#GTRLife - GT-R LIFE

We Are on DRIVETRIBES!

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 19:11:03 +0000

DRIVETRIBES is a new automotive social platform from the minds of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. Its a bit like facebook for gearheads. Like Facebook and Twitter GTRLIFE the worlds largest forum dedicated to all things GTR is going to also have a presence represented by myself on DRIVETRIBES as the GRAND TOURING RACER (GTR) TRIBE. Everyone is invited to join and post up your GTR stories, pictures and videos as we want to keep growing this amazing community! See everyone there

DRIVETRIBES LINK

Nissan GTR: The Cost of Evolution 2017

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 14:59:58 +0000

With the 2017 GTR now officially on sale GTRLIFE member Sinister has supplied us with an updated line graph that gives a striking visual of GTR pricing from its inception in 2008 all the way up to the today. You will see the 2017 GTR window sticker bares little resemblance to that of the original R35, but no one will argue it is also a much more refined car. the newest GTR sports a hefty additional 85 horsepower over the $70K 2009 something that is uncommon to see within a life cycle even if it is closing in on a decade. So ask yourself has the "cost of evolution" been worth it?

GTRLIFE Featured GTR: Gary's Widebody Alpha Masterpiece

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 18:59:02 +0000

This edition of GTRLIFE featured GTR exemplifies the word "Complete" featuring a build with painstaking attention to every last detail. Not only is this GTR notwworthy for lies beneath the hood with over 1100hp but it truely is the total package and the sum of all its parts that make this a benchmark for builds within our community.

Let AMS guide you through everything put into this example of what can be referred to as rolling art

GTRLIFE Featured GTR

Thu, 12 May 2016 06:03:36 +0000

This Months feature goes to a true Monster of a GTR in every sense of the Word.... Gideon's Project ALPHA G

Build thread can be found HERE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shF6b7LKCMU

GTRLIFE Feature GTR of the Month April 2016

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 19:06:53 +0000

This months featured GTR from the community is from Driving Ducthman. This wide body features an overdose to the eyes of CARBON FIBER! Check out the build thread here

2020 Nissan GT-R Will Be a Hybrid with Hypercar Performan...

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 20:46:05 +0000

The final refresh for the R35-generation 2017 Nissan GT-R was just unveiled, and although it may not look that different to the average passerby, Matt McCulloh was still more than impressed.

McCulloh is the co-founder of the North American GT-R Owners Club and helps run the GTRLife Forum. He has owned three GT-Rs and currently drives a 2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO with serial number 1, which is the first GT-R NISMO built for the U.S. His daily driver is a Nissan Juke NISMO RS.
He shared a few thoughts with AutoGuide.com on the refreshed GT-R:
“It looks very much like a car that exists in 2016 versus the original design in 2007,” he said. “It’s almost nine model years old now, and they did very specific things to make it more competitive with some of the other trends you’re seeing in the industry. Overall, it’s a sharper, more angular car in general.”

ALSO SEE: Nissan GT-R Undergoes Most Significant Change Since its Introduction

He said Nissan GT-R designer Shiro Nakamura pulled a lot of inspiration from the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo as well as the Proto concept unveiled in 2005. He also noted that although the changes may seem small to an outsider, the result of the refresh is greater than the sum of its parts.

McCulloh has a tight relationship with Nissan executives, so he also has some pretty good insight into what the next-generation R36 model of the 2020 Nissan GT-R will be like.
“It will be more of a revolutionary car than an evolutionary car,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t be surprised if the next GT-R is a two-seater.

“The R36 will go upmarket and upscale,” McCulloh said. “It will be a straight supercar and more along the lines of a Porsche 918. It’s obviously a forgone conclusion that it will probably be a hybrid.”
Although he predicts the next GT-R will have the performance to challenge the 918, McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari, he did clarify that all that performance won’t come with a hypercar’s million-dollar price tag.
“I think the hybrid will take the car to a different demographic. If the current one is a $100,000 or $110,000 car, the next GT-R will be closer to starting at $150,000 to $200,000,” he said. “I don’t see it starting below $150,000.”
He’s also not worried about the legendary Nissan becoming a hybrid and thinks GT-R fanboys should embrace the change.

