Infiniti is set to launch its new go-fast division, Infiniti Performance Line, later this year, promising an enticing list of performance parts, set to include mundane things like air filters, and stretching all the way to “automotive engine parts, namely turbochargers and superchargers.”

The first IPL car is set to debut at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, and rumor has it that it will be a G37 Coupe decked out to the nines. If the car ends up with forced induction, it could make for an interesting competitor to cars like the BMW M3 while serving as a 2-door alternative to the Lexus IS-F. Nissan’s NISMO division is one of the leading factory-affiliated tuners (Nissan even sells a NISMO 370Z), and we wouldn’t be surprised if they gave IPL a hand in concocting some very potent performance cars.

[Source: Autoblog]

Nissan’s NISMO motorsports department has finally announced full details on the 2010 FIA GT1-spec GT-R race car and along with some expected changes, there’s also a big surprise. Under the hood you won’t find Nissan’s twin-turbo V6, but rather a naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 engine that produces 600-hp and 480 ft-lbs of torque. That’s sure to motivate the GT-R rather briskly, thanks to a curb weight that has been reduced to just 2,756 lbs.

Along with the significant weight reduction, thanks in part to a striped out-interior and the use of a carbon fiber aerodynamics, the FIA GT1-spec GT-R also gets 18-inch RAYS wheels and carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers.

Two GT-R’s will run in the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championship, fielded by Britain’s Sumo Power GT and Swiss Racing Team and supported by NISMO. They will compete against Corvettes, Aston Martin DBR9s, Ford GTs, Lamborghini Murciélagos and more, with the first race of the season taking place in the United Arab Emirates on April 17th

GALLERY: FIA GT1 Nissan GT-R Race Car

Even though Nissan’s readily available market vehicles were the center of attention at the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, the company’s flagship GT-R also had an offering from NISMO: a Club Sports Package. The Club Sports Package doesn’t overhaul the exterior of the GT-R, but rather includes a new data logger for track use and a fine collection of suspension tuning modifications.

The data logger allows owners of this Club Sports model to record all of the vehicle’s telemetry and then download it via a USB stick. Owners can then examine the data at home or on their laptop, as well as share it with other drivers. This new setup will be particularly helpful for those looking to get the most out of their GT-R on the race track.

And speaking of the track, NISMO also displayed its Super GT race car.

GALLERY Nissan GT-R Club Sports and NISMO GT-R Race Car

Nissan never fails to impress at Tokyo Auto Salon and 2010 was no exception to the rule. In-house tuning company NISMO showed off its offerings for the brand’s most popular performance platforms, the FairladyZ, Skyline Coupe and Skyline Sedan, or as they’re known in North America: the Nissan 370Z, Infiniti G37 Coupe and G37 Sedan. All three carry the “Sporty Package” option from Nissan which looks to include a mild performance increase though a new sporty exhaust system, as well as a new lip kit for both the NISMO Skline Coupe and Sedan. The Skyline Sedan package also looks to include some additional LED fog lights.

As for the NISMO 370Z, that model is already offer in the U.S. after being introduced at last year’s New York Auto Show. This NISMO edition takes the Z to an even higher level in every performance category with 350hp – an increase of 18 ponies over the stock Z. Torque is up as well, but just slightly, to 276 ft-lbs – an increase of 6 ft-lbs. Power is also achieved at a higher rpm with the 3.7-liter V6 strung-out to 7400 rpm to acheive maximum horsepower, as opposed to the stock cars, 7000 rpm max power level.

To give the car even better track performance, Nissan gave it a standard limited slip differential and stiffened up the chassis with special “body dampers” on the front frame rail and below the rear cargo area. And of course, the car comes with a NISMO springs and a big NISMO strut tower bars front and rear. The front springs are 15 percent stiffer and rear springs are 10 percent stiffer, with the new strut bars incresing stifness by 15 and 50 percent respectively.

