565 HP 2017 Nissan GT-R First Look

After the grand unveiling of the facelifted 2017 Nissan GTR in New York earlier today, we headed over to take a closer look at the popular Japanese supercar. Changes on the exterior are minimal, which comes as no surprise with the new GTR being a facelift. However when you open the doors, you instantly notice where the real changes have taken place.

The 2017 GTR get’s an entirely new dashboard as part of a true clean up operation. That operation involved removing 16 switches and buttons of which the functions are now integrated within the car’s new touch display. The display grew by an inch and is now the true center of operations.

In terms of styling the Nissan team introduces new premium interior packages as well as an extended color palette for the exterior. The facelifted GTR furthermore features a refined version of the award-winning 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that now produces 565 hp at 6800 rpm and 633 Nm of torque, which is an increase of 20 hp in comparison to the outgoing model. Add on a new lightweight titanium exhaust system with Active Sound Enhancement (ASE) and that pretty much sums up the most vital changes that come with the 2017 Nissan GTR facelift.

Not all of the car's padding is thinner, though. The new car gets additional sound-deadening materials and an acoustic glass windshield to reduce noise. The transmission has also been quieted, and the titanium exhaust now features a valve to hush it on command. The GT-R gets active noise cancelling technology, as well.

The changes extend beyond the cosmetic. The twin-turbo, 3.8-liter V-6 has been updated with parts from the old GT-R NISMO, booting power to 565 hp and 467 lb-ft of torque (improvements of 20 hp and 4 lb-ft) thanks to more boost and individual timing control for each cylinder. In addition to the greater peaks, the changes are said to improve midrange- and high-rpm power, giving Godzilla a beefier torque curve. Nissan says that new exhaust, when the driver chooses to open it, sounds better, too. The improved engine is paired to an improved six-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which has had its shifting behavior smoothed out for everyday driving, but it's still aggressive with your foot to the floor. With the GT-R's curb weight still around 3,900 pounds and only minor power gains, don't expect the lightning-quick 0-60 performance to change too much from the old car's 2.7-2.9-second performance.

Nissan did a bit of work under the body, as well, stiffening the chassis to more effectively use the lightly reworked suspension. Thanks to the changes, Nissan says the new GT-R both rides better and goes around a corner quicker.

To top off the deal, Nissan is adding the new Blaze Metallic paint option to all models and three new interior color options if you buy a Premium Edition model. Cars equipped with NissanConnect will get navigation with mobile apps and Services, which allows you to operate some vehicle functions, such as activating the alarm, from your smartphone and can track the car if it's stolen.

The more powerful, more comfortable GT-R will go on sale this summer. The base car, if you can call it that, will be the GT-R Premium shown here. It'll eventually be joined by three more trim levels with increased performance. The 2017 GT-R will likely cost at least as much as the current car, which starts just over $102,000.

2017 Nissan GT-R
BASE PRICE	$102,000 (est)
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front engine, AWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe
ENGINE	3.8L/565-hp/467-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-vlv V-6
TRANSMISSION	6-sp twin-cl auto
CURB WEIGHT	3,900 lb (MT est)
WHEELBASE	109.4 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	185.4 x 74.6 x 53.9 in
0-60 MPH	2.8 sec (MT est)
EPA ECONOMY	16/22/19 mpg (est)
ON SALE	Summer 2016