Car of the Week | Volvo V40 T5 R-Design '13

[Vic Reign93]

So only I posted a time this week for the M3 E46 at BMB, let’s just skip that and jump to the new candidate for this week.

Courtesy of our good buddy @Nismonath5 for this weeks pick, We’ll all be driving…

The 1995 Nismo 400R!!!

Yes I know, Nismo picked a Nismo as his pick, Shocker.

But considering Nismo recently had its 40th Anniversary Party, it’s also perfectly fitting too. 👍

The R33 Skyline GT-R is often overshadowed by its predecessor in the R32 and its successor in the R34, while they both also got the Nismo treatment in their lifespans, it was the R33’s version that ended up being the holy grail by comparison.

Nismo took a standard R33 Skyline, threw pretty much everything away including the RB26 2.6 Inline 6 and dropped in the RB-X-GT, a 2.8 Inline 6 that was derived from Nissan’s Le Mans efforts with the LMGT1 & GT2 class Skylines.

It also had (Deep Breath), Higher Lift Camshafts, upgraded Exhaust Manifolds, stronger Crankshaft, N1 Spec Turbo’s, Larger Intercooler, Upgraded oil system, Raised RPM Limit(Reportedly 9000rpm), 87MM Forged Pistons, Carbon Fibre Driveshaft, Titanium Strut Braces, Forged Three Piece Wheels, Carbon Bonnet & Adjustable Carbon Rear Wing, 50MM Wider Track, 30MM lower ride hight and Stiffer Springs & Bilstein Dampers.

Only bloody missing the kitchen sink eh guys?

All that took the 400R up to as nears as makes no difference, 400hp.

Only 44 400R’s were built, 40 are reportedly still around and rarely come up for sale, so if one does pop up, you can be assured it’ll cost ya a pretty penny to get your hands on it. 🤑

One of those 400R’s however, is even more of a unicorn, because one of these cars was originally a Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R LM Edition that was then converted into a Nismo 400R and being officially dubbed, The Nismo 400R LM, a true One of One Holy Grail.

So as sought after JDM’s go, this is in the upper echelons of that pricey club.

No special challenge this week, But given its Nismo’s 40th Anniversary, feel free to improvise and pay tribute to Nismo in your own personal way. 👍

All lobby details & rules are as per usual in the first post.

 

[Alex p.]

Managed a 07.29.829 around the Nords. Yes, it was that important to me to get it into the 20's.



YT review: "Returning from originally GT2, this is a VERY welcome addition imo. Looks pretty damned cool, and with its 400hp (mind you in the 90s that was A LOT), it also packs a punch! Pretty nice to drive as well, also thx to its AWD. Features a nice engine sound as well I think."

1km drag race and Tsukuba battles:

 

[SomePlayaDude]

 

[SomePlayaDude]

I mean screw Bathurst and all, but what happened in my latest climb in the dreaded mountain might be my greatest triumph with the Z8: surviving Bathurst without incident, including this close call by the Dipper.


It's coming, okay. Here:

Spoiler: quick snapshots

 

[XSquareStickIt]

Kaz when an LCD GT-R is nominated for COTW:

Kaz when I nominate a 901 Carrera that was last available in July:

Spoiler: Obscene GIF

 

[MidnightRun85]

Slightly off topic, but has anyone max-tuned the 400R? Interested in knowing how much power that peach of an engine can make when I throw every credit possible at it...

 

[Nismonath5]

Slightly off topic, but has anyone max-tuned the 400R? Interested in knowing how much power that peach of an engine can make when I throw every credit possible at it...

Maxed out, it'll have 980bhp.

Dunno how much the engine swap option makes, if you wanted to go down that route.

 

[MidnightRun85]

Maxed out, it'll have 980bhp.

Dunno how much the engine swap option makes, if you wanted to go down that route.

I completely forgot there was an engine swap available for it as well! Might have to buy another... 😈

 

[Vic Reign93]

Maxed out, it'll have 980bhp.

Dunno how much the engine swap option makes, if you wanted to go down that route.

Well from the Engine Swap Thread, it’s the Nissan GTR Nismo’s 3.8 V6, that makes just over 1040hp fully built. 👍

 

[Skyrocket44]

All rise for the national anthem of Japan.

Could you believe that we've never seen Dori-Dori review this car? How can he not - but after scouring the internet, I could not find a single Hot Version episode that features the 400R. Think about that for a minute. LOL DISREGARD THAT

If it's any consolation, I did find out that this car competed at Pikes Peak in 1998. If you don't have twelve minutes to spare, I don't care, watch it.

 

[XSquareStickIt]

I could not find a single Hot Version episode that features the 400R.

Not Hot Version, but here's a Best Motoring episode featuring the 400R. Tsuchiya–san wrestles an F40 in a Tsukuba shootout against the 400R! 400R feature starts at 36:10, battle starts at 41:41.

​

Also, holy cow I had no idea the 400R ran up Pikes Peak! Thank you for sharing that!

 

[Vic Reign93]

Great to see the Nismo 400R getting some love and seeing some of its history being showcased.

I just wish that love didn’t get tainted by a certain incident over the weekend.

Without going into too much detail, a incident occurred during one of the races which led to some heated back & forth between a few drivers, measures were forced to be taken and I hope to 🤬 I don’t have to ever do it again, because I took no pride in dropping the hammer on folks, especially ones i’ve known for quite along time.

I just hope going forward, we can be more calm & collected if such an incident occurs again, because when we race hard & close mistakes can happen, sometimes lag is involved & sometimes an honest mistake occurs, it’s just the nature of online close racing.

If you honestly screw up, own up to it early, no one will think less of you if you do.

Hell I’ve screwed up on multiple occasions and i’m considered the Alien for COTW for pete’s sake.

So Please, in the future use your damn heads, talk things out like adults. 👍

Now on to a more positive note..

This weeks pick was our reserve pick set by @XSquareStickIt and it happens to be…

The 2013 Volvo V40 T5 R-Design!!!

The modern one of the two current Volvo’s is our steed for this week.

Normally the top spec T5 R-Design of this year packs a 254hp, 2.5 litre Inline 5 Turbo, but the one we’ve got is a Japanese spec T5, which has a 210hp, 2.0 litre Inline 5 Turbo.

Both send the power to the front tyres via a 6 speed auto and weighs 1540kgs, though considering its 5* safety rating at the time, its heft is understandable.

Hopefully our cars won’t need an impromptu crash test this week.

As for the Single Player Challenge this week, we head to Catalunya National for some alternative route racing, as you’ll use the unused track just after Campsa and the longer layout at La Caxia instead of the normal track.

This track map should help show which two sections I mean.

Whenever if it’s a Time Trial or racing the Ai, that’s entirely your choice. 👍

All the lobby details are as usual in the first post, BUT for this weeks Wednesday lobby, I’m unable to host due to being on holiday so Square or RX8 Racer will be on hosting duties for this week. 🙂