The 2012 Nissan GT-R. Image: Nissan
There’s a saying that you can’t have too much of a good thing, and when it comes to horsepower we’re inclined to believe it. No one in their right mind would accuse the 2012 Nissan GT-R of being slow, but we seriously doubt buyers would object to Nissan building a faster GT-R. In case you’ve forgotten the specs on the current version, it’ll sprint from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in just under three seconds (2.93 to be exact), run to a top speed just shy of 200 miles per hour and embarrass cars costing twice as much when the road gets twisty.
Autoblog and the North American GT-R Owners Club are reporting that some fairly substantial changes are in the works for the 2013 model. The changes were discussed at a recent European press event, but have yet to be finalized; still, word is that the 2013 version will get a boost of “at least” 40 horsepower, which would bring Godzilla up to a minimum of 570 horsepower. While no one would buy a GT-R to be Green, the 2013 model will also crank out less carbon dioxide, so buying one is an ecologically sensible thing to do in our eyes.
Under the sheetmetal, the suspension and transmission shift logic have been revised for even better handling, and the underbody has been redesigned to improve airflow (add downforce, would be our guess) and aid cooling. Don’t look for any changes to styling or paint options, since the 2013 will be visually identical to the 2012 model. Pricing has not yet been set, but we’d expect a modest bump in price to justify the higher output.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
