This Nissan GT-R Race Car Is Rear-Wheel Drive And Now Road Legal

Despite its age, the Nissan GT-R remains an impressive performance car, but if you're looking for one that's a bit more potent, skip the GT-R50 and check out the upcoming GT23 from JRM Group. The model uses the GT-R GT1 race car as a starting point but makes it road legal. The company is making just 23 of them for £380,000 each ($500,620 at current exchange rates), and deliveries start in 2020.

JRM makes some major tweaks to the GT-R GT1 to create the GT23. They revise the front end, including changing the engine and transmission location under the hood versus the race car. The suspension architecture is also different. With racing slicks, JRM claims the car can achieve 2g of cornering grip.

The model still uses Nissan's VR38DETT V6, but the powerplant now makes 650 horsepower (485 kilowatts). The power runs through a six-speed sequential gearbox. However, unlike most GT-Rs, this one is rear-wheel drive.

Compared to the track-spec GT-R GT1 (gallery below) the GT23 looks significantly different. JRM fits a different hood with two massive inlets. Revised fenders include gills behind the front wheels. At the back, the look is more similar to the racer, except for a pair of center-exit exhaust tips. Lightweight materials keep the weight down to 2,811 pounds (1,275 kilograms).

The interior looks straight out of a race car. There is a driver's seat with massive bolsters, and the pilot grips a flat-bottomed, multi-function steering wheel. The instruments appear on a digital display.

JRM is taking orders for the GT23 internationally, so no matter where you live, there's an opportunity to park one in the garage.