With the next-generation R36 GT-R still a good five years away from launch, it will be left to the tuning community to chop and change the current R35 generation to enable it to continue killing the latest supercars on the market. Godzilla's base price is around $100,000, but for an additional investment there are plenty of tuning companies that will rework the engine, add carbon fiber and apply other weight-saving components, as well as bore out the turbocharged 3.8-liter V6. Here are five of the best.
Built for Gerald Sensabaugh of the Dallas Cowboys, Jotech's package includes a choice of bolt-on turbo kits and a GReddy XL Intercooler kit that consists of polished aluminum piping, Type RS blow-off valves, a six-boost controller and turbo blankets. The fuel system is upgraded with 1,000cc injectors, HKS twin fuel pumps and HKS Iridium Colder spark plugs. Running on 93 octane, the GT-R should manage up 700 hp at the wheels. There are stainless-steel downpipes, an HKS exhaust system with non-resonated midpipe, polished-aluminum air intakes with K&N filters, and a custom ECU tune. The $31,000 upgrade is completed by a set of Series S101 alloys from HRE Performance.
Vivid Racing's tuning package for the GT-R includes a lick of Super Silver Nissan paint and a new set of tinted brushed 21-inch MHT's Niche SPA 3-piece super concave wheels. Its mean stance comes from fitting a KW Variant 3 Coil Spring Kit that lowers the car and provides stiffer, more balanced handling. Thanks to an ECU remap and a new Agency Power Titanium exhaust system with midpipe, power upgrades raise output to 605 hp. The built-to-order titanium catback features quad tips and an ultra-lightweight design, and the result is a crisp new engine note.
Italian tuning firm Romeo Ferraris prepared two stages of performance kits for the Nissan GT-R, boosting power to 485 and 530 horsepower, respectively. Based on the GT-R from model year 2010 or 2011, Step 1 includes the replacement of the standard air filter and the installation of a new programmable module with three pre-set power settings (Normal, Sport and Race) that can be selected via controls on the car's steering wheel. Step 2 includes the filter and ECU module plus a high-performance exhaust system. Romeo Ferraris also offers exterior modification options for the GT-R including carbon-fiber aero components, alloys, and a bespoke interior finished with high-quality materials.
Designed to be a daily driver, the Switzer Performance-tuned Godzilla dubbed the Ultimate Street Edition boasts 1,000 hp and upgraded styling. Re-engineered from the ground up, the GT-R includes Switzer-specific pistons, pins, rings, connecting rods and specially-ground camshafts. The 3.8-liter engine gets a pair of liquid-cooled turbochargers with innovative billet compressor wheels. A new stainless-steel performance exhaust system, Switzer-specific lowering springs, nano-carbon brakes and more have also been added to the GT-R USE.
Austrian tuner Konigseder is responsible for this imposing-looking GT-R. By fitting a new intake and exhaust and reprogramming the ECU, the tuning house were able to up output to 572 horsepower. The GT-R also got a new set of wheels, a body kit and a bright orange paint job. In other words, it's not going to be flying under the radar. The picture these modified Nissans paint is that the GT-R may be a formidable piece of engineering straight from the factory, but for some owners, that's only going to be the start.
