Nissan GT-R Undergoes Most Significant Change Since Its Introduction

The Nissan GT-R has undergone its most significant change since it was originally introduced in 2007.

Making its debut at the 2016 New York Auto Show, the 2017 Nissan GT-R gets a fresh new look inside and out along with major driving performance enhancements and key features. The exterior of the Japanese automaker’s flagship sports car gets a thorough makeover. As expect, there’s a new “V-Motion” grille up front that has also been slightly enlarged to provide better engine cooling. The front grille also now has a matte chrome finish to go along with its updated mesh pattern.

Get the Flash Player to see this player.

The facelift continues with a new hood, while the front bumper gets a freshly designed front lip spoiler and finishers found immediately below the headlights. Nissan also gave the GT-R new side sills to direct air flow around the vehicle while the rear has received new bodywork with functional side air vents next to the quad exhaust tips. Helping make the car look wider and more aggressive, the beltline between the lower black section and the body panel has also been heightened. All said and done, the 2017 Nissan GT-R has a drag coefficient of 0.26.

SEE ALSO: 2016 New York Auto Show Coverage

Heading into the redesigned cabin, you are greeted by a premium interior with an entirely new dash featuring an instrument panel wrapped in a single, seamless piece of Nappa leather. The shape of the dash now adopts a “horizontal flow” to give a sense of high stability for front-seat occupants. The center dash layout has also been fine tuned to be more simplified with the integrated navigation and audio controls reduced from 27 switches to just 11. An eight-inch touchscreen monitor replaces the outgoing seven-inch version.

Under the hood remains a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine now delivering 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque, representing an increase of 20 ponies and 4 lb-ft of torque. It now even corners better thanks to a more rigid body structure and new suspension. On all four corners are new 20-inch, 15-spoke forged aluminum wheels.

The 2017 Nissan GT-R will head to dealerships this summer and pricing will be announced at a later date.

ALSO SEE: Here’s Why Nissan Had the Best Booth at the New York Auto Show

“As the icon of Nissan’s driving performance, the GT-R continues to evolve. With the signature V-motion grille, the GT-R now possesses the latest Nissan design language. Its exceptional aerodynamic performance and upgraded interior have given the GT-R a more mature character, which will continue into the future,” said Mamoru Aoki, executive design director, Global Design Center, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Discuss this story on our Nissan GT-R Forum