2013 Nissan GT-R Priced from $97,820; We Chart Godzilla’s Price, Power, and Performance Over the Years

2013 Nissan GT-R Priced from $97,820; We Chart Godzilla’s Price, Power, and Performance Over the Years:

The GT-R, Nissan’s twin-turbocharged hellion, has received upgrades each and every model year since it went on sale for 2009—and 2013 will be no different. Its price has been upgraded along with it: The 2013 GT-R will start at $97,820 for the Premium “base” model or $107,320 for the uplevel Black Edition. Nearly (or more than) $100,000? Wasn’t this car supposed to be the bargain supercar slayer when it came out? Well, yeah, it was. And it kind of still is. The table below shows the car’s price and output increases over the years, along with our best 0-to-60-mph result for each model year we tested.

Some notes on the changes:

• For 2010, Nissan increased engine output by 5 hp and 4 lb-ft of torque, and recalibrated the GT-R’s launch control to increase the longevity of the dual-clutch gearbox (hence our slightly longer trip to 60 mph that year). That model also got a revised navigation system, new shock tuning for a better ride, rear-diffuser cooling ducts, and a USB port for music.


• The 2011 GT-R was reduced to a single trim level, which was equipped with everything that came on the previous year’s uplevel Premium model. The price increased by almost $3300, but a few extra items were thrown in that were previously unavailable on any GT-R. Again, Nissan fiddled with the suspension and added more cooling ducts.


• Power and torque increased yet again for the 2012 GT-R. The biggest jump in output to date helped drop the 0-to-60 time to 2.9 seconds in our testing. Also on order: a revised front fascia with LED running lights, new wheels, a revised rear diffuser, greater front and rear downforce, a stiffer structure, revised suspension tuning, new front brake rotors, interior upgrades, and a two-wheel-drive mode for low speeds to address low-speed driveline binding. Whew!

This brings us to the 2013 GT-R’s seemingly hefty price tag. Yes, it’s $6870 more expensive in base form than the 2012 model, but, again, it’s accompanied by a list of improvements. The GT-R is still cheaper than hero cars like the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, and it’s only $470 more than the new 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S. So, a bargain, then?

Source : Google Reader