Re-Spec Yourself

Watch out, Nurburgring. The Nissan GT-R SpecV has landed, and it's gunning for you.

This is the world's first-ever look at the lighter, more powerful GT-R and, well, let's put it this way: the guys at Porsche are going to be worried.

Details on the SpecV are a little sketchy at the moment, but we approve of all the, er, specs we've got so far. The biggest news is that Nissan has ditched the two (very small) rear seats from the GT-R, turning it into a genuine two-seater and saving a whole bunch of weight.

To help with the diet, there's a whole host of carbon fiber, too – a new carbon fiber rear spoiler, grille and brake ducts on the outside, and carbon fiber bucket seats and dash on the inside. Lightweight NISMO wheels and a new suspension system complete the weight-saving program, and shouldn't do any harm to the GT-R's already most excellent handling, either.

If you considered the stock GT-R's 480 hp and 434 lbs-ft to be a touch weedy, the SpecV gets a bit of extra power, too: the 3.8-liter V6 has been treated to a new high gear boost control device which briefly increases pressure to the twin turbos for extra torque at high speeds. Mmm, boosty.

Prices are yet to be confirmed - in fact, Nissan hasn't yet announced whether the SpecV will make it to the UK or US , though our sources say that they're 'hopeful' it will. 

More worryingly, we don't know how much extra torque you actually get – or, indeed, how much lighter the SpecV is compared to its full-fat brother. With its new, stickier tyres, we might optimistically suggest that the SpecV could hit 60mph in just over three seconds (the standard GT-R officially takes 3.5 seconds, though some tests have shown it going even quicker).

More importantly, how quickly is it going to get round the 'Ring? The GT-R, remember, managed 7 minutes 29 seconds last year (though we sense Porsche might still be sceptical) – so you're looking at a car that should be able to beat the Corvette ZR1's 7 minutes 26... in the right hands of course.

We hear a rustling from the den of Sir Stiggington as we type...