Here is a video Andy at Powervehicles.com put together.  In the HD footage you can see him shredding tyres with his 1.5JZ powered MarkII Corona as well as the yellow FD3S across some of the best drift circuits in eastern Japan.  Emily shows off her skills too at the wheel of her Yashio Factory S14.

As far as I know you can’t embed Vimeo videos on WordPress so the link will have to do for now…

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Nissan have just uploaded more pix on their press website.  You can now see the boost button more clearly, and again on the center console (replaces the suspension setting toggle switch).  Looks like other colors will be available too…

View of the seatless rear and the carbon speaker surround.  Speakers should even be there IMO!!!!

Carbon Recaro seats with embossed GT-R logo

Plastic engine cover now black

By far the coolest color….Brilliant White

Was looking through the high-res picture of the SpecV’s interior when I noticed this little green logo….

On the regular car the upper section of this cruise control button reads RES/ACCEL.  From what I can make out it now says RES/ACL plus that little green logo which looks like a little turbine diagram.  I’m guessing when the cruise control is not active this button doubles up as the over-boost function we have been hearing about.  Wonder how long it lasts for?  Wonder if you can wedge a toothpick in there and keep the button down the whole time he he

Nissan today released pictures of the much awaited SpecV version of the GT-R.

For your 15,750,000 Yen you get the full Nismo Club Sport package, carbon-ceramic brakes, carbon spoiler, grille and brake ducts.  Inside the same carbon-like trim seen on the Tokachi Race GT-R makes an appearance while the rear seats have been eliminated.  The limited edition color Ultimate Black Opal will also be available.  Can’t wait to drive this car and see how much better than the standard car it really is. The over-boost function sounds interesting but would like to find out more info on this.

I’ve been seeing quite a few Audi RS6’s around Tokyo lately but was never quick enough to snap a pic with the iPhone (takes ages to get into photo mode!). Spotted this blue one yesterday afternoon on my way back home from Weld. Reason I shot the picture despite the car not being fully visible is because I though it was rather comical. I guess a 2t+ 580PS V10 twin turbo AWD luxury wagon will be spending a lot of time at the petrol station. Good thing hi-oku is selling for about 105 Yen/L! That would make it 8,400 Yen to fill up the 80 L tank….not so bad but how long will it take for it to drink the lot? A friend of mine drives an S6 Avant around Tokyo and averages about 3 km/L. I wonder if the RS6, with its colossal low-rpm torque, will be able to do better than the torqueless NA V10?  I’m thinking the extra torque means you will not need to rev the RS6 motor as much hence make it marginally more efficient. I will have to borrow one soon and find out me thinks. What a great idea!;)

Was over at Weld yesterday and Jonny showed me this new project they are working on for 2009.  

This will be one to watch as it sounds like a it’s going to be quite a monster.  As you can see work has already started on the donor Celsior, front end is all stripped, engine has been relegated to the trash and the mechanics are cutting lots of metal out around the front struts and wheels arches.

Space is being made for the protruding upper arms which will sit pretty high up due to the extreme low ride hight.  The steering is also being increased for the occasional drift outing but the main look of the car will be more VIP than drifter.

In will go a 2JZ with 5-speed JZX100 transmission putting out well over 600 PS.  A wild exhaust system with twin motorcycle-type carbon silencers will be made up and exit bang in the middle of the rear bumper.  This is why the rear trunk floor has been cut out…

Echoing the bike-style silencers is the fuel filler cap which has already been fitted to the C-pillar.  

Some subtle arch widening will be worked into the bodywork while the interior will be getting a luxurious leather treatment not to mention lots of audio and video equipment.  I will be keeping an eye on how this build develops and can’t wait to shoot the finished car at the end of this year!

Have a great 2009!

Took this pic last week. Went a bit crazy with the exposure but I like the effect. And to think this was taken in central Tokyo! This city never seizes to amaze me…

Subaru has today released this first shot of the Legacy Concept that will be shown next month in Detroit. Said to be powered by a 3.6L 6-cylinder boxer engine this is Subaru’s most important car for 2009. The new Legacy should hit showrooms at the end of 2009 in Japan, just in time to celebrate the car’s 20th anniversary. Being the owner of a 2004 3.0R Wagon I’ve been really looking forward to this new car, and was really afraid they would spoil it like they have done with the Impreza.  But looking at the picture below I have to say that if the concept is anything to go by the final car should be pretty nice to look at!  Can’t wait to see more!

Seems the Americans have beaten the Japanese at their own game.  Hennessy has just announced that on top of the already exiting “Godzilla 600″ package a more extreme ”Godzilla 700″ tuning menu has just been released.  Thanks to bigger turbochargers (the first turbo upgrade on an R35!), induction mods, upgraded intercoolers, some kind of boost controller, exhaust system and I guess an ECU upgrade the VR38 can be made to push out 700 HP and a mighty 853 Nm (630 lb-ft).  All of this for $18,500 or $24,500 installed. Now, with some of the prices we have seen in the aftermarket world for R35 parts this does seem very well priced.  Would love to find out more about the actual tuning done to the car, i.e. are the engine internals kept stock, are the cams upgraded, how about injectors/fueling, and of course what about the poor transmission and its delicate clutches?  I guess we will have to wait to get more answers but it’s nonetheless a step in the right direction.  I’m just VERY surprised all of this has come from an American tuner rather than a Japanese one.

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