There’s a new tuning company opening up shop in Japan and it’s looking to grab some immediate headlines with it’s version of the Nissan GT-R, sporting some of the most radical styling we have seen yet on the Japanese supercar. The company, which goes by the name Bensopra, is set to debut the new race car inspired machine at the Tokyo Auto Salon in January.

The renderings of the GT-R are what Bensopra hopes to achieve as the final product, packed with race-inspired graphics and potentially hitting the track to prove that it’s function over form. Rumor has it that this extreme GT-R will be packing upwards of 1000-hp to complement its unique widebody.

GALLERY: Bensopra Nissan R35 GT-R

[Source: Speedhunters]

Ever wonder what would happen if you let a high-performance tuning company run wild on a minivan? Well wonder no longer, as Nissan‘s NISMO division has just debuted a version of the new Elgrand (sold as the Quest in North America) at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Salon.

Already an imposing beast of a van, the NISMO Elgrand gets its own aero kit with an even more imposing front grille. Matched up with a complete aero package, the van also features a custom suspension drop by the handling experts at NISMO. A set of 18-inch wheels complete the look; although they do seem rather small in comparison to the huge slab-sides of this boxy people mover.

It’s just a concept for now, but knowing the market for these types of things in Japan, NISMO is almost certain to offer copies of this kit. Find the right JDM-market importer and you too can roll up to soccer practice looking like you’re from 2025.

GALLERY: NISMO Elgrand

While most of the aftermarket likes to overwhelm consumers with excessive amounts of horsepower, some companies like to refine the finer details, making the driving experience a more fulfilling one. Take Umbrella Auto Design for example; they began their business by focusing on Acura’s flagship supercar, the NSX. They built a wickedly clean demo car, refining it from bumper to bumper on the outside while starting their F1 line o interior series. Now they’ve taken the same magic to the Nissan GT-R.

Their focus with the GT-R, so far, is just the interior. We already know how potent the GT-R is, and we all know there’s more than enough companies out there trying to push 1,000′s of horsepower out of its powerplant. So it’s really refreshing to see Umbrella Auto Design releasing an interior package for the GT-R that brings its cockpit in line with its performance.

The majority of the interior is redone in black ultrasuede with silver stitching: front seats, steering wheel, e-brake, boot, shift knob, dashboard, door panels, center console, rear lower side panels, rear upper side panels, rear seats, headliner, visors, rear package tray, subwoofer cover and rear armrest. Several interior pieces are also repainted satin black instead of the factory light gray.

Umbrella Auto Design’s interior really gives the GT-R the sense of luxury it needs to back up the performance and driving experience the vehicle already offered. No pricing is announced unfortunately.

[Source: GTR Blog]

GALLERY: Umbrella Auto Design Nissan GT-R F1 Interior

The reality of a fully streetable 8-second Nissan GT-R just got a whole lot closer. AMS took their Alpha 10 GT-R demo car back to the quarter mile after their 9.33 pass to lay down an amazing 9.192 @ 163.12 mph track time. Now obviously going from 9.33 to 9.192 is easier than going from 9.192 to 8.99, but the fact that they are gaining that much more top-end speed in between weeks of testing is impressive.

And wanting to just show off to the rest of the world what their Alpha 9 package can do to a GT-R on pump gas, AMG was able to pilot the Alpha 9 GT-R to its first 9 second pass at 9.95 @ 141.01 mph. And yes, on pump gas. To show off just how dependable and reliable the Alpha 9 GT-R is, AMS embarked on a road trip going from Chicago to Colorado and Nevada and ending in Southern California; 2,000 or so miles and not a single issue on the car.

They even released a video – unfortunately it’s not of the drag racing:

[Source: GTR Blog]

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Oh how much we love Top Secret’s signature gold finish on their cars. We were actually disappointed in how long it has taken Top Secret to show off a Nissan GT-R doused in their gold, but boy was the wait worth it. But as you may be able to tell from the above photo, Top Secret has also finalized and released their new front bumper replacement.

