Taking a race car on the roads is something we have probably all dreamed of. Of course, unless you can convert a race car to become street legal, it's never going to happen. Well, the guys at JR Motorsport are certainly up to the challenge. They are taking the Nissan GT-R, or "Godzilla”, and aiming to produce 23 examples of what is essentially a Nissan GT-R GT3, but one that you can legally take out on the road and thus create arguably, the ultimate JDM racer for the road.
A Massive Undertaking To Get A Race Car, Road Legal
Make no mistake, this is a pretty massive undertaking. The GT3 shell is used as the basis, with Nissan's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 mounted lower and further back into the structure than normal. JR Motorsport has even managed to squeeze an extra 85 hp out of the engine. The structure is also stiffer, in fact, the whole car is basically on steroids and beefed up.
It certainly looks the part. All the intakes, ducts, ports and other forms of air manipulation that look right at home in GT3 racing livery, really stand out in mono-color street car form.
Clever Refinements Have Got This Car Ready For The Road
There have been some clever refinements in order to get the car ready for the road. The engine has been given more durable internals to allow it to go 3,700 miles between services. It is set to only weigh 2,976 pounds, have a 50:50 weight distribution, and has, true to its GT3 roots, rear-wheel drive. JR Motorsport knows their way around the GT-R having raced them exclusively and winning the FIA GT1 World Championship in 2011. That was with car number 23 which is why this is a limited run of 23.
This Is More Than Just A GT3 Car With License Plates
It must be stressed of course that this is not merely a GT3 Nissan with some license plates on it. The car has been extensively re-engineered to make it street legal. The aim of the game was to prioritize handling, balance, and grip over just the raw out-and-out power and performance of the GT-R. Even then, there is still plenty of horsepower at 685 hp to play with. JR Motorsport should soon be releasing test footage of the car, and this is something that we are very excited to see.
Sources: Piston Heads, JR Motorsport