well thought out plan for world domination.

They were hand chosen low kilometer Re-purchased R34 Skyline GTR's that were striped back to bare shell and hand rebuilt full of Nismo parts (including lots of Carbon fibre replacent panels) and specs to celebrate the Nismo anniversary. Whatever the case in my eyes it was a hand built Nismo production car with a 20 car run.

 

[YSSMAN]

I'm personally indifferent to the whole thing as to whether or not they aren't, but I suppose to some extent they come off as after-thoughts to me. But meh, take it as you see it.

I'm not overly excited for the S-Tune GT-R, but it will be interesting to see what they can squeeze out of it.

 

[Omnis]

Lol, random thought for today: What are the odds of a redneck buying a GT-R and then getting a vanity plate that says GT-R-DONE.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Lol, random thought for today: What are the odds of a redneck buying a GT-R and then getting a vanity plate that says GT-R-DONE.

I would so do that. Sorry, I would.

Now I need a license and 80k or so.

 

[-Fred-]

Lol, random thought for today: What are the odds of a redneck buying a GT-R and then getting a vanity plate that says GT-R-DONE.

/Thread.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Brad points towards what Saleen has done with the Mustang...

But, I understand where Rick is coming from. The Z-Tunes (as I understand it) were built using leftover R34s, making them more of a special "after thought" than this massively well thought out plan for world domination.

Paul points towards the Lingenfelter Corvette, a car capable of beating a Hayabusa bike. If this is the definition of production, then Lingenfelter produces factory Corvettes with 1000hp, Walkinshaw Performance produce E-Series HSVs with over 500hp. (And an Astra which handles really well). Unless NISMO is counted as a car manufacturer, and not an aftermarket tuner, then how can it be considered a production car? (No, really, I have no idea, what is NISMO?)

 

[Leonidae]

Nismo is in similar status as AMG, Quattro Gmbh, M-sport etc etc.

 

[McLaren]

RUFs are considered production by the German government despite being redone Porsches for the most part.

If multiple cars are modified in the same exact manner by the same company, they can rightfully be called production.

Not the same. Ruf doesn't build their cars from Porsches that already left the factory in final form. They build their cars using unmarked Porsche chassis', something Nismo couldn't have done with Z-Tunes due to the GT-Rs already having a VIN.