Nissan GT-R: technical design specification

When the Nissan GT-R first hit our streets it really changed the way we looked at high performance sports cars.  Here is one of the first publicly released technical documents on the Nissan GT-R

Like previous versions of the legendary race-winning GT-R, the latest model is a showcase for Nissan’s engineering talents. Features include an advanced full-time four-wheel drive system that improves traction and cornering power. This four-wheel drive system uses an independent transaxle 4WD (a world first) for greater agility. There is a brand new 480 PS (353 kW) V6 twin-turbo engine that combines power with an ultra-low emission exhaust and the best fuel economy in its sector. The lightweight body, which uses a new package (Nissan’s ‘Premium Midship’), features diecast aluminum, carbon fibre and advanced steel and has a class-leading aerodynamic Cd of just 0.27. There’s a new dual- clutch paddle shift transmission that offers exceptionally fast the gear shifts and the facility to drive in full automatic mode, improving ease of driving.

Technology highlights include

• An independent transaxle and advanced four-wheel drive system that continuously adjusts torque front-to-rear (and vice versa) depending on dynamic needs
• New six-speed paddle shift dual-clutch gearbox featuring the exceedingly quick gearshift plus full automatic function for ease-of-driving
• New high-efficient 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 engine, mating great horsepower (480 PS / 353 kW), a wide torque spread (maximum torque 60gm / 588 Nm), good fuel economy and low emissions (ULEV in Japanese regulation). New technology includes plasma coating bores to improve cooling efficiency and boost both power and economy
• Aerodynamic body of just 0.27 Cd – so it’s one of the world’s slickest cars. This is specially unusual on a supercar that offers high downforce front and rear
• New body using lightweight steel, carbonfiber and diecast aluminum construction
• Brembo drilled ventilated disc brakes and Brembo opposed monoblock calipers that offer immense stopping power
• Dampers, gear shift and VDC-R are all manually adjustable, by simple switches on the dashboard, offering maximum comfort with ease of driving, or maximum performance
• Multi-functional instrument display, designed by the people who did the graphics of the Sony PlayStation Gran Turismo game
• A g-force meter in the instrument display showing both lateral and transverse forces
  

 Engine

Nissan’s VR38DETT is a brand new engine specially developed for the Nissan GT-R and not a development of the existing V-engine used in other Nissan vehicles. The 3.8-litre unit uses twin IHI turbochargers. Its maximum power is 480 PS (353 kW) at 6400rpm. This makes the Nissan GT-R one of the world’s most powerful road cars and the most powerful production car ever built by Nissan.
The engine’s very tractable and that means it’s very easy to drive.  Maximum torque of 60kg/m (588 Nm) is delivered from 3200-5200rpm.

It is also a very efficient engine, reducing emissions and fuel consumption. The engine’s high environmental standard is partly due to the innovative plasma-coating bores, which improves cooling, boosting fuel efficiency and power. The plasma sprayed cylinder liner bores are just 0.15mm thick, compared with conventional cast iron liners of 2.6mm. Not only are they much better at dissipating heat, improving efficiency, they’re also lighter – saving about 3 kg in a V6 engine.

In addition, the fully independent intake and exhaust systems produce a higher output and a faster response. These fully symmetrical intake and exhaust systems increase air intake and reduce exhaust resistance, producing a smooth and fast gas flow.

Transmission

The Nissan GT-R uses an all-new GR6-type transmission, exclusively developed for the car. The paddle shift six-speed twin clutch gearbox is highly efficient – unlike an automatic transmission with conventional torque converter, there is minimum power loss.

In M range (for manual transmission mode), the paddle shift gives exceedingly quick changes. Such quick gear changing maintains the turbo boost, so acceleration is one strong powerful seamless burst.

The twin clutches make a significant contribution to shift speed. There are separate clutches for the odd (1,3,5) and even (2,4,6) gears. When the car is running in an odd number gear, the adjacent even numbered gears are pre-selected and are ready to make the shift immediately in the sequential-shifting gearbox. When downshifting, a synchronized rev control ‘blips’ the throttle precisely to synchronize engine speed for extra-fast downshifts.

When R range is chosen on the set-up switch, a computerized control predicts the driver’s next gear change, based on throttle opening, vehicle speed, braking and other information.

In A (for automatic transmission) range, the car changes gear automatically, in the most fuel efficient manner. Higher gears are used whenever possible. The car can be driven in sixth gear for long periods at low speeds, and still offers good throttle response.

The E-TS electronic traction control and rear final drive with limited slip differential (for better power delivery) are both integrated into the compact, light rear transaxle. By placing the input/output shafts diagonally, the transmission is flat and the car’s centre of gravity can be lowered.

Suspension

The Nissan GT-R has a ‘Premium Mid-ship’ platform package, and takes advantage of the load balance of all four wheels.  A set-up switch allows the driver to access three different suspension modes: R, Sports and Comfort. The set-up switch electronically changes the settings on the Bilstein Damp Tronic dampers, specially developed for the Nissan GT-R.

In R mode, the Bilsteins ensure flat, hard cornering for high-speed and maximum feedback. In the other two modes – Sport and Comfort – the dampers are electronically controlled to produce the best possible handling/ride balance. Special sensors measure eleven vehicle elements including vehicle speed, lateral acceleration speed, steering angle speed, demand torque, estimate torque, engine rpm, brake oil pressure, normal acceleration (front and rear), ABS anti-lock braking behaviour and vehicle stop information.

Brakes

The Nissan GT-R has front and rear Brembo fully ventilated drilled steel 380mm disc brakes.  The full floating rotors stabilise braking while also preventing heat distortion. The inner parts of the rotors have diamond-shaped ventilated ribs, to ease cooling, while the rotors are also cross drilled to run as cool as possible.   Brembo monoblock six-piston callipers are used in front and rear are four piston type.

Four-wheel drive

The new Nissan GT-R uses the all-wheel drive (ATTESA E-TS) optimally distributes power to the front wheels when and if necessary. Though naturally rear-drive biased, up to 50 percent of torque can be fed forwards.

Special computerised control automatically alters the front/rear torque split from zero torque at the front wheels, to 50 percent of total torque. The control is varied continuously, as various sensors on the car measure speed, lateral and transverse acceleration, steering angles, tire slip and other road surface and yaw rate.

On the new Nissan GT-R an additional sensor is the yaw-rate feedback control, which measures the difference between the target yaw rate calculated from the steering angle, the actual yaw rate detected by the yaw-rate sensor and G sensor. Front and rear torque is automatically corrected accordingly.

The four-wheel drive system includes a Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC-R), the Nissan GT-R’s electronic stability control system. This continually monitors the vehicle’s behaviour. If off balance behaviour is detected – such as sliding or skidding – torque to the wheels will be altered to help stabilise the car. Electronic traction control is also fitted to rear mechanical limited slip differentials, preventing wheelspin and improving grip.

To further enhance vehicle stability control, the Nissan GT-R has adopted four additional brake fluid pressure sensors in each wheels. And for enhancing the driving performance by utilizing 4WD control effectively, set the mode selectable function to change the mode of VDC-R. The mode can be selectable by set-up switch located at the centre console.