Nissan's motto is "Innovation that excites" and the new GT-R LM race car certain does exactly that. This is one of many motorsport projects that the Japanse company is undertaking, but it's the most crucial because it also underpins the development of the next GT-R, like a laboratory on wheels.
Under the red paint and aggressive bodywork is a new type of supercar killing powertrain, which combines a fresh 3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine with electricity. Nissan has long toyed with the idea of making the GT-R into a hybrid or plug-in hybrid and considering they also make the best selling pure EV, it should be a good combo.
Another thing that makes the GT-R LM interesting is that it's the only car that will participate in this year's Le Mans series with a front-wheel drive setup. That doesn't mean the next GT-R will be FWD as well, but Nissan may have found a way to save fuel and that could eventually trickle down to its road cars.
What makes this an even stranger car is that it will send as much as 1,250 horsepower to the wheels. That means each corner has to deal with over 600 hp, the total output of a production GT-R Nismo, while also having to deal with steering.
"The GT-R is our flagship road car. This, the ultimate GT-R, continues a sporting bloodline that goes back three decades with Nismo, the motorsport and performance arm of Nissan. Le Mans drives innovation, so success on the track will lead to greater innovation in our road car range. We are the new kids at Le Mans. Our opponents are the best in the world, but we are ready," said Roel de Vries, global head of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Nissan.
The new car will contest the LM P1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, where it will have a tough time fighting Porsche's 919 and the reigning champs, Audi.
Another thing that makes the GT-R LM interesting is that it's the only car that will participate in this year's Le Mans series with a front-wheel drive setup. That doesn't mean the next GT-R will be FWD as well, but Nissan may have found a way to save fuel and that could eventually trickle down to its road cars.
What makes this an even stranger car is that it will send as much as 1,250 horsepower to the wheels. That means each corner has to deal with over 600 hp, the total output of a production GT-R Nismo, while also having to deal with steering.
"The GT-R is our flagship road car. This, the ultimate GT-R, continues a sporting bloodline that goes back three decades with Nismo, the motorsport and performance arm of Nissan. Le Mans drives innovation, so success on the track will lead to greater innovation in our road car range. We are the new kids at Le Mans. Our opponents are the best in the world, but we are ready," said Roel de Vries, global head of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Nissan.
The new car will contest the LM P1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, where it will have a tough time fighting Porsche's 919 and the reigning champs, Audi.