Japan’s Holiday Auto magazine goes on the record confirming the name and specification of the upcoming GT-R’s engine in its latest ‘GT-R Perfect Manual’ edition.

Even though the 2008 GT-R’s release is still just under two months away, Holiday Auto has been hard at work putting together a 10 page article exploring the new GT-R’s engine, chassis, driveline and interior features, some of which is old news by now but included nonetheless. We’re told that Nissan was in fact looking at a V8 engine to use in the GT-R in its early stages of development but found that the VK45 from the Nissan President wasn’t an engine worthy of the ‘R’ in the GT-R’s badge. Although it could satisfy the power, torque and driveability deemed necessary for the GT-R, the way in which it delivered those attributes was more befitting of a large saloon than a GT car. There was also a status problem, the VK45 being associated with Nissan’s luxury sedan would cause problems with potential GT-R buyers who were looking for more exclusivity… well exclusivity is what they got.

The VR38VETT

Holiday Auto broke the news about the existence of a VR based GT-R engine last month, and since then has gone one further and given us a actual alphanumeric designation: VR38VETT. The VR38 is actually a recreation of the famed VRH35L V8 powering the R390 Le Mans car albeit in V6 form. A lot of knowledge gained from Group C and endurance racing has allowed Nissan to take the performance aspect of the GT-R that little bit further (over say, a VQ based engine) by taking the basic design of the VR38 and using it for the new GT-R’s V6 engine block and cylinder heads. A surprising feature of the twin turbo system is the ‘Integrated Exhaust Manifold Turbine’ where the exhaust manifold and turbo exhaust housing are formed as one piece. We’re told this is for weight saving, packaging and high response and was chosen over the more costly ‘motor assisted twin turbo system’ that was predicted way back in mid-2004. What all this has resulted in is an engine design that could be viewed as two 1.9L straight 3-cylinder DOHC turbo engines joined by a common crankshaft, with separate intake manifolds and throttle bodies for each bank. The intake manifold is actually the centerpiece of the engine bay, its intake runners being used as a design feature of the VR38VETT as shown in the CG mock up image shown below.

Cosworth’s involvement in the GT-R’s engine development has been mentioned before on many occasions but until now there hasn’t been much information on what they’ve actually done. Holiday Auto tells us the GT-R’s aluminum engine block is a ‘monoblock’ design, meaning it doesn’t use sleeves inside each cylinder bore so that the pistons make direct contact with the block. Cosworth has also reduced the weight of the crankshaft, conrods and pistons to achieve maximum response and a free revving nature that belies its larger 3.8L capacity. It comes as a surprise too that the whole engine looks a lot shorter than what you would expect a 3.8L engine to be, its compact design and light weight being a major contributing factor in the cars overall balance. Many other parts such as the cam covers, timing chain cover, oil pan and a multitude of bolts, screws and washers are all made of magnesium. The GT-R will also use a semi-wet sump system which can handle higher g-forces over a traditional wet sump which start to suffer from ‘oil sloshing’ at around 1.8g. As pointed out in our previous article, the power delivery of the VR38VETT is extremely linear and does not drop off after hitting maximum power at 6,800rpm which was a big factor in proceeding with the development of an all new engine. From as little as 1,500rpm a powerful surge can be felt with - what seems like - all 480ps available with very little throttle application. It has been said that there are very few people with enough skill to drive the new GT-R at its limit, this limit being so high that a driver of average skill level would never be able to test the boundaries of the GT-R’s performance… this could possibly be an exaggeration on Holiday Auto’s part, but the point has been made clear: the new GT-R is every bit a Supercar.

Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (audtatious)
Posted by: Encryptshun at 2:48 PM 9/11/2007

Wait....what?



Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (audtatious)
Posted by: Andy_V35Sky_350GT at 8:08 PM 9/11/2007

0-100 3.9secs



Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (Andy_V35Sky_350GT)
Posted by: audtatious at 8:38 PM 9/11/2007

Common, Chad, do you need to brush up on your Engrish? Japanese people can't say words with an F in them....lol



Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (C33LaurelRacer)
Posted by: audtatious at 5:06 AM 9/12/2007

That picture is computer generated so the person who did it obviously can't spell......Or it's as Neal stated above



Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (C33LaurelRacer)
Posted by: Encryptshun at 6:52 AM 9/12/2007

That why I say "Huck you, Joe Boo!"

I solly, I solly!



Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (audtatious)
Posted by: Gold Digger at 5:38 PM 9/12/2007

Quote, originally posted by audtatious »

That picture is computer generated so the person who did it obviously can't spell......Or it's as Neal stated above

Yeah, that is not what the engine bay will look like. Lemme go get a magazine I had while in the hospital. It's got some shots of it. Give me about 10 minutes or so.

Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (C33LaurelRacer)
Posted by: Gold Digger at 6:17 PM 9/12/2007

Front cover

Main page of article

Story and specs page

Final page of article and a lead in to the new Fairlady

Interior (still masked on some parts, as you can see)

Engine bay. Note the V-VEL 3.8 Badge above the GT-R badge

Tire, wheel and brake; front driver's side
Tire and wheel specs:
F/ 255/40/R20 with 6 pot caliper and drilled rotors.
R/ 285/35/R20 with 4 pot caliper and drilled rotors.

Close up of rear passenger shot.

And, this was a gift from a friend of mine while I was in the hospital this past weekend.

Post Title:
Posted by: Encryptshun at 6:20 PM 9/12/2007

Or, even worse....CVT??



Post Title: Re: VR38VETT in new GT-R (C33LaurelRacer)
Posted by: audtatious at 6:53 PM 9/12/2007

Would love to see it.

Thanks!

Post Title:
Posted by: duffman1278 at 9:29 AM 9/14/2007

and hopefully sales stay alright and they keep them in the states.



Post Title:
Posted by: s86d at 7:55 PM 9/21/2007

holy crap



Post Title: Re: (s86d)
Posted by: keith0486 at 2:39 PM 9/25/2007

i sense more engrish....

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