Sorry for the one's who have read this:
'Godzilla' set to roar again
By Cameron McGavin
The Age
Thursday February 6 2003
Nissan's revival gathers more speed, reports Cameron McGavin.
NISSAN will go head to head in a power war with the world's top sports-car manufacturers when its new GT-R sports coupe makes its debut this year -- and it could be heading to Australia.
Speaking at the Australian launch of the 350Z sports car this week, Nissan chief product specialist John Yukawa said the upcoming GT-R would break through the unofficial 206kW power limit, which Japanese manufacturers have adhered to for decades to appease their government.
And it won't be by a nose, either. Yukawa's benchmark for the new GT-R is Porsche's 911 Turbo, which pumps out 309kW and is regarded by many as the best sports car in the world. Expect to see a power figure of about 300kW when the GT-R is revealed at the Tokyo motor show this year.
"The GT-R will exceed 206kW (the Japanese limit)," said Yukawa. "The Porsche 911 Turbo has about 400hp -- we're aiming for that. Porsche is my ambition."
Japanese car makers have long been suspected of exceeding the self-imposed power limit and then simply quoting 206kW (or 280hp) to keep officials happy. Now that the decision has been made to abandon the agreement, Japanese performance-car makers can get serious about challenging their European counterparts.
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The new GT-R is expected to be powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine.
The rest of the GT-R package is a secret, though there have been clues. The styling is likely to show influences from the rakish GT-R concept car shown at the 2001 Tokyo motor show. Meanwhile, four-wheel-drive -- a signature of the model -- is a certainty.
Price is another unknown, although suggestions are that it will not be cheap, stretching beyond $150,000.
Previous GT-Rs have been built purely for the Japanese market, although 100 of the original -- and, some would say, the best -- R32 model were sold through Nissan dealerships between 1991 and 1993.
The new car, however, is designed with foreign markets in mind as Nissan continues its much-publicised revival under the guidance of leader Carlos Ghosn.
Leon Daphne, managing director and chief executive of Nissan Australia, said the new GT-R was on his wish list, though he stressed that any decision would come from Japan.
"When it's available in right-hand-drive, we'd like to take it," he said. "But it would be in very limited numbers."
The GT-R name has a glorious history in Australia, despite no presence in almost a decade.
The legendary R32 GT-R earned the nickname "Godzilla" for its performances in Australian touring car racing; it was ultimately ruled out of the competition through fear of upsetting car makers Ford and Holden.
Road-going models, many of which have been privately imported over the years, won similar favour for their explosive performance and excellent handling.
Sitting below the GT-R in Nissan's planned three-tiered sports-car line-up is the 350Z, which went on sale this week for less than $60,000.
Ironically, the arrival of Nissan's new Z-car comes just as its sweet-driving 200SX sports coupe sibling bows out of the Australian market because of problems meeting future emission regulations.
But fans of affordable sports cars need not fret, because a replacement is already under development.
Nissan's John Yukawa confirmed that a new 200SX was on the way and that it would stay true to the philosophy of its predecessor. Don't be surprised, then, if the 200SX replacement is another compact, rear-drive, turbocharged coupe.
"The 200SX is an entry car for the young guy, the Z-car is a car for the macho guy and the GT-R is a car for the enthusiast," said Yukawa. "Nissan is always seeking to provide fun-to-drive cars for the customers, especially for enthusiasts. This is the Nissan way."
