4 Cool New Things On The 2017 Nissan GT-R Nismo

A new face

Like the regular 2017 GT-R, the Nismo gets a reshaped front grille. It’s larger, giving it a bigger appetite for air, while the upper section gains Nissan’s new ‘V-motion’ piece. The carbonfibre bumper also gets a pair of downforce-generating canard pieces. Not a huge amount of changes, but enough to freshen up the Nismo’s looks while improving airflow and reducing lift.

Retuned suspension

Because the standard GT-R now has a stiffer, reinforced body, the Nismo version is able to really reap the benefits. The increase in rigidity meant Nismo’s boffins could retune the car’s shock absorbers, the springs and anti-roll bars to make the handling better than ever.

To quantify the improvements, Nissan keenly points out that the 2017 car completes its benchmark slalom test two per cent faster than the old version. Not something you’re likely to notice, but it’s a nice geeky pub boast…

An Arnold Schwarzenegger-spec bonnet

As well as the new carbon canards, Nismo has also added downforce by making the bonnet really flipping strong. This means at high speeds it doesn’t deform, retaining its aerodynamic shape no matter how hard you’re charging down the back straight of your favourite track, or bombing down a local airstrip.

A simplified interior

Don’t like button-fest dashboards? You’re in luck here. The Nismo’s been given the boggo GT-R’s cleaner dashboard, with the switch count reduced from 27 to 11 on the centre console. The steering wheel’s new too, and you still get a pair of leather-clad carbonfibre seats in the front, which something you won’t find in the regular GT-R.

Anything else?

Well, no actually - but the GT-R Nismo wasn’t exactly crying out for masses of changes. The 3.8-litre V6 with its two GT3-derived turbos remains unaltered, giving you 592bhp and 481lb ft of torque to play with. It’s still a bit of a porker too, as the 1720kg kerb weight hasn’t been reduced.

What do you think of the Nismo’s refresh? Let us know in the comments!