Engineering Explained: 3 Things That Make The Nissan GT-R Nismo So Damn Remarkable

1. A $12,900 titanium exhaust

You’ve read correctly. An optional exhaust only available on the Nismo spec Nissan GT-R will set you back nearly $13,000, though quoted horsepower levels remain the same. So what are you paying for? Reduced weight and a unique sound. Nissan informed me the titanium exhaust is good for about 9kg of weight reduction, further increasing the Nismo’s standard 37kg weight gap (1762kg) versus the Premium GT-R (1799kg).

What’s so special about titanium? Good titanium alloys, such as those Nissan employs (Ti-1Cu), offer distinct benefits in the extreme environment exhaust gases live:

• High strength-to-weight ratio; less material is needed for the job
• Remains strong at very high temperatures
• Resists oxidation at high temperatures
• Good formability at low temperatures for manufacturing
• Good creep resistance; at high temperatures the material resists deformation

Still, as you can imagine, the exhaust gases from a 591bhp 3.8-litre engine can get extraordinarily toasty, so the exhaust has fins welded on to aid in cooling (above).

2. Turbochargers straight out of GT3 racing

Manufacturers love to claim there are relationships between the road-going versions of their cars used in professional motorsport. ‘F1-inspired’ is a common one; linking the car you’re in to the highest form of motorsport to make you feel special. Often, the relationship is without warrant, as the teams develop their machines separately and have no influence on each other’s final product. That’s not the case with the Nismo GT-R.

Indeed, the turbochargers used in the Nismo GT-R are identical to those in its GT3 racing version. These are IHI Spec V twin-turbos, slightly larger than the turbos on the Premium and Black Editions, and they assist in the additional 55bhp and 18lb ft over the standard models.

3. Low drag, high downforce

Here’s where the GT-R Nismo gets a bit mind boggling. You see, there is a fine balance performance cars must make in the aero department between downforce and drag, but Nissan manages to bend the rules. To help the car stick to the ground, they’ve employed a new front bumper, engine undercover, and beautiful dry carbonfibre rear spoiler to increase downforce. The spoiler even has a special coating so that you can feel the weave of the carbon with your hands.

Downforce is up by an additional 100kg (at 185 mph) and the centre of pressure is managed well so that downforce is balanced front to rear. Here’s the catch, the Nismo maintains the same drag coefficient, 0.26, as the standard GT-R. For reference, this is one of the best drag coefficients of production vehicles, competing with eco-cars purely designed for minimal drag which are willing to accept the associated consequences of lift.

Nissan claims they’ve managed to keep the coefficient down by widening the front bumper and elongating the tapered rear bumper. Sure enough, the spec sheets show a slightly wider front track, and a marginally longer overall length. For us keyboard engineers, the 0.26 CD is remarkable.

Performance for a price

At nearly $150,000 (£125,000 in the UK), the GT-R Nismo isn’t exactly the performance bargain it once was, but the $50k price hike does contribute some satisfying modifications. Aside from the treats above, there’s additional adhesive bonding and spot welding for body rigidity, a lightweight re-tuned suspension with increased roll stiffness and higher spring rates, a 17.3 mm rear sway bar, a carbonfibre trunk, and special Recaro seats.

So how does it drive? You can watch me fail to maintain composure in the video below: