The 2020 Nissan GT-R NISMO is the culmination of two of Nissan’s most important nameplates: GT-R – representing 50 years of history, pedigree, success in racing and a global fan following – and NISMO, NISsan MOtorsports International Co., Nissan’s in-house tuning arm that pursues performance at a maniacal level by perfecting the smallest of details. True to what NISMO stands for, the 2020 GT-R NISMO is a more extreme, track-oriented version of the GT-R that has matured through rigorous refinements, and become sharper and more rewarding as a street car.
The 2020 GT-R NISMO is about total balance. New, race-proven turbochargers, improved gearbox shift control, lighter components, reduced overall mass and upgrades to the brakes, wheels and tires contribute to a 2.5-second reduction in lap time around Nissan’s development track, not to mention an improvement of the GT-R’s inherent high speed stability, even at speeds of up to 186 mph (300 kph). Here’s how Nissan achieved this remarkable improvement.
Building on the kaizen mindset
The pursuit of perfection requires persistence. The constant need to evolve and fine-tune – this is kaizen. Kaizen is at the heart of the GT-R NISMO, a team wide mindset that has pushed the men and women behind this car to challenge themselves each step of the way. They show an inherent curiosity and “what-if” mentality when revisiting every minute detail. Small improvements may not seem important in isolation, but it’s when they’re combined as a whole that a difference becomes perceptible. That’s when a car’s character grows; it’s not all about numbers and performance but the holistic effect – how the GT-R NISMO becomes an extension of a driver’s body and mind as the vehicle carves a line through a favorite road or race track.
The 2020 GT-R NISMO’s suspension tuning improves cornering stability (lateral G), with enhanced yaw-rate response and smoother ride quality. The steering features better linearity and precision than ever, requiring minimal corrections even at speeds reaching 300 kph (186 mph).
