Facelifted Nissan GT-R unveiled at New York Show

The Nissan GT-R has been facelifted for the 2017 model year. It features new styling, an upgraded cabin and an even more powerful V6 engine. It's on display at the New York Motor Show.

The upgraded GT-R features a new interpretation of Nissan’s ‘V-motion' front grille, along with a reinforced bonnet and new bumper design, said to give the car more downforce. The metallic orange paint of the show car is new, too. Along the sides, the sills have been widened to improve air flow, while the rear gets a reprofiled bumper to sit alongside its quad exhaust tips. Nissan says these changes are designed to make the GT-R more aerodynamically efficient, and help to keep the car stable at high speeds.

Inside, the cabin has been upgraded to include leather trim, with most of the buttons of the old car removed and integrated into a larger, 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Other changes include new steering-wheel mounted shift paddles and carbonfibre trim on the centre console. New sound deadening materials are claimed to make the cabin quieter than before, too.

The GT-R sits on 20-inch wheels, and is said to have a more rigid body structure and new suspension compared with the old car. Nissan says this means a more stable ride and a higher cornering speed.

While the facelifted GT-R keeps the same 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine as before, power has been boosted from 542bhp to 562bhp at 6800rpm, alongside 470 lb ft of torque. That’s still less than the GT-R Nismo, which receives 592bhp from the same engine. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. 

Nissan says the GT-R “has never sounded better” thanks to a new titanium exhaust and an “Active Sound Enhancement” system, which amplifies the sound. Mid-range power delivery is also said to be improved, and Nissan also introduced an adaptive cylinder-shut-off system to the GT-R.

GT-R product specialist Hiroshi Tamura said: “The new GT-R delivers a heart-pounding driving experience at all times and on any road for whoever sits in the driver’s seat. We have continued to push its performance boundaries to the outer limits - it’s even more potent than before.

“At the same time, more refinement has been added to take the driving experience to an entirely new level. We’re proud to bring you what we feel is the ultimate GT that possesses amazing performance, newfound civility and a rich racing history.”

Nissan hasn’t revealed pricing for the facelifted GT-R, only saying that the car will be available in North America in summer 2016. The current GT-R is priced from £78,030 (Rs 76.80 lakh) in the UK.