2022 Nissan Z GT500 To Replace GT-R In Japan’s Super GT Series

Nissan is retiring the R35 GT-R from Japan’s Super GT Series and has just replaced it with this, the new Nissan Z GT500.

The new race car was unveiled at Fuji International Speedway and will start to compete during the 2022 season. It has big shoes to fill as the GT-R GT500 has been used in the Super GT Series for the past 13 years and claimed 5 driver’s championships during that time.

One look at the Z GT500 shows just how different it is from the road-going model. While the front-end retains the production model’s headlights, everything else has changed. That means there is a new front bumper with a carbon fiber splitter and carbon canards. The wheel arches are also significantly wider and designed to improve aerodynamics.

Meanwhile, the sides of the Z GT500 catch the eye thanks to complex carbon fiber skirts, again design to boost downforce and stick the race car to the tarmac. Other changes made include the fitment of center-locking race wheels, a large swan-neck rear wing, and a wild rear diffuser.

Nissan hasn’t released technical specifications about the car but vehicles competing in the GT500 class are all powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that can pump out up to 650 hp, a cool 250 hp more than the road car despite being 1.0-liter smaller, having two fewer cylinder, and one less turbocharger.

Watch Also: The New Nissan Z Sounds Like A Baby GT-R

“The Nissan Z GT500 symbolizes Nissan’s spirit of taking on challenges and bringing excitement to life,” Nissan chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta said in a statement. “Through our racing efforts we continue to innovate our cars and we race to win with the same daring we have displayed so many times over the years.”

“We are entering the 2022 Super GT series with our all-new Nissan Z GT500 car and our huge passion for motorsports,” added president and chief executive of Nismo Takao Katagiri. “We hope that our fans will continue to passionately support the Nissan and NISMO motorsport teams.”