The Nissan GT-R, is perhaps… no it is the only good thing Nissan has ever done. The GT-R is entering its 14th year of production and remains largely unchanged. Yes, there have been mechanical updates, faster special editions. And the exterior design still looks contemporary, although the interior is looking and feeling its age. But it was so damn good, mechanically, from the very beginning Nissan couldn’t really improve on the winning formula. To that end the Nissan GT-R is like a Victoria sponge cake, there are many recipe’s but Nissan’s GT-R recipe is the best. And no matter how many times you eat it, it will always taste great. As if you’re eating it for the first time. And that is a problem.
Take the Porsche 911, three new generations have mutated over the past 14 years whilst the GT-R has seemingly stood still. And to address this problem British based motor racing group, JRM Motorsport, has built from the ground up, what is conceivably a new generation Nissan GT-R for the road and track. And they call it the JRM GT23. The biggest changes come to the body and floor which is now made entirely of carbon fiber. And the massive rear wing, front and rear diffusers and air ducts/channels significantly improve aerodynamics and high speed stability. JRM says that the use of carbon fibre will knock 500kg off the original 1,720kg curb weight.
The 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo has undergone JRM surgery with new turbos, pistons, camshafts, and conrods for more power and better driveability. The engine has been repositioned as far back as is possible for better balance and weight distribution placing this vehicle closer to a mid-engine car. Overall the engine modifications have extracted an extra 100bhp bumping up power to 650bhp.
JRM also significantly upgraded the braking system, replaced the standard auto with a sequential gearbox, fitted a new cooling system and remapped the ECU. And they also replaced the GT-R’s suspension with a race-derived setup. The interior has been stripped back, it’s a mix of exposed carbon fiber and Alcantara trim. Even the door handles have been replaced with cloth straps. An FIA-approved six-point racing harness secures you into the bucket seats.
The central infotainment system is gone and replaced with an AIM Motorsport 10″ Dash Display. The driver’s instrument binnacle is now a fully digital TFT display and the race-spec steering wheel is removable. This is a comprehensive teardown and re-build of the GT-R. It is built by expert motor racing engineers for both the road and track. JRM will limit production to 23 units, hence the moniker GT23. And yes it costs £380,000.
