2010 Nissan GT-R Racing

(from Nissan Press Release)  Nissan GT-R Goes Racing Around the World

– Competing in Three Series on Four Continents –

From the moment the venerable Nissan GT-R was introduced to the world in 2008, it was hailed as one of the most potent production cars ever to hit the pavement. Developed and groomed on the most demanding racetrack on the planet, the Nordschleife at the Nürburgring, the GT-R set lap times so impressive that they shocked the automotive community. For the 2010 race season, Nissan has decided to unleash the GT-R’s potential as a race machine, waging war in three different series on four continents.

In North America, Nissan will team up with Brass Monkey Racing to contest the World Challenge GT Championship, where two specially-prepped GT-Rs will vie for the Manufacturers and Drivers Championships. And speaking of drivers, the cars will be piloted by two-time series race winner Tony Rivera and Steve Ott. The GT-Rs will debut in St. Petersburg on March 26-28.

“We’re very excited to bring such an iconic car to the North American professional racing scene,” A.J. Brass, team owner of the Brass Monkey Racing, said. “We look forward to bringing an entirely new platform to World Challenge.”

In Europe, the Middle East, and South America a quartet of GT-Rs will do battle in the 2010 FIA GT1 World Championships. Team Sumo Power and Swiss Racing Team will each field two GT-Rs in this exclusive series. One of the Sumo Power cars, wearing the traditional Nissan race number “23”, will be driven by Peter Dumbreck and Michael Krumm. Multiple FIA GT race-winner Karl Wendlinger will pilot a Swiss Racing GT-R in the season-opener on April 17 in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

“I have been racing in the FIA GT Championships for many years, but now I’m very excited about the new world championship and very happy to be driving the Nissan GT-R,” Wendlinger said.

In Asia, three GT-Rs will carry on Nissan’s successful association with the Super GT Series. Running in the coveted GT500 class, the spec GT-Rs will compete under the team banners of Nismo, Kondo Racing and Team Impul. Nismo ace driver, Satoshi Motoyama, who won the championship in the GT-R in 2008, looks forward to a challenging yet successful season in 2010.

“The car is improved significantly from last year, so that’s a sign that we’ll be very competitive this year. The other makers have also made improvements, so it should be an interesting year,” Motoyama said.

To say that the GT-R will be racing “all over the place” this year would be an understatement. Look for it to seriously go after GT racing’s version of the Triple Crown by winning all three series, a feat never before accomplished.

Technical Specs

Engine VK56DE
Position Front, Longitudinal
Aspiration Natural
Displacement 5552 cc / 338.80 in³
Power 447.4 kw / 600 bhp
Specific Output 108.07 bhp per litre
BHP/Weight 480.0 bhp per tonne
Torque 650 nm / 479.4 ft lbs
Driven Wheels RWD
Front Tires 31/71-18
Rear Tires 31/71-18
Front Brakes Carbon Fiber Discs w/6-Piston Calipers
Rear Brakes Carbon Fiber Discs w/6-Piston Calipers
Front Wheels F 45.7 x 33.0 cm / 18 x 13 in
Rear Wheels R 45.7 x 33.0 cm / 18 x 13 in
F Suspension Double Wishbones
R Suspension Multi-Link
Weight 1250 kg / 2756 lbs
Wheelbase 2780 mm / 109.4 in
Front Track 1675 mm / 65.9 in
Rear Track 1710 mm / 67.3 in
Length 4730 mm / 186.2 in
Width 2040 mm / 80.3 in
Transmission 6-Speed Transaxle
Tran Clutch 5.5” Triple Plate Carbon