“The GT-R has always been about cutting-edge technology, and in the year 2019 or 2020 when we see the new car, it will have to embrace [hybrid technology] to keep its position. I’m all for that type of technology to be adopted in the car if it it will help performance,” he said. “The GT-R has never been a backroads, enjoyable drive like a 911. It’s more like a tool, a weapon. Whatever helps it achieve the performance goal, you should embrace that.”

McCulloh says the 2020 Nissan GT-R will look a lot more exotic and less like a GT, will be much lower than the current model, and will be heavily influenced by the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo that was unveiled last year.
As for other details about the next-gen GT-R, he says Nissan executives are very tight-lipped, but he did say they told him that the refreshed GT-R that was just unveiled will have four trims: a base model to keep the entry-level price low, a premium model that was seen at the New York Auto Show, a performance/track model with a few NISMO upgrades, and an all-out, top-of-the-line NISMO model. He expects the base model to debut in mid to late June, while the NISMO model will likely come out in the winter.

http://www.autoguide...t-predicts.html
By Jodi Lai

2017 GTR NISMO: World Exclusive Render by GTRLIFE

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 17:16:45 +0000

Not about to rest on the laurels of our world exclusive information on the 2017 GTR and real time coverage from NYIAS last week, GTRLIFE is pushing forward once again bringing you an exclusive updated render of the 2017 GTR NISMO. We were the first in the world to bring our members and readers what were proven to be spot on renders of the 2017 GTR months before the unveiling. In January our very first 2017 GTR info was released along with a rough draft of what we expected both the standard and NISMO versions to look like. We returned from the New York Auto Show and gaining some needed reference material by studying the newly unveiled GTR in person. In light of this we can now take the existing NISMO info and better apply it. This all new render reveals our interpretation of the rumored upcoming changes to the GTR NISMO for 2017. This render was done in collaboration with GTRLIFE Digitial Artist Micheal Papas who has have been instrumental in presenting our community with visual aids that accompany all of our exclusive news and info.

The first thing you will notice is much of the aerodynamic design elements we first hinted at over the winter are retained, but now in more detail. Having seen the standard 2017 GTR up close gave context to the fragments of info we have acquired the last few months and allowed us to place the relevant changes on the car in a more natural way. The front fascia again looks to take many direct ques from the current GTR NISMO GT3 race car. I feel this aspect will be concentrated in the marketing of the 2017 NISMO with Nissan emphasizing how success in the GT3 Motorsport program has been directly applied to the road car.

These direct transfers include a lip that now curls upward in the center with larger brake cooling ducts being formed by the lower part of the bumper and upper part of the lip joining together. This is changed from the ducts being embedded in the lip itself. The sharp outer bumper edges that were prominent on the original GTR NISMO and carry over to the standard 2017 GTR have been abandoned for a more squared off blunt design. The DRL’s are contained in box like areas that contain some subtle aerodynamic canards that are designed to channel air and will add an aggressive flare to the front. The Shark Gill slits in the side of the bumper will be deleted in favor of Shark Fin edges on the end of the lip that extend up the side of the front bumper.

Also present is the V motion grill that is now a standard design element of the R35 moving forward. The NISMO should also adopt the new hood with raised body lines that better accentuate the new V motion grill. Much of the rest of the GTR NISMO’s exterior is expected to remain unchanged including the sides, wheels, and rear fascia including the pillar Wing. Below is a side by side comparison so you may view the these rumored changes of the 17 directly with the existing car

The Interior is expected to adopt many of the upgrades seen in the upgraded 2017 GTR premium interior, but beyond that we currently dont have in specifics. We anticipate a much more NISMO presentation that is likely to include red stitching and more alcantara on the all new horizontal dash than the outgoing model.

