Nissan Upgrades the GT-R NISMO and Celebrates With A 50th Anniversary Edition

Nissan introduced three updates for the 2020 Nissan GT-R this evening in New York. 

Nissan GT-R 50th Anniversary Edition

The Special Edition car will come in three two-tone liveries, meant to represent cars from the Japanese GP series which the original GT-R was designed to dominate in. Retired since the GT-R "R34" model, Bayside (Wangan) Blue makes a return, complete with white racing stripes. A four-coat, double-heat treatment process ensures a vivid blue with striking highlights and deep shadows. Blue accents on the wheel spokes are among several fine touches made to celebrate the GT-R's milestone. Pearl White with red stripes and Super Silver with white stripes round out the 50th Anniversary liveries. The inside of the 50th Anniversary car is a special gray interior color scheme meant to give a sense of luxury. 

It's not all stickers and paint. The engine has received upgraded turbo-chargers that provide faster response at low RPM and a 5% increase in efficiency. They are meant to provide a sharper response when accelerating out of corners. A new exhaust note is provided by a new titanium muffler, while the suspension has been re-tuned for better cornering ability and smoother ride. 

A revised 2020 GT-R Track Edition

For those inclined to take their GT-R to a race circuit, Nissan offers the revised and very potent 2020 Track Edition, which comes with an optional carbon fiber roof that sports a clean, tight weave made possible by a new construction process.

The engine (for U.S. models) is borrowed from the famed GT-R NISMO, with newly redesigned turbochargers from the latest GT3 series GT-R race car. This results in a 20% increase in pedal-down acceleration reaction time and 600 horsepower.

Optional on the Track Edition are special Brembo carbon ceramic rotors and calipers. Made of carbon and silica carbide, the rotors – 16.1 inches (410 mm) front and 15.3 inches (390 mm) rear – are nearly as hard as diamonds. Paired with the performance brake pads, they generate more friction, which translates into better feel and control in all types of braking situations.

2020 Nissan GT-R NISMO

Few cars possess the GT-R's driving performance. For the 2020 model, the engineers sought to improve what was essentially already mechanical perfection, "making small tweaks to squeeze out as much as possible from the engine and chassis," according to Tamura.

Nissan's 3.8-liter V6 24-valve twin-turbocharged engine – each handcrafted by its own takumi technician – remains the heart of the GT-R's drivetrain. The GT-R NISMO features an exclusive turbocharger design – direct from the GT-R GT3 race car - with a modified turbine shape and fewer blades. This optimizes the flow rate and enhances the acceleration response by 20%, without a loss of horsepower.

The car's revised 6-speed dual-clutch transmission features a refined "R mode" that not only shifts faster but also optimizes gear selection, especially when exiting corners. This enhances the feeling of acceleration and deceleration on both road and track. The adaptive shift control has also been programmed to adapt shift schedules to the user's driving style. This makes it possible to drive in a law-abiding way on public roads and in a highly spirited fashion on a race track, without manually changing modes (in A mode / R mode).

The car's exhaust note is the product of a revised titanium exhaust with handcrafted burnished blue tips.

When it comes to handling, the 2020 GT-R NISMO has few equals. Its updated suspension tuning improves cornering stability, with enhanced yaw rate response and smoother ride quality. The steering features better linearity and precision than ever, requiring minimal corrections at speeds of up to 186 mph (300 kph).

The absolute performance theme is also fittingly reflected by the addition of a carbon ceramic brake system. The combination of the Brembo carbon ceramic rotors — enlarged to 16.1 inches (410 mm) up front and 15.3 (390 mm) at the rear — and Brembo calipers significantly improve reaction time, durability and overall stopping performance. At the same time, their lightweight nature decreases the unsprung weight on each wheel, allowing the car to trace the intended driving line in a highly precise manner. The carbon and silica carbide structure of the rotors is nearly as hard as diamonds. When paired with the new material of the brake pads, they generate more friction for an enhanced controlled feeling in all types of braking situations. The new materials also help decrease braking footwork by shortening the brake pedal stroke. The newly developed high-rigidity calipers are dipped in bright yellow paint that can resist temperatures of more than 1,832 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius).

"We have built the 2020 GT-R NISMO for our customers to be the ultimate track and street vehicle," Tamura said. "It is about total balance management, not just chasing power figures. The new NISMO has been brought to a new level, with enhanced engine, handling, braking and aerodynamics."