The 2015 Nissan GT-R LM Nismo makes a stop at the Chicago Auto Show before heading to 24 Hours of Le Mans.
We got a glimpse at the 2015 Nissan GT-R Nismo Racer during the Super Bowl XLIX With Dad commercial. Now, we’ll get the full monty with the Valentine’s Day opening of the Chicago Auto Show.
The radically designed new ride will make a two-week appearance at the show February 14-22 at Chicago’s McCormick Place and, no doubt, will be a show-stopper. It’ll be the centerpiece of a performance-oriented NISMO display also featuring the 600-horsepower Nissan GT-R NISMO, the 370Z NISMO, JUKE NISMO and JUKE NISMO RS and two concept vehicles, the Sentra NISMO Concept and a new NISMO street concept that will debut February 12.
Carrying a price tag of nearly $150,000, the GT-R LM Nismo design was a collaborative effort by automotive experts from the US, Japan and Europe. Among the unique features is that unlike other LM P1 cars, its V6 3.0-liter twin-turbo gasoline engine sits in the front of the front-wheel-drive car, while the hybrid power is harvested from the front driveline to boost acceleration. With 600 hp and torque to 481 lb-ft, the racer tops out at 196 miles per hour. A full carbon fiber panel replaces the standard GTR’s aluminum trunk lid to help strengthen the chassis. A front spoiler with carbon fiber air ducts up front add to aerodynamics and the rear sports a large racing style carbon wing.
Next stop – France for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s oldest active sports car race in endurance racing, set for June. Held annually since 1923 near the town of Le Mans, France, it’s considered among the world’s most prestigious automobile races.
“LM P1 cars are the most extreme sports cars in racing,” said Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO. “Taking on the best in the world and competing to win is a daunting task for Nissan. The competition is well-established and the racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship is ultra-close, but this is a challenge that Nissan has accepted and the Nissan NISMO team will fight like it has never fought before.”
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