Almost nothing is currently known about what performance improvements the NISMO will see over the 15/16 version. It would be a safe bet to assume suspension work and refinement will be a major part of the NISMO evolution. I asked Nissan Design Chief Shiro Nakamura if the NISMO would see a power increase now that the standard GTR has risen to 565hp. He told me while he couldn’t answer the question directly Nissan feels 600hp that the NISMO currently makes is the optimal figure for the current engine. He smiled and said use my imagination to answer your question. Later in the day I asked NISMO and GTR Chief Product Specialist Hiroshi Tamura a similar question in if the NISMO would need to raise its output level by 20hp to keep the current gap between trims at 55hp. Tamura-San gave me a more philosophical answer than Nakamura-San telling me the premise of my questioning was wrong. I needed to instead ask why did Nissan felt the initial NISMO needed 55hp more than the standard car back when it first debuted. He said the 2017 GTR is not that same car as the one the NISMO featured the over 50hp advantage over and I shouldn’t dwell on a certain power gap needing to be maintained between the two. He smiled and said that is your answer. Neither gave me the inclination that the NISMO will feature any substantial power bump, but we will see what the final specs are later this year. I was able to obtain some preliminary weight target ranges for all 4 trims of the 2017 GTR with 3990 being the heaviest and 3930 being the lightest. If we are to assume the NISMO will be 3930 it will have gained a few pounds since its debut in 2014.

GTRLIFE Featured Car of the Month March 2016

Sun, 06 Mar 2016 23:23:59 +0000

Congrats to 1flossedm3 for being the GTRLIFE Feature Car for March 2016 . Read about his "Journey" to big power HERE

GTRLIFE Bathurst 12hr Viewing Party This Weekend!

Fri, 05 Feb 2016 00:52:22 +0000

Dont forget to tune in with us at 1:45pm EST this Saturday as we watch the Bathurst 12hr streamed live on NISMO.TV. Last saw one of the best finishes of the year in motorsports with the GTR NISMO GT3 taking victory after a grueling 12 hour fight. We encourage everyone to drop in and support team NISMO in their defense.

Live Stream and Discussion Thread is now live with practice and qualifying results forthcoming.

GTRLIFE Featured Car of the Month February 2016

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:02:54 +0000

This Months featured GTR is owned by member Unabomber and comes from GTRLIFE vendors TopSpeed Motorsports. This GTR and the story behind it is an example of how to come back borrowing the phrase "Harder, Better ,Faster, Stronger" Unabomber 2.0 is an Alpha16 build that has an eye on the 1/2 mile competition with initial traps of 213mph with goals set even higher

Read the full story of the build here

Follow GTRLIFE on Social Media

Tue, 19 Jan 2016 16:32:04 +0000

For 2016 GTRlife is renewing a commitment to our existing social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. We are doing a soft relaunch of these accounts routinely adding news & content from all around the GTR community. We think this will allow for more opportunities to interact with our members and vendors as well as increase overall awareness of GTRlife online. Please take a few seconds to follow us if you havent already!

Twitter @Gtrlife

Facebook Facebook/GTRlife

Instagram @thegtrlife

GTRLIFE Featured Car of the Month January 2016

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 22:30:36 +0000

To ring in the new year our first featured GTR of the month for 2016 comes all the way from Bangkok Thailand owned by member rthammar. It is an amazing GTR that exemplifies both style and power featuring only the most top self parts. His thread shows the transformation of the 2012 GTR into the extreme beast it is today and maybe most importantly the once in a lifetime garage this Godzilla calls home which is a true gear head's heaven.

New to GTR from Bangkok Thailand

Happy New Year 2016 From GTRLIFE

Sat, 02 Jan 2016 03:48:04 +0000

We would like to take this time to wish all our Members and Vendors a Happy New Year. NAGTROC/GTRLIFE is approaching being around a decade in 2016 and it is all because of the dedicated owner and enthusiast base we have on here. Hope everyone has a safe New Year and we cant wait to grow the site and take it to new heights making 2016 the best year yet for GTRLIFE and the entire GTR Community

https://twitter.com/...024613828251648

Thanks,

MC & Staff

GTRLIFE December Build of the Month Feature

Tue, 01 Dec 2015 18:44:05 +0000

This month GTRLIFE recognizes a build by member Booztd 3. When we say a "build by" Booztd 3 we really mean it. This GTR has gone through a transformation from stock to a mid 9 sec car totally at the hands of the owner tearing down and building the car up 100% himself.