We’re digging that Top Secret kept the styling on their front bumper quite subtle, incorporating a carbon fiber front diffuser while making it just slightly more aggressive than the OEM bumper. Best of all, it’s very functional, providing additional cooling for the oil cooler and the front grill giving direct additional cooling for the intercooler. The bumper is also slightly longer to give the car better aerodynamics.

It all comes at a hefty price though, with the front bumper and diffuser being offered at $4,350. But for those looking for something that not only enhances the performance of the vehicle but also changes the look, without being too drastic, it’s a great option. While you’re at it, you might as well toss yourself another $4,000 into the budget and get the car repainted Top Secret Gold. Yum.

GALLERY: Top Secret Nissan GT-R

[Source: The Real JDM]

When it comes to finding gobs and gobs of horsepower, AMS Performance knows how to do it. Regardless of the application, whether it’s a Mitsubishi EVO or a Nissan GT-R, AMS has set records time and time again on and off the track. And now they’ve made it easy for all their customers to achieve the same type of success.

Dubbed their Alpha line, AMS Performance is offering premium Nissan GT-R Performance Packages. Their website is currently a complete tease with a coming soon page, but it looks like they’ll have four packages available soon: Alpha 6, Alpha 9, Alpha 10 and Alpha 12. We went ahead and did some digging through their current website and found some more information on their Alpha 6 and Alpha 9 packages.

The Alpha 6 package is offered at $6,499 and takes your GT-R to a respectable 600-hp and easy 10 second time slips at the quarter mile of your choice. The fastest time they’ve achieved on this package is a 10.6 @ 130 mph on 93 octane pump gas. The kit is is actually pretty mild with a majority of exhaust parts: 90mm catless downpipes, 90mm resonated midpipes and 90mm exhaust system. On the intake side is a set of HKS Super Hybrid air filters. And of course AMS will retune the car along with a Cobb AccessPORT to dial it all in. For those worried about emissions, catalytic converters are available on their downpipes as an option. And for those that are the complete opposite, non-resonated midpipes are available as a race version.

The Alpha 6 package can also be upgraded to an Alpha 9 package, but for those with the ability to dish out the cash up front, the Alpha 9 is available for $21,999.95. And as you can guess, Alpha 9 means 900-hp on race gas and 800-hp on pump gas. That equates to possible 9 second time slips on race gas. Along with everything in the Alpha 6 package, Alpha 9 also comes with upgraded turbochargers, turbo inlet pipes, front mount intercooler, intake piping and additional fuel upgrades to handle all the extra boost.

Check out the videos after the break of an Alpha 9 GT-R running 10.1 with pump gas, and their 9 second GT-R in case you missed it earlier.

[Source: GTR Blog]

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Alright, we said it bluntly in our review of the 2011 Nissan Juke: it’s just ugly. No matter what angle you look at the car, it’s hard to discern its natural lines to be attractive. Nonetheless, the Nissan Juke is a fun car to drive at an affordable price and for those that care to be seen in something different, it’s an excellent option. And hell, some people really dig the styling of the Juke, proving there’s something for everyone.

But here is fantastic proof of what slight modifications can do to an otherwise unattractive body. The Photoshopist on hand took your run-of-the-mill Nissan Juke, dropped it to the ground and outfitted it with a set of Takata Green Volk Racing TE-37 wheels. And just like that, the Juke suddenly looks killer, it’s strange crossover shape becoming a much more attractive package when pretending to be a sporty coupe.

Knowing that there’s a potent 1.6L turbocharged motor under the hood, we have to believe that the tuners will be tinkering with the Juke in no time and hope to see more rolling around our streets.

[Source: SpeedHunters]

Read AutoGuide’s Nissan Juke Review by Clicking Here

Get more Nissan Juke news and info at JukeForum.com

Companies like Abflug have developed a reputation over the last couple of decades for having some of the most aggressive body kits out there. And while it still fits the desires of some, our eyes just aren’t accustomed to finding it attractive.