As expected, the stock brakes are replaced with front 4-piston calipers and 14-inch rotors and rear two-piston calipers and 13.8-inch rotors. Those big brake sit inside a set of amazing looking 19-inch NISMO wheels. Manufactured by RAYS forged, the new wheels measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 19×10.5-inches in the rear witt front 245/40/19 tires and rear 285/35/19 tires.

Finally, the NISMO Z gets some styling additions including a new front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper and rear spoiler that are all functional, reducing lift on the front axle and increasing downforce in the rear.

GALLERY: NISMO 370Z

GALLERY: NISMO Skyline Coupe

GALLERY: NISMO Skyline Sedan

Nissan is preparing an onslaught of modified vehicles for the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon, working with partners like Autech and NISMO. An included in the list of nine custom Nissan’s will be a NISMO-ized 2010 GT-R, featuring a new NISMO Data Logger Kit. This kit allows an owner to download data collected by the onboard computer so it can be analyzed and shared.

In addition, two other NISMO models will be on display a NISMO Fiarlady Z (370Z) as well as the Super GT-spec XANAVI NISMO GT-R racecar.

With these three models, Autech will show an additional three custom cars, while Nissan will display three vehicles, including a Roox, Skyline (G37) and Skyline Coupe (G37 Coupe) modified with Nissan parts and accessories.

AutoGuide will bring you more on all of these cars with live coverage of the 2010 Tokyo Auto Salon starting January 15th.

Official release after the jump:

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After releasing the limited edition Nissan GT-R SpecV (pictured above) last year, rumors of a more comfort-oriented SpecM model have surfaced. Those rumors have now reportedly been confirmed by GT-R project chief Kazutoshi Mizuno, when he ran into the folks from PistonHeads at Nissan’s Nürburgring test facility.

The SpecM edition is geared slightly more towards luxury but is supposed to offer a very close level of performance to the standard GT-R. The philosophy behind this model is to create another limited edition version with more of a bespoke feel, using higher end materials and a premium audio system.

Contrary to previous reports, Mizuno said that the SpecM will not debut at the Tokyo Auto Show later this month, but will be unveiled some time mid way through 2010.

In addition to this info, Mizuno also mentioned a few details about the 2010 GT-R, stating that it would come with an upgraded suspension, the SpecV’s rear diffuser and NACA ducts will be fitted at the rear of the car for better airflow and improve brake cooling.

Possibly the coolest addition, however, is the optional NISMO data-logging setup that will allow owners to download the data from the GT-R’s ECU on a USB stick so they can study it on their home computer or share it with friends.

Be sure to check out our review of the GT-R SpecV here:

2009 Nissan GT-R SpecV First Drive

[Source: Piston Heads]

Nissan just couldn’t wait for the New York Auto Show doors to open to unveil its high-performance NISMO version of the 370Z, choosing to give select media a sneak peak the night before at a private event in the Big Apple.

Enthusiasts are sure to love the NISMO car as it’s more than just a few bolt-on aesthetic parts (even if it has those too). This NISMO edition takes the Z to an even higher level in every performance category.

For starters, the NISMO edition car comes with 350hp – an increase of 18 ponies over the stock Z. Torque is also up, but just slightly, to 276 ft-lbs – an increase of 6 ft-lbs. Part of the reason for the added power is a new H-pipe exhaust, which, Nissan tells us, also gives the car an excellent sound – but we’ll have to wait to drive it to find out.

Power is also achieved at a higher rpm with the 3.7-liter V6 strung-out to 7400 rpm to acheive maximum horsepower, as opposed to the stock cars, 7000 rpm max power level.

And possibly better than the added power (for those who really appreciate track days) is a standard limited slip differential.

To give the car even better track performance, Nissan stiffened up the chassis with special “body dampers” on the front frame rail and below the rear cargo area. And of course, the car comes with a NISMO springs and a big NISMO strut tower bars front and rear. The front springs are 15 percent stiffer and rear springs are 10 percent stiffer, with the new strut bars incresing stifness by 15 and 50 percent respectively. 

As expected, the stock brakes were tossed in favor of a more serious setup with front 4-piston calipers and 14-inch rotors and rear two-piston calipers and 13.8-inch rotors. Those big brake sit inside a set of amazing looking 19-inch NISMO wheels. Manufactured by RAYS forged, the new wheels measure 19×9.5-inches up front and 19×10.5-inches in the rear witt front 245/40/19 tires and rear 285/35/19 tires. 

As mentioned earlier, the NISMO Z does get some styling additions, although they are more than just aesthetic. The new front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper and rear spoiler are all functional, reducing lift on the front axle and increasing downforce in the rear. 

“One look at the dramatic NISMO 370Z body and you know that this isn’t your everyday sports car,” said Nissan boss Al Castignetti. “The styling is highly emotional yet totally functional – expressing dynamic movement while enhancing airflow and downforce for enhanced aerodynamic performance.”

Inside, the NISMO branding is obvious with the name stitched onto the special seats made of a grippy fabric. Also inside the cabin can be found plenty of red stitching and some nice NISMO gauges.

“The NISMO name is known throughout the world as the leading supplier of race-bred, factory-tuned, extreme performance Nissan parts, accessories and vehicles,” said Castignetti. “The new, second-generation NISMO Z proudly – and deservedly – wears the NISMO badge, carrying on the tradition of bringing racing-inspired performance and engineering to the street.”

The NISMO 370Z is available only with a 6-speed manual transmission in one of five colors:  Pearl White, Brilliant Silver, Magnetic Black, Solid Red and Platinum Graphite.

GALLERY: Nissan NISMO 370Z

GALLERY: Nissan NISMO 370Z additional photos

More on the NISMO Z after the jump:

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Despite all of Nissan’s troubles, the company isn’t shying away from motorsports for 2009, with four factory backed cars running in Japan, as well as several privateer teams running in Japan, China, South Africa and even in Europe.

“Motorsports is an important part of Nissan’s strategy for building a strong brand with consumers who share our passion for high-performance driving,” said Carlos Tavares, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. “In addition to being an important touch-point for consumers, motorsports serve as a dynamic proving ground for automotive innovation.”

That being said Nissan plans to back four teams in the SUPER GT series in the GT500 class. Team NISMO, Team Impul and Kondo Racing have all decided on running the Nissan GT-R, however, Hasemi Motorsport has not decided which platform it will use.

Some of the most exciting news, however, is that Gigawave MotorSport will run a NISMO-developed car in the FIA GT1 class in the U.K. The car will only run four races in 2009 and, therefore, won’t compete for the championship. The driver’s names are not official but are expected to be Michael Krumm ( a NISMO driver) and Darren Turner of Gigawave, a team that has compete in the FIA GT series since 2007.

Now if only a NISMO GT-R could make its way to the American Le Mans Series.

Official release after the jump:

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Nissan Japan has just released some details of the upcoming GT-R SpecV, boasting increased performance in every category.

While no actual performance numbers were include in the release, apparently the SpecV will make more power than the standard GT-R thanks to a new boost control device. This device also plays a critical role in reducing boost during high gear or cruising speeds to reduce fuel consumption and prolong engine life. (Unfortunately Nissan did not include a device to prolong transmission life).

From the outside a SpecV will be easily recognizable by the carbon fiber front grille surround, brake ducts and rear spoiler. It will also be offered exclusively in Ultimate Black Opal paint.

Weight has been reduced inside the cabin through the use of carbon fiber dash components as well as the use of carbon fiber Recaro bucket seats. In an effort to save even more weight the SpecV will do away with the useless rear seats found in the standard GT-R.

Additional weight savings are due to the use of a titanium exhaust, lighter Nismo forged aluminum wheels and carbon ceramic brakes.

Nissan GT-R SpecV

Official release after the jump:
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