The Fastest Honda Civic In The World

Running in the Blown Gas Competition Coupe class, the turbocharged Civic bettered the 1991 record of 196.124 mph by over 11 mph. Bonneville records call for two runs, with the official speed being the average of both. The Lucas Oil Civic ran 206.2 mph in the first run and 208.7 mph in the second. The Civic was clocked at nearly 210 mph exiting the fifth mile. Holdener was quick to credit extensive dyno and top-speed testing in preparation for the Bonneville event. "We spent hours on the dyno making sure the motor was both powerful and reliable," Holdener says. We also made numerous 200-plus mph speed runs at our top-secret Nevada test facility (appropriately labeled Area 52). Running BFG street tires, Eibach coilover suspension and 17 psi of boost, we ran over 211 mph at Area 52. That was an exciting ride!"

A turbocharged B18C built by Killer Bee Racing powers the World's Fastest Honda Civic. Though it has posted as much as 728 hp at 29 psi of boost on the dyno, the boost was kept between 13-14 psi for the record runs. "We purposely ran the boost, air/fuