It appears that GT-R owners won’t have to worry about voiding their warranties if they use Launch Control. For the 2010 model year, the car won’t come with the feature. Inside Line is quoting a Nissan exec as saying “It’s gone. We just don’t want to deal with the warranty nightmare anymore. It’ll make the 2009 GT-R really special. It’ll be the only R35 with launch control.”

We’ve previously reported cases where Nissan GT-R owners have brought their cars to the dealership with transmission trouble only to be told their warranties won’t cover it. It turns out that disabling the car’s VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) too often, in order to use the Launch Control function, meant Nissan wasn’t covering the repairs. The cost to fix/replace the transmission is only US$20,000, so you can imagine owners weren’t too upset. Apparently the GT-R owner’s manual states that damage to the transmission is not covered if it is proven to be the result of using Launch Control with the VDC turned off. In fact, the manual states that the only reason you should turn off VDC is to “rock” the vehicle when stuck in mud or snow. We await Nissan’s revised performance numbers. Read more

The new 2009 Nissan 370Z touts improved power, efficiency, handling and updated sheet metal for under US$30,000. That makes the 370Z a bit of a performance bargain, and when you consider improved fit and finish, lighter weight and impressive new technology upgrades, Z fans should be plenty happy. Check out the video below to see Nissan’s rolling stock footage, which contains plenty of shots of the 370Z out on twisting paths. There are also several diagrams that spell out how upgrades like Nissan’s variable valve and SynchroRev Match tech works. And yes, it does look much better in this video for some reason.

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Check out the nuts and bolts of what will make the replacement for the Honda NSX special!

Set to reach showrooms late next year, the new supercar will be as technologically advanced as the Nissan GT-R. It will target big-name rivals such as the Ferrari F430, Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Porsche 911 GT3.

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We’ve been seeing official and unofficial photos of the new Nissan 370Z for quite a while now but for the first time we’ve got our hands on the press release that was leaked into the web ahead of the Japanese sportscar’s debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Aside from the performance figures which are still being kept secret, the release gives away everything you always wanted to know about the 370Z but were afraid to ask.

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The Nissan GT-R will benefit from a few engineering and cosmetic tweaks for the 2009 model year in Japan, beginning with a slight bump in performance that brings output up from 480 to 485 PS (just under five hp). Other modifications include a larger fuel tank – expanded from 71 liters to 73.8 liters – a slight increase in fuel economy (about .3 km/l), “Nissan” replacing “Brembo” on the brake calipers, a new mounting location for the front license plate and a new paint code for Storm White (changed fro QX1 to QAB).

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A Zerotohundred.com member for years, Russwestwood’s R34 Skyline GTR was stolen just hours ago. Right from the comfort of the GTR’s parking lot at the basement of Russ’s apartment in Damansara Perdana. Russ is currently out of the country on business in Egypt.

At about 3:45pm today Russ’s spouse, Nicole received an SMS Alert from the car alarm company notifying of a rapid arm and disarming of the GTR’s security system.

Curious, Nicole rushed home and was shocked to find the GTR missing from its usual spot. Unfortunately the security guards weren’t aware of what happened. Coincidentally the CCTV system weren’t working at the time. Though other relevant people within the area are currently being interviewed for leads.

Do join the search along with the rest of the Malaysian Skyline Club and forum members.

You can help simply by: notifying the police or 012-6900120 or us or even trying to be a hero, if you do come across any hints, or better, a visual sighting of a:

• Skyline R34 GTR
• Colour: Bayside Blue
• Number plate: JHM 35

Places to also look:

• Industrial Areas, Warehouses
• Backlanes of shops and houses
• Doesn’t matter if you’re in Penang or Johor. Thieves travel. Fast.
• Chop Shops / Junkyards
• Suspicious Areas?

I can assure you, the owner will reward whoever that finds him his precious R34 GTR or even provides useable information.

Here are some Discussion of the Stolen R34 GTR created by the owner, Russ

• My car stolen!!

Some of Russwestwood’s Posts:

• Dedicated to a Bayside Blue GTR
• R34 GTR and wife photoshoot
• Some engine bay porn..

If you run a blog, or website, and you’d like to help us spread the news, do duplicate this post.

Please take a good look at what the car currently looks like. Some shots of it blending into the public:

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Images of the all new 2009 Nissan 370Z have been trickling out of Nissan for the past few weeks as a lead up to the car’s official unveiling at the 2008 LA Auto Show. Details have been mostly speculation thus far, but now some of the rumors can be laid to rest, thanks to information in a photo caption from the LA Auto Show’s website. The new Z will reverse the recent automotive trend of bloated model redesigns by featuring a reduced wheelbase and more lightweight body pieces. We also now know that its VQ37 engine will put down exactly 332 horsepower. That is a couple more ponies than are currently produced by the same engine inside the Infiniti G37. For those who like to rest their left foot while driving, a 7-speed automatic transmission will also finally be offered. And for those who enjoy some fancy footwork, but don’t have a perfectly calibrated heel-toe, a rev-matching downshift system will be available for the 6-speed manual.

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Reports about the release and pricing of the Nissan GT-R V-Spec have been circulating for months and Nissan HQ has supposedly confirmed the rumors and targeted an on-sale date in Japan in late January or early February.

The GT-R V-Spec is expected to be packing another 100 hp through the use of a new exhaust, more boost and a retuned ECU. Carbon fiber will replace some of the body panels to reduce weight, while new wheels, upgraded brakes and suspension tweaks will round out the mods.

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Forget about the forthcoming Nissan GT-R V-Spec; if you’re searching for the most extreme version of the ‘Godzilla’ look no further than to the Le Mans Edition that marks its return on the GT-R R35. Japan’s Best Car magazine has learned from inside sources that along with the development of a Le Mans competition car, Nissan is also working on a street-legal version of the GT-R which will be named LM Edition and will be built in extremely limited number of units.

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In a joint announcement on Monday, Nissan and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) said they were working on a…we just have to quote them on this…”neutron imaging system that has provided the world’s first precise visualization of oil flow in an engine operating at high speed.”

Got it? Well, here’s our attempt at translating that:

Nissan is studying, using sophisticated photography, the interaction of engine oil (its speed, density and composition at various points) to look at how it flows and creates friction inside of the engine. They’re doing so in order to find designs for engines that optimize oil viscosity, or oil flow.

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