Nissan back to GT1 or GT2?

[Samoan Attorney]

Interesting piece on SpeedHunters

http://speedhunters.com/archive/2008...o-le-mans.aspx

Any thoughts?

John Brooks

[NightStalk3r]

Le Mans no, FIA GT yes.

[Nordic]

If the cars for sale then I would have thought its up to the team that buys it to as to where it races.

Nissan may not want it to run at Le mans but team pressure to do so would mean they changed thier minds and with works teams outlawed from GT2, if thats what it is, then the buyer is king.

given the costs involved in the Japaness GT's and the losses coming from the car makers there, maybe its time they took up GT1/2. It would spead the costs worldwide and allow the cars to race far and wide.

Maybe this is the first step?

[deggis]

Originally Posted by Nordic

and with works teams outlawed from GT2

How long that can continue if soon GT1 is no more?

[chunterer]

This is currently being discussed at length in the 2009 FIA GT thread.

[AU N EGL]

GT2 with these specs

"/ Le Mans specifications /
592 hp ~ 503 rwhp
2976 lbs - still a bit heavy but not too bad.
506 ft/lb ~ 430 rwtq
Le Mans Race teams only
costs: 65,000,000 yen"

wonder what the engine specs are?

Never the less, it will be great to see a Japanese car again in real GT racing.

[Fogelhund]

According to Nissan themselves, it is a GT1 (for the new FIA GT1), with a V8 engine based on their 4.5 V8 unit they had used in Super GT. This has been in the planning for almost three years now. At the current time, I doubt that the ACO will use the same rules as FIA. NNA argued for a GT2 machine, but Nissan did not wish to build a new engine for that category.

Although I am a big fan of the Nissan marque, I can't say I am all that excited to see a car that doesn't have the engine etc... of it's road going counterpart.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

NNA argued for a GT2 machine, but Nissan did not wish to build a new engine for that category.

They could take Corvettes place in GT1 though

[Purist]

I'm a bit confused since isn't the new GT1 for cars with engines of greater than 5.5 litres (and cars with engines under 5.0 litres being relegated to GT2)?

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Fogelhund

According to Nissan themselves, it is a GT1 (for the new FIA GT1), with a V8 engine based on their 4.5 V8 unit they had used in Super GT. This has been in the planning for almost three years now. At the current time, I doubt that the ACO will use the same rules as FIA. NNA argued for a GT2 machine, but Nissan did not wish to build a new engine for that category.

Although I am a big fan of the Nissan marque, I can't say I am all that excited to see a car that doesn't have the engine etc... of it's road going counterpart.

It's the M3 GTR all over again...

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Purist

I'm a bit confused since isn't the new GT1 for cars with engines of greater than 5.5 litres (and cars with engines under 5.0 litres being relegated to GT2)?

I don't think the regulations have been announced yet, but that was one of the ideas Ratel threw around.

[juicy sushi]

it makes sense for nissan to do this, since they are not that interested in racing, and if everyone else doesn't want FIA GT rules, for them to adopt them, and then have the class to themselves makes complete sense.

i don't like it, as i'd rather they actually joined everyone else in ACO GT and showed what they were made of, but marketing imperatives trump competitive spirit at renault-nissan...

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by juicy sushi

it makes sense for nissan to do this, since they are not that interested in racing, and if everyone else doesn't want FIA GT rules, for them to adopt them, and then have the class to themselves makes complete sense.

i don't like it, as i'd rather they actually joined everyone else in ACO GT and showed what they were made of, but marketing imperatives trump competitive spirit at renault-nissan...

Nissan may be learning that FIA/ACO GT in Europe and North America would help sell more GT-r and 350z cars. The Super 500 or what ever it is called works marketing wonders for Pan-Asia.

[juicy sushi]

the car had actually built its reputation across asia before super GT emerged.

and FIA GT doesn't really make sense for north america, since we don't have a series that runs those rules.

it just seems to me that they want to run away from the competition (since they using an engine completely unrelated to the production car, and running in a class no one else cares for)...

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by Purist

I'm a bit confused since isn't the new GT1 for cars with engines of greater than 5.5 litres (and cars with engines under 5.0 litres being relegated to GT2)?

... and engines between 5.0 and 5.5 can choose their class. This will likely be a 5.0 V8, choosing to go in GT1.

[deggis]

Originally Posted by juicy sushi

and FIA GT doesn't really make sense for north america, since we don't have a series that runs those rules.

ACO regs are not that different...

[JAG]

An FIA GT only Nissan GT-R is about as relevant as the Gillette Virtigo.

On the other hand, if Nissan were taking on the GT2 regulars and the new M3 GTR, there'd be much excitement.

I'll give the FIA GT organisors some props by admitting they've done a great job with GT3, so much so it could slot into the ACO class structure with ease, but come on, who needs, wants or can afford a GT1 World Championship.

Are the people who decide the likes of Jaguar should enter F1, or this Nissan decision, based on what we know so far, ever made accountable?

If I was running Nissan I'd have the GT-R in GT2, the 350Z/370Z in GT3, I'd then look at using the GT-R engine in 2011 P2.

Or is that too logical/stupid for these highly paid exec's?

[Fogelhund]

Originally Posted by deggis

ACO regs are not that different...

currently.....

[crazy]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

GT2 with these specs

"/ Le Mans specifications /
592 hp ~ 503 rwhp
2976 lbs - still a bit heavy but not too bad.
506 ft/lb ~ 430 rwtq
Le Mans Race teams only
costs: 65,000,000 yen"

wonder what the engine specs are?

Never the less, it will be great to see a Japanese car again in real GT racing.

Those were speculation by a Japanese mag until an official statement I'll take those numbers with a grain of salt.

[Aslak Vind]

592 bhp in a GT2?

Hardly..

[mountainstar]

I can speak first hand there are a lot of Nissan USA execs that hate racing and are opposed to such programs.

Personally I think it's stupid not to race, especially with the GTR and 370Z happening. They need to inject some sporting pedigree into the brand, instead of the bizarre blandness and weirdness they have now. I know the dealers want it. Especially in this tight economy.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

[Japanese Samurai]

It reprints from FIA-GT thread.

The interview of the president of NISMO(Nissan motorsports international) was published in the Car Graphic magazine in Japan. The summary is as follows.

Nissan want to participate in the FIA-GT championship(GT1 class) with GT-R.
However, even if it is early, the participation time becomes after middle 2009.
They want to sell GT-R to customers by 100 million yen, too.
However, if the car that they can win cannot be manufactured, Carlos Ghosn will not say yes to this project.
And they want to be selling the GT4 machine of 370Z by 20,000,000-30,000,000 yen.

[Satorian]

Let's hope they recognize the improved marketing opportunities in GT2 and switch over to that, offering customer cars as soon as it's finished.

[Purist]

If the racing GTR has the larger engine (5.0-litre or whatever), GT1 may make more sense. The Matech Ford GTR will be there.

More importantly though, how many cars are CONSISTENTLY competitive in GT2 with an engine larger than what the Ferraris are running? NONE! The problem with effectively having a single GT class is that you either choke the big engines with restrictors, or obliterate the cars with smaller engines, because they likely can't make the power and definitely can't make the torque.

I honestly think the GT2 Corvettes are going to be starved for air, and if the rulemakers don't do that, their low-end grunt could well render the Ferraris, Porsches, BMWs, etc uncompetitive.

[andy_b]

you know, I just dont get why Nissan would be interested in just the FiA GT series?

Surely ALMS and Le Mans would make more sense?