Check out the in-depth and detailed thread to read more about this DIY Beast

GTRLIFE November Build of the Month

Mon, 02 Nov 2015 16:59:59 +0000

November's Build of the month comes from member AMGfan and is honestly more suited for build of the year. This GTR has gone through many transformations in its life finally becoming "Karbon Katana" a Overtake heavy carbon fiber tour de force with painstaking attention to detail.

His build thread is located here

The One....A Year in Review

Thu, 22 Oct 2015 13:30:02 +0000

One year ago this week on a cool October morning surrounded by family and friends and a Nissan camera crew , I had the privilege to watch as the first GTR NISMO ever built for the US rolled off the delivery truck. I was honored to be selected to become the owner of and share in this historic event marking the introduction of the NISMO GTR into the US market the same year NISMO marked its 30 year milestone . If that wasn't enough I came home to an additional surprise of a completely made over garage courtesy of Nissan to celebrate the occasion and be a home for such a special car Nissan dubbed "The One" In the following months I have had plenty of time to appreciate what makes the GTR NISMO so special driving it in many different situations. In this first year I have taken it on mountain drives through the Blue Ridge Parkway competed in various autocross events, had many a Friday night at the drag strip all culminating with a full on track day where it felt most at home. If I had to sum up the car in one word it would be 'Precision"

The GTR NISMO was introduced 6 years into the lifecycle of the GTR in the US. In that time the GTR has seen constant refinement. Having owned benchmark years of the GTR in 2009 then 2012, Ive gained a good sense of this constant improvement. The NISMO just as a 2015 model itself is smoother, and more refined than previous years. Then with the performance minded improvements added on it becomes the ultimate expression of the R35 platform. In my time driving ive noticed that while the larger turbos producing 50 additional horsepower is noticeable, the suspension and chassis improvements are the real stand out here. The steering feel is light but tight so the front end perfectly responds to any micro adjustment you make that leads to very subtle steering inputs going a long way. That would pay off on the track which I will get to in a minute.

First up lets talk about what most car enthusiasts immediately want to know.. how quick is it? I wanted to know myself and spent the spring and summer doing a lot of acceleration testing. My results were very solid. I was able to obtain and consistently recreate 2.7 0-60 runs. At a drag strip I averaged a low 1.6 60ft time with a handful of launches dipping into the 1.57 range

From there I saw sub 7 second 0-100 times with a personal best of 6.69. In the 1/4 mile I achieved a best time of 10.9@127. Being in the 10 sec range the ET was good but I feel there is still a tenth or more left on the table. The extra power and nature of the larger turbos begin to show itself here as while attempting over a dozen 1/4 mile runs the GTR constantly trapped very high 126 to even a mid 127mph. I then logged a half dozen 60-130 pulls all being in the 8.6 range putting the NISMO close to a half second faster than a comparable stock DBA GTRs. This was again done in warm humid ambient temps so I feel as with the 1/4 mile there is a tenth or so left to extract in this area or measurement.

These numbers while solid and consistent are not leaps and bounds faster than some of the best recorded data weve seen from the standard GTR .My conclusion is while the numbers show acceleration from a standstill is yes similar to other GTRs this speaks more to the excellent traction of the platform in general and that the GTR NISMO was designed purely as a race track focused tool. The improved upper range power shows the focus has been clearly placed on overtaking and higher speeds in straightway parts of said tracks. The GTR NISMO makes peak power at 400 RPM higher than the standard version this combined with the personality of the larger turbo the power curve feels more like a surging wave of power to redline than the sudden blast the GTR is known for.

This brings me to the highlight thus far of ownership. In July I attended the 7^th Annual VIR Track day GTRLIFE does with our friends at Forged Performance. throughout the event I was able to put down some really solid controlled safe laps in the NISMO. These laps brought out for the first time the very best of the NISMO. I felt as an intermediate driver I was at times close to 9/10ths of my ability in the car in certain sections. Going back to my key word, “Precision” was on display as the inputs were effortless and the lack of understeer was the most striking element of the day.

The extra power available in the higher RPM range was evident as entering the high speed backstretch at roughly the same speed I saw on average a 6-7mph increase in speed by the time I reached the same braking point. This was a noticeable improvement. the NISMO seemed to exit corners at a higher rate of speed as well which was partly due to the power and partly to the ability to easily get the nose of the car pointed in the right direction.

(thank you Patrick for all the photos and support from day 1 )

My racing background is mostly in Autocross so by habit I tend to over use the brakes and attack every turn as a single obstacle rather than seeing the bigger picture. The NISMO seemed to almost be forgiving with this style and I was shocked to go back and watch my videos of my laps to see how uneventful it looked and how little steering input the car needed from me to get around the track. This NISMO is all about balance as its not the highest powered car out there or lightest or uses the newest technology but the sum of its parts comes together to produce a totally confidence inspiring feeling behind the wheel even at speeds of 160mph. The car felt very planted at those speeds and I felt as if the aero package was doing its job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZyihniHWZI

My favorite part of the day was seeing the optional NISMO Titanium exhaust change color to the beautiful blue and purples the material is known for. My car being the #1 NISMO for the states it underwent an additional 70 miles of quality control. Nissan waited to install my titanium exhaust after this testing to ensure it was pristine and factory fresh. I felt earning the color change myself on track was like a rite of passage.

I admittedly havent daily driven this car much logging just 2500 total miles in a year of ownership with 1000 of those miles coming within a single month of ownership for break in purposes.The collector status and serial number plaque on the wall did factor into this decision to limit the around town driving a bit more than I anticipated. As a solution I did ended up purchasing a matching black Juke NISMO RS as a daily driver and garage companion.

(Thank you HYPRPWR for the most amazing shoot ever)

In what little day to day street driving I have done I have found the car to be very similar to the standard GTR as the seats and overall cabin carry a familair feel. the exception would be the stiff suspension and pinpoint steering causing the car to follow imperfections in the road in an exaggerated manner. The turbos do not feature any noticeable lag and the TCM improvements actually make the NISMO a pleasant experience when driving on streets. No real negatives in having the NISMO as a livable car other than the NISMO specific NR1 tires seem to wear at an even faster rate than the standard Dunlop even though this car features only a small change in negative camber vs the standard car.

This year has been a whirlwind starting with the delivery last October.I would like to thank everyone on GTRLIFE/NAGTROC. The success of this site and owners club in the US is one of the things im most proud of. I would also like to thank Carl, Jeff and everyone who had a hand in this at Nissan & NISMO. The car itself is special in its own right as an important part of Nissan history in the US, but the biggest part for me is to be able to walk out to my NISMO garage 1 year later and still know that my efforts and role in the GTR community was appreciated. Partnering with Nissan, "The One" has enjoyed a constant presence on their social media channels helping to keep visibility of the GTR and NISMO brand high.

I cant wait to see where the second year of ownership takes me!

GTRLIFE October Build of the Month Feature

Sun, 11 Oct 2015 23:03:42 +0000

Spoolinstevo's Blue AMS Alpha 12

Build List:

Block balanced, blueprinted
Sleeved Forged Shortblock.
Bored 95.5mm with 9.5:1 compression
Upgraded pins, CP pistons ceramic coated,Anti friction skirts
Carrillo Pro H Rods
HeadGames CNC Heads
Ferrea Valves and retainers
Kelford Cams
Kelford Springs

AMS Alpha 12 series turbo kit
AMS Billet wheel v bank Turbo chargers. GT35 Variant
AMS V band manifiolds
AMS Intake piping and filters
AMS Heat Shield thermal protection system
Tial MV-s Wastegates 20# springs
AMS lower intercooler pipes
AMS Down Pipes
AMS oil and coolant lines
AMS turbo support brackets
AMS Map sensor
AMS boost control solenoid
Custom Goodspeed Performance Dump Pipes. I like noise.
AMS FMIC Kit
AMS Intake Manifold
Blue Max 2150cc injectors
Goodspeed fuel system with Hobbs switch, Radium triple pump surge tank, 3-walbro 460 e85 pumps, Fuel lab fuel press reg, Fuel cooler
AMS fuel rail kit
GotBoost Flex fuel kit: using Zetronics fuel flex converter
GTR fuel fail switch

Transmission:
Jacks Drag 950 Package.
1200hp/950tq.

More info can be found here http://www.gtrlife.c...d-of-the-month/

Skyline GTR Forum

Tue, 25 Aug 2015 22:32:17 +0000

We at GTRLIFE feel as a step to further expand and grow the best online GTR enthusiast community in the world, it was time to add an emphasis and focus to the Legacy GTR models including R32 R33 R34 and even the classic skylines of the past. As most know the 25 year rule in the United States is now allowing the R32 to be imported and there is already a presence of older GTR's in Canada. As time goes by the owner base of these models in North America will continue to grow. We would like to offer the same resources and community that has made NAGTROC/GTRLIFE such a success for the R35 platform to all GTR models. We encourage all the owners of these Legacy GTRs across the world to post their cars and experiences in our Skyline GTR Forum

Officially Official: Tag Heuer Carrera NISMO Calibre 16

Thu, 11 Jun 2015 05:04:24 +0000

First announced earlier this year, TAG Heuer has officially released its Carrera NISMO Calibre 16 watch. This watch was created in commemoration of TAG's partnership with NISMO for the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year, and reflects Tag's relationship with Le Mans and Nissan.

The new Carrera NISMO is based on Tag's Calibre 16 movement. This is a mechanical movement that's been around for some time, incorporating a 12 hour chronograph, day/date indications, 4hz frequency, and a 42 hour power reserve with automatic rotor based "recharging". Dimensions wise, the watch is 43mm wide and is made from titanium with a ceramic scratch resistant bezel. It features a sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating on both sides. The case back is decorated with a NISMO decal. A soft touch matte alligator strap with red stitching is included. The watch has a 100 meter water resistance rating.

NISMO Global head of Brand Darren Cox commented on the watch saying "The NISMO brand is all about the desire for something extra, something innovative... and the desirability of TAG Heuer timepieces is world renowned, so a NISMO special edition TAG Heuer watch is a great way to mark our partnership." Jean Claude Biver, CEO of TAG Heuer commented "Nissan NISMO is the perfect challenger, a pioneer when it comes to the technology in their cars, and also particularly in the way they communicate with young people using their massive social media presence. Just take a look at this car. It's powerful, different and breaks the mold. It's the perfect embodiment of our #DontCrackUnderPressure campaign."

The new TAG Heuer Carrrera NISMO Calibre has reference number CV2A82.FC6237 and is priced at $5300. You can find more on the watch at Tag's website, linked below.

[view full size image]

[Tag Heuer Carrera Calibre 16 Special Edition Nissan NISMO]

GT Academy Round 4 Begins, LM NISMO Drivable

Fri, 05 Jun 2015 17:10:34 +0000

The latest and final round of GT Academy is now underway, featuring Nissan's Le Mans race car, the GT-R LM NISMO. In this round, things are getting more serious and players will need to have completed the previous three rounds, also agreeing to GT Academy's Terms. The round provides an opportunity to drive the LM NISMO race car however, among the first such opportunities in the virtual world. For more on this round as well as discussion on GT Academy 2015, checkout the discussion thread in the forums linked below.

[GT-R Life - GT Academy 2015 Final Round 4 with GT-R NISMO LM]