All this is from Autosalon Magazine, one of australias best car mags.
ACCORDING to our Japanese source, what you see before you is what the next generation Nissan Skyline GT-R will look like. Modeled strongly around the current JDM V35 Skyline, rumours have it that the next generation GT-R has already undergone at least three public tests.
The reason why spy shots haven't been taken of it is due to the fact that it was disguised as a V35 Coupe. rather than being cloaked in black canvas. Reports have said that it has been tested around Nurburgring's Nordschleife configuration as early as July 2004. As you can see here, the front end and roofline are very similar to the original concept car that Nissan showed off at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show.
According to Nissan Motor Company President Carlos Gohsn, the new GT-R is set to make its debut at the 2007 Tokto Motor Show. Unlike its predecessors, the new GT-R will be capable of being adapted globally; meaning it will be sold in the U.S. market for the first time.
The inline RB26DETT will be binned in favour of an all alloy V6 twin turbo engine. While initial rumours were that it would use a turbo version of the VQ35DE [350Z] Engine, reports are now coming in that i will, in fact, be 3.2 litres. What is more intriguing is that our sources are adamant that the new GT-R will feature a rear-mounted transaxle. Commonly used on FWD cars, a transaxle is a combination of a transmission and differential in the one unit. One Japanese magazine stated that the entire transaxle gearbox will be mounted between the rear wheels, bringing the car's weight closer to a 50:50 distribution. The seven speed gearbox will utilise an electronic clutch and hydraulic actuator. If this rumour is true, then expect the next GT-R to scrap the ATTESA system. Something more certain is the likelihood that the R34's Super Hicas system which allowed one degree of rear wheel steering), will be dropped.
THIS one is a bit of a suprise. It has been widely rumoured that the current face-lifted NSX would be the last model to carry Honda's most prestigious title. However, it seems that those rumours were wrong. In May 2004, Honda moved its Tochigi production facility - where both the NSX and S2000 are built - to its growing Suzuka site. This has resulted in the streamlining of the production of both models, meaning that more vehicles can be produced (50 S2000s are now produced each day).
According to a source close to Honda's Suzuka operations, a new shape NSX is set to debut within the next three years. However, what isn't so clear is what the new NSX's rivals will be. One interesting rumour is that the new NSX, shown here, will absorb the S2000 range (in much the same way as the DC5 Integra has replaced the Prelude lineup). Its immediate rival will no longer be Ferrari, but rather Porsche.
Recently Honda has rethought its marketing approach, opting to increase production and reduce retail costs. The current Honda Accord Euro and Oddyssey are indicators of this direction, as both have had their prices slashed dramatically. The same approach is being aplied to the NSX, and sources state that this is the reason why the HSC prototype will be stillborn. The NSX is expected to hit the Japanese market in 2008, with an incredible sticker price of six million yen (AU$70,000) for the base model. If it were to come to Aussie shores, expect a price of ~$110,000.
The final design of the new NSX has not been finalised, although the basic package has already been decided. It will be smaller in dimensions than the current model and its wheelbase has also been shortened. The NSX is expected to be powered by the J35A engine that is in the Legend. Since the engines's vee-ganle will be set at 60 degrees, it is expected that the NSX will feature a cab-forward design. This will provide more room to drop the engine lower into the chassis, resulting in a lower centre of gravity.
FORGET the name Supra and start getting used to the 4500GT moniker. This is Toyota's response to the escalating Japanese onslaught on the world of Supercars. If you're an Internet junkie, then you would have no doubt come across the spy photos of the 4500GT, which has also been referred to as the TXS. Both times it has been spotted in Germany, and while the cars's body was cloaked in black canvas, the lines and overall shape of the 4500 GT were obvious. The first version, sporting yellow side mirrors, was caught by spy photographers on the Autobahn, while the second (differentiated by blue mirrors), was snapped doing test laps around Nurburgring.
Both spy photographers have noted their beliefs that the 4500GT was running a 4.5l V10 motor codenamed '444F'. The choice for a V10 option has come from Toyota's involvement with Formula One, however with the FIA's regulation changes that ban the use of V10 engines in F1 from 2006 onwards, there gave beeb growing rumours that it will instead feature a V8 power plant adapted from the current quad cam Lexus 4.5 litre. Power estimates are put at 220kW, with the intention for it to reach 190mph (306kph).
Although it resembles midship car, the 4500GT will actually be based on an FR platform. The monocoque body will be constructed from lightweight aluminium. Both test cars featured 19-inch forged BBS wheels. The 4500GT will see a production run of 10,000 units per year, but it is unknown whether it will be marketed under the Toyota or Lexus badge.
i was about to start typing stuff on the next page until i realised it was a GT4 review sweatdrop
