Nissan’s insane new Nissan GT-R is at the SA Festival of Motoring.

Speed freaks take note!

The Nissan GT-R has face-melting power with launch control? A brutish 3.8-litre V8 engine? 408 kW and 632 Nm of torque? Power to all four wheels via a rear-mounted engine? Yes please!

As you perhaps know, the Johannesburg International Motor Show (previously known as JIMS) is now the SA Festival of Motoring, affectionately known as ‘Grand Fest Auto’. Naamsa (the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa) have teamed up with international trade fair giant Frankfurt Messe, to stage this event which will be nothing short of spectacular.

If cars are your thing, this is the highlight of the South African motoring calendar. Not something you would want to miss! And this is also where you’ll have a chance to see the new GT-R in the flesh. And Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit (where the event will be hosted), is looking better than ever since its refurbishment. Our AutoTrader motoring journalists Chad Lückhoff, Ané Theron and Lawrence Minnie will be all over the show, so to speak, to bring our readers photos, news and videos live from the event. I know for a fact that Ané will be at the Nissan stand, to attend the unveiling of the Nissan GT-R.

An upgraded hand-built engine

Featuring an upgraded, hand-built VR38DETT engine with redesigned twin-turbos and individual ignition timing on each cylinder, Nissan’s brand new MY17 GT-R will be the most comfortable GT-R yet. It was launched at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, and it has been confirmed by Nissan that every car in the shipment headed for SA has already found an owner. Well, that’s depressing, because my dream-car garage keeps getting bigger (in my mind).

Xavier Gobille of Nissan SA had this to say:

Xavier Gobille, Managing Director of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales at Nissan SA, is terribly excited about Nissan’s latest iteration of their GT-R supercar.

“We cannot think of a more perfect setting to launch the new Nissan GT-R than at the refurbished Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit. Visitors to the festival will not only have the opportunity to view the new model at our stand, but they can vie for a chance to go for a hot lap in a new GT-R around Kyalami!”

“Every dynamic element of this vehicle has been tweaked, improved or re-engineered. The front bonnet creases are deeper and ensures better airflow, the 20 inch wheels ride on lightweight forged alloys and the rear has been redesigned for even greater downforce. This makes for a faster and even more sure-footed supercar,” says Gobille.

0-100 km/h is at an insane 2.6s

The new GT-R still offers Nissan’s launch control that’s even quicker than before: its 0 – 100 km p/h sprint has dropped even further to a ridiculous 2.6 seconds. You’d have to feel it to believe it – or you can take Ané’s word for it.

Also on display will be a selection of previous generation GT-R’s. From the infamous 1971 2000 GT-R, the birth of ‘Godzilla’ in 1988 with the R32 GT-R, to the brand spanking new MY17 GT-R. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, I suggest you do so. You can go to www.samotoringfestival.com for all the information regarding the entertainment line-up, all the different manufacturers, crazy stunt drivers, 4 x 4 track, kids’ entertainment, a tech lab, artisinal food, local celebs and much more.