First look: GT-R Proto a production showcase

SPECIFIC details were scarce at the Tokyo motor show but Nissan has given the world a sneak peek at the new GT-R coupe, due out in 2007.

Called the GT-R Proto, the concept two-door is said to be close to the real thing, according to Nissan design chief, Shiro Nakamura.

Nissan insiders say the car is "80 per cent to 90 per cent" production ready.

The show car featured extensive use of carbon fibre to keep weight down and although Nissan is not talking about engines, expect a high-performance twin-turbocharged V6, possibly up to 3.8-litre capacity with an output of around 380kW.

The V6 is tipped to be mated to a close-ratio seven-speed sequential gearbox and all-wheel drive, technology that could push the price into the $100,000-plus category when it goes on sale here.

Visually the Proto features projector-style headlights stacked vertically that arch upwards along the mudguards.

The GT-R staples, signature round rear lights, carry over, along with a bumper neatly integrated into the car’s rear end.

For the first time in its history, Nissan has designed the GT-R as a specific two-door body style and the production version is not derived from the Skyline sedan.

The Proto’s design expresses its pure GT-R heritage, coming from the first model PGC10 (1969) through to the R34 (1999), it expresses the GT-R formula in a new and expressive form.

The original GT-Rs were originally a pure-bred Japanese performance car with a few being imported in limited numbers to Australia, earning the nickname Godzilla because of its formidable race reputation.

The GT-R was a hit in Australia, prompting Nissan Australia in 1990 to import 100 of the then R32 model Skyline GT-Rs into the country, at a cost of $107,000 each.

Such was the GT-R’s dominance in racing circles that it suffered weight penalties and eventually race rules were changed to ban it from competition.

Nissan Japan says the next GT-R will be sold globally, recognising its ability to compete with the very best in the world.

Visually the Proto takes the GT-R theme to a new level.

At the front, the single centre air intake is designed to optimise airflow and to strongly link the identity of the GT-R from R34 to GT-R Concept that appeared in 2001.

The front mudguards were designed through intensive analysis of the airflow around the tyres, and the air vent behind the front fender also optimises the car’s aerodynamics.

The bodysides are sculptured towards the rear mudguards, expressing the power and dynamic tension of the car, according to Nissan.

The car’s C-pillar crease is again designed for optimum aerodynamics, which Nissan says reflects the car’s racing DNA.

Apart from the four-ringed tail-lights, the Proto’s distinctive rear is enhanced by four large-bore exhaust pipes, which complete the car's purposeful look.

When the car finally arrives in 2007 it will be the first all-new GT-R for eight years.