2017 Nissan GT-R Price, Design, Specs, Interior

The GT-R is arguably one of the best cars of the decade or even century. When it was first launched, it offered something most cars didn’t, supercar beating performance at sports car price. Things went well for the GT-R dubbed Godzilla due to its sheer strength, but once it received a few updates it became pricier and no longer made such a great proposal. Suddenly the Vette and even the Camaro had a better bang for the buck.

Well, 2017 is a big year for the GT-R and Nissan. The GT-R has been thoroughly overhauled, the changes made in this year alone are probably twice as big as all the changes brought during the previous years. Without further ado, let’s dig deeper into the details of the 2017 Nissan GT-R that was unveiled at the New York Auto Show.

Design

The first and most immediate change are related to the exterior design. The exterior is a significant departure from the old car. Probably the single biggest update is the V-shaped grille in the front which is now larger as well as differently shaped. This improves the overall airflow and cools the engine more efficiently. The LED lights have been pushed farther to the side of the front fascia and are now a part of the side vents. A new front spoiler makes a debut too, adding downforce which definitely is needed for top speed runs and when you decide to hit the track.
The side of the car is probably the only thing still largely the same. The shape and the roofline of the car follow those of the old one with the exception of the side skirts which have been extended, helping direct airflow. In addition, there’s a vertically positioned vent to both rear quarters. Other than that, it’s still the same GT-R we knew and loved from the profile look.

The back has the same spoiler and deck lid but you’ll find a newer and more aggressive fascia. For starters there are square accents on the lower rear sides, with features inspired by the older GT-R Nismo models. The exhaust tips are the same and so is the rear diffuser but there are new vents which we might add are fully functional. They’re on the outside of the lower bumper, just next to the exhausts and are 100 percent functional and not there just for aesthetic. Overall the car seems more aggressive and has a meaner stance than the older one.

Nissan GT-R Interior

Now this one is really important. The interior. See, besides the criticism that it felt too digital (by people who haven’t driven it) the GT-R’s biggest fault was always actually the interior. It was okay for a medium sized sedan maybe, but definitely not for a large fast sportscar. Some of the plastics were worse than on small hatchbacks, and there were a few rattles and squeaks. Clearly, agenda of this vehicle was to offer insane performances with affordable price tag, so something had to be sacrificed.

Well, the new one addressed that, and boy does it feel upmarket. For starters, the entire dash has been redesigned. The leather used is now high-quality Nappa leather which is hand-selected and really is one of the best materials out there for car use. Weight savings have been achieved with thinner materials throughout the cabin but also lighter seats.

The old display we loved so much in last year’s GT-R is gone and in its place is a new 8-inch capacitive touchscreen. It’s 1 inch bigger in diagonal than the old one and has much faster and upgraded software. One really big thing the screen manages to do is increase ergonomics, in fact it nearly doubles them. Since it’s much better looking and refined, it’s capable of housing more functions leaving just 11 buttons below it for other stuff, down from 27 in the old GT-R.

The shift paddles located on the steering wheel are also new and are said to improve feel and speed greatly. Infotainment comes in the form of a NissanConnect SM, Mobile Apps and lots more. It will also feature smartphone integration, something we’ve been seeing on lower tier vehicles for some time now, so it’s really about time the GT-R received that too.

The instrument cluster itself is now more aggressive, but the door panels have been smoothened out. The vents in the cabin still retain their round shape with a five-spoke appearance. The fact that there are fewer buttons on the center console now has opened the possibility for the addition of the two rectangular vents you can see. We can safely conclude that interior quality and fit and finish should no longer be a reason for criticism of the GT-R.

Engine

As for power, the new GT-R gets 20 more horsepower or 565 hp and 467 lb-ft of torque from the same twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6. Just like the previous car’s engine, this one is handcrafted in Japan too. The increase in power has been mostly found from upping the boost on the turbochargers but also from giving it individual control of the ignition timing for each cylinder.

And just like the previous model, the 2017 Nissan GT-R only comes as an all-wheel drive vehicle. Without a doubt, this all-wheel drive system in combination with launch control system GT-R brings is one of the best ever. The engine is still mated to a dual-clutch six-speed gearbox, but it’s a revised version improving shift times and refinement.

The exhaust system is now made of lightweight titanium and features Active Sound Enhancement. It creates an even better and louder noise when the accelerator pedal is pressed, and since it’s more powerful the car not only sounds great but is noticeably faster above 3200 rpm, and it just pulls and pulls.

Suspension components of the 2017 Nissan GT-R have been either upgraded or completely replaced with new ones. The wheels are brand new; the 20-inch 15 spoke forged aluminum unique and wide. What this all equates to is even more dynamic capabilities. If you thought it was going to hurt you before, wait till you try this new one. A sub 3 second time in the 0-60 mph sprint and a 200+ mph top speed are expected. It might not be revolutionary in terms of performances, but still it should be better over the previous model.

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