2010 Nissan GT-R FIA GT1 Race Car

[G Fo12ce]

This car is pure bad-ahss.

TOKYO — Nissan Motorsports — better known to motorheads as Nismo — has released the first official images and specs on the 2010 Nissan GT-R GT1 racing car.

Created to contest the inaugural FIA GT1 World Championship this year, the Nismo-prepped GT-R GT1 underwent a series of development tests in 2009, including participation in several events including Silverstone, Spa and Zolder.

This year, two teams — Swiss Racing Team and Britain's Sumo Power GT — have signed to field a pair of cars each in the GT1 championship series, with tech support provided by Nismo.

According to the Nismo Web site, the GT-R GT1 will shed some weight from the production version, tipping the scales at only 2,756 pounds.

The car will be powered by a normally aspirated 5.6-liter V8, replacing the production model's twin-turbo V6. Output is 600 horsepower, and torque is 480 pound-feet. On the racing car, the big V8 drives the rear wheels through a Ricardo six-speed sequential gearbox.

Nismo has fitted 18-inch tires and Rays wheels, as well as double wishbones, adjustable shocks and carbon-ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers. The GT-R GT1 also sports a carbon-fiber aero body kit with front splitter, full rear wing and vented hood.

The GT1 spec Nissan will be powered by the VK56DE V8, the same engine used by Nissan in the GT500 class of the Japanese Super GT racing series. The 600 HP produced from the 5.6 liter motor should be enough to make the 1250 kilogram chassis competitive. Balancing out the GT-R is a rear mounted Ricardo six speed transaxle by way of a carbon triple-plate clutch. Quite possibly the nicest parts, and the only ones that could be used on a street car, are the beautiful 18x13 inch RAYS forged racing wheels.

The team has launched a website GTRLive.tv where fans of Godzilla and the hamburger logo. The GT1 spec GT-R will make its competition debut on May 3rd at Silverstone and compete in three more races in 2009 before launching an all out attack on the GT1 circuit in 2010.

What does this mean for GT-R enthusiasts? There is a strong probability of Nissan releasing an even more powerful, better handling LM version of the GT-R. A machine that would make the future GT-R Spec V seem more like a Sentra.

By the way a little birdie told me that the RAYS wheel shown above may have a street version coming out at some point.