2008 Nissan GT-R to feature VR38VETT developed with Cosworth

While motoring madness goes unchecked at the 62nd Frankfurt Motor Show, the Japanese are waiting patiently for their turn at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. Top of the list for most punters and no-doubt the star attraction of the Tokyo Show will be Nissan’s new GT-R – and we have more interesting news.

The guys at 7tune have been kind enough to translate an article that was recently published in Japan’s ‘Holiday Auto’ magazine that delves deeper into the development of the new Godzilla.

You may have heard rumours about the 2008 GTR featuring a V8 but we can put those rumours to rest. The GT-R’s designers felt that the VK45 V8 just wasn’t ‘exclusive’ enough for their new baby or for that matter the prospective customer base. In other words, it was not worthy of the famed ‘R’ badge.

As we revealed in a previous article the famed RB26DETT will be superceded by the new VR38DETT, a recreation of the Le Mans VRH35L 3.5-litre twin turbo V8, in V6 guise. Importantly the VRH35L will utilise the same technology for the cylinder heads and engine block as the Le Mans engine.

Interestingly, Nissan have developed the new engine in conjunction with Cosworth in the UK. Cosworth's expertise was employed in the development of the V6's aluminium monoblock design - the engine does not use piston sleeves, so the pistons make direct contact with the block. Cosworth also assisted with the design of reduced weight pistons, conrods and crankshaft.

Holiday Auto report that the VRH35L will redline at about 6800rpm and that the better part of 350kW will be available from low in the rev range. The new engine features an ‘Intergrated Exhaust Manifold Turbine’ where the exhaust manifold is actually part of the turbo’s exhaust housing - possibly a downside for aftermarket tuners.

In the late 1980’s the R32 GTR Skyline was built to dominate Group A championship racing in Japan, which it did very well. It also went on to conquer our local touring car series and win the Bathurst enduro in Australia. Now in 2008 Nissan are designing the new GT-R for the road, utilising their racing experience from the 80’s and they have the Porsche Turbo squarely in their cross hairs.

Darcy

[Source:7tune]