In Abflug’s defense, this Nissan 370Z kit isn’t as extreme as we’d expect from the body kit manufacturer. The front end design of the car is pretty acceptable, not our favorite but surely not the worst we’ve seen. But the rear bumper and spoiler is just way too extreme and aggressive. We’re sure some love this race-inspired look for the street, but we feel it’s way too much for such a refined sports car like the 370Z.

This particular 370Z was built by Mid Night International and also sports a set of 19-inch Abflug Gran Revolfe Prism II wheels. For the most part they’re OK, but again, not exactly on the top of our list for 370Z wheels (especially with the assortment out there that fits the car). Performance wise a Power Craft Hybrid exhaust system was bolted on.

Perhaps wild aero kits are set to make a return? Then again, maybe not.

[Source: Farm of Minds]

GALLERY: Abflug Nissan 370Z

There’s no questioning just how popular Nissan‘s 350/370Z has become in tuning circles, reminding us of how well the Supra caught on as a tuner car. And while some have believe the car’s VQ35DE/VQ37HR motor has the potential of overtaking Toyota’s 2JZ as the new formidable powerplant, very few have achieved reliable, high horsepower figures. But that’s to say no one is trying, and 370ZTune.com is currently working with one of their customers, Mike out of Georgia, to hit the 1000-hp mark in style.

A video has been teased about the car, and while we’re more interested at how they’ll be hitting the 1000-hp mark, it’s worth showing off what’s been done to the exterior of it. Zele Performance, based out of Japan, specializes in aerodynamic kits for the Nissan 370z, Infiniti G37 and Nissan R35 GT-R; and this is actually the first time we’ve seen the full 370Z body kit on this side of the world. It is definitely plenty aggressive to back up the Z’s inevitable performance.

And to achieve the famed 1000-hp mark, 370ZTune.com will be outfitting this 370Z with GTM’s 4.5L stroked block (which includes a 96mm stroke crankshaft and Arias Extreme HD pistons) paired to their stage 6 turbo kit featuring twin GT35R turbos. The built shortblock will be mated to a GTM’s stage 1 head featuring their proprietary valve springs and retainers. Plenty of fuel will be supplied through Denso’s 2150cc injectors.

Getting the power to the ground will be an OS Giken triple-disk ceramic HR clutch and flywheel while tuning comes through a collection of HKS electronics.

We’re just hoping this is one of those projects that actually gets completed, so we’ll be keeping a close eye on it in hopes to see some videos and dyno runs. One thing’s for sure, they’ve already got the aesthetics handled, we can’t wait to see under the hood.

[Source: CarDomain]

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Nissan‘s resurgence with the Z model has been quite a hit and the 370Z has been the perfect successor to the ever-popular 350Z. With the VQ37HR powering the way to a more streamlined body, it’s no surprise that the aftermarket has embraced the 370Z with open arms. While there are tons of nicely built 370Zs in America, it’s always nice to see what’s being done in Japan as inspiration of fully functional, cleanly built cars.

Most enthusiasts often find it sacrilegious to mix and match parts from various manufacturers when it comes to building their car. Perhaps it’s just brand loyalty or a fancy way of keeping a clean spec sheet, but we don’t always run across cars like this. Instead of sticking to just one brand for the entire vehicle, this owner mixed and matched with what he/she thought looked best on the 370Z. The result? A Top Secret front spoiler with integrated brake ducts has been combined with Varis twin carbon fiber intake ducts and Varis carbon fiber hood. On the hood are Top Secret aerocatch hood pins and in the rear is a carbon fiber wing from Mine’s. And outfitting each corner are none other than Volk Racing’s TE-37 wheels in a classic white finish enhanced with a blue pinstripe on the lip.

One thing’s for sure, every part of the car is a nice high quality component from a reputable brand in Japan. While we’re more used to seeing full out Top Secret cars, or full Varis cars, it’s refreshing to see someone break the mold a little bit, blending the best of all worlds for a great looking car.

GALLERY: JDM Nissan 370Z

[Source: The Real JDM]