Nissan GT-R

The car world in the 21st century is a molly-coddled world. Hawkish PRs usually enforce embargoes on first pictures of new cars - designed to maximize the publicity when a manufacturer unveils its latest wares. But in an age of instant communication, it's difficult to stop photos pinging around the world, and that's exactly what's happened with the new Nissan GT-R.

The spinmeisters wanted to keep the new sports coupe under wraps until its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show on 24 October 2007 - but an American car magazine published its next issue cover online yesterday, and the power of the web has done the rest.

That's what's happened behind the scenes. Why should you care? Because you can enjoy the full official photos of the 473bhp Porsche-baiting Nissan a full week early. That's the democracy of the web for you.

A classic case of industrial espionage! Tell me more about the new Nissan GT-R. A lot of the official information is still under wraps until next week. Prepare to be surprised - the new GT-R will experience quite a lot of change in its latest iteration.

Not least of which is the name. Gone is the Skyline moniker, replaced simply by the GT-R badge. Some will lament the passing of this historic name, but it will once and for all end the confusion over the domestic-market Skyline saloon, a rather more mundane workaday four-door compared with the tearaway sports coupe Skyline GT-R.

It's all change under the engine bay, too. Out goes the old straight six replaced by a new V6, believed to be a development of the unit in the 350Z.

• So the GT-R gets a new V6. Is it still a sledgehammer sportscar?

Oh yes. Bolting a pair of turbochargers to the V6 guarantees pretty stratospheric outputs. We're talking about 473bhp and 433lb ft, which is enough to guarantee Porsche 911 Turbo-shading performance. Like the benchmark 60mph in just 3.5sec and a top speed of 192mph.
The cockpit is a business-like place to be, judging by this first glimpse inside. A huge tacho dominates the dial stack, letting drivers judge exactly the point at which you flick up and down the new dual-clutch six-speeder. Expect rifle-bolt gearchanges, like on the existing systems from VW and Mitsubishi.

• We guess the new Nissan GT-R will still be a real techfest?

Oh yes. It has a computer-controlled four-wheel drive system to apportion torque to the wheels with the most grip. Nissan hasn't yet lifted the lid on the system's exact details, but you can safely expect it to be full of clever clogs electronics to give the GT-R its usual athletic responses.

Previous Skyline GT-R models have felt more like rear-drivers than big, heavy four-wheel drive cars, and we hear that the new one will develop those dynamics further. And to ram that point home, the company is planning a publicity stunt to prove the GT-R is faster than a 911 Turbo around the Nurburgring.

• When can I get hold of a GT-R?

Afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer for the real McCoy. We will have the full story on Nissan's new supercoupe soon. And if you want to buy a GT-R, you'll have to wait even longer. The car isn't destined to arrive in the UK until autumn 2008.