Z Visitor : Nissan 350Z (Fairlady Z)

did a 'for fun' shoot for a visiting friend and put together a simple montage.

See a drive review on this car's successor, the 370Z, HERE

Speaking English : The Official Nissan GT-R (R35)

With the official car finally in at the local Nissan distributor's showroom, GT-R (R35) owners can finally enjoy a complete experience with the car's English interface. (previously, owners of PI GT-Rs were stumped by the Japanese interface.)



At just under S$300k, Tan Chong's GT-R offers full service support from the NHPC (Nissan High Performance Centre), English interface and a high OMV.



With modern cars featuring more complex mechanicals and electronics, having the equipment and special tools is only one part of the equation => a certain degree of familiarity and knowledge is necessary as well, as opposed to a 'trial and error' approach.

Newer PI GT-R owners probably currently enjoy adding on go-faster bits (which are inherently simple 'plug-and-play' by nature), but when it comes to troubleshooting, diagnostics, timely spare parts ordering and general support and maintenance work, it could be an entirely different story completely.

But as they say, " different strokes for different folks," so it is entirely understandable that there will be buyers who are willing to pay the slight premium for peace of mind.











Fast Facts : Nissan GT-R (R35)
Engine: 3799cc, 24-valves, V6, twin turbocharged
Maximum power: 485bhp at 6400rpm
Maximum torque: 588Nm at 3200-5200rpm
Transmission: 6-speed Dual Clutch Transmission
0-100km/h: 4.1 seconds
Top Speed: 310km/h
LxBxH: 4650 x 1895 x 1370 mm
Wheelbase: 2780mm
Kerbweight: 1745kg
Agent: Tan Chong Motor Sales, tel.: 6466-7711
Price: approx. S$300k

NISMO showdown: JDM S-Tune vs. USDM

well, i'll let the pictures speak for themselves:
(Photo Credit: 370zblog, Nissan North America, NML)

JDM:
http://www.nissan.co.jp/OPTIONAL-PARTS/NISMO/

USDM:
http://www.nissanusa.com/microsite/nismo/?intcmp=NismoZ.Promo.ZCoupe.Home.P2

Front
JDM S-Tune:


USDM NISMO 370Z:


The fangs are 'gone' with the USDM version, which achieves a cleaner look for those who didn't quite appreciate the 370Z's 'toothy' look.

Back:
JDM S-Tune:


USDM NISMO 370Z:


SIDE:
JDM:


USDM:


Close-up of JDM S-Tune rims:


Close-up of the Nismo USA rims:


USDM NISMO Gauges:


I think it's interesting that NNA SVG (Specialty Vehicles Group) is at least attempting to build up the NISMO brand into a strong contender that (hopefully) can rival the kind of appeal Mugen has achieved amongst the Honda owners.

The Z looks continue to polarise opinion, but it's heartening to note that NNA has collaborated with Autech to create a look that addresses some of the points of contention, one being the 'fangs' that were retained on the JDM S-Tune package and the rather old-school alloy design of the S-Tune.

Apart from chassis/suspension upgrades, the USDM Nismo 370Z is available as a complete car and features close ratio 6spd M/T transmission and ECU revisions to further boost engine output numbers to 350bhp and 374Nm.

More 370Z here:
http://m0t0rhead.blogspot.com/2009/03/nissan-370z-at.html


http://m0t0rhead.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post.html

Sitting Pretty : Recaro at Tokyo Auto Salon 2009

At 2009's TAS (Tokyo Auto Salon), Recaro's chic booth was a good example of the premium upmarket direction the brand is heading towards, which places an emphasis on individual customisation versus the usual off-the-rack applications.

This was the sight that greeted visitors to the Recaro booth; an evolution of the sports seat through the years, starting with the first 'bucket' seat for Porsche to today's Sportster.



Black and Greys were the dominant themes, but vibrant splashes of colours could be appreciated in the experimental colour/material/stitch combinations that adorned part of the Sportster collection, as well as the stark Red that clad the latest SR-7 and some of its 'dead' bucket seat collection.



Compared to the haphazard manner in which other brands have chosen to display their wares, there is some order to Recaro's configuration, with the sports bucket seats positioned in the inner quarter, while the outer quarter showcased the reclining seats, which included seats like the Magnifica, SP-X, Sportster, Sport JC, SR-6, as well as the latest SR-7 and a 'hybrid' c/f reclining seat that was created for the Nissan GT-R Spec V.



Picture above best illustrates the difference between the TS-G (Red) and the RS-G (Blue-black). The TS-G has a pronounced curved back whereas the RS-G has a straight back.


L-R: SP-X, Sport-JC, Sportster, Sportster (experimental), Sportster (experimental)

Visitors were more than welcome to plonk their behinds into the seats on display and there was a helpful information stand next to every seat for the show-goers to read off as they were comfortably seated.



The SR-7 is the latest seat to join the Recaro collection of reclining seats, although these are still pre-production examples. Some people mistakenly think this is intended to succeed the SR-6, but as of last month, the SR-7 was and is intended to be a replacement to the vintage SR-4 (which is still popular among many buyers even today).

Unlike the rather sharp-edged styling SR-6 or even the Ninja Turtle inspired SR-11 (Evo X seat), the SR-7 takes a leaf from the past and boasts gorgeous organic contours that are intended to resemble the voluptuous feminine form.





These are the standard seats found in the Nissan GT-R Spec V (Yes for the last time it's Spec V, not V-Spec. Developed specially for Nissan, this is another iteration of the reclining carbon-fibre seat that was available as a Nismo Clubsport upgrade for the standard GT-R. Note the different embroidery: Spec V seats say 'GT-R', while the Nismo Clubsport seat upgrades say 'Nismo' and have that 'crotch support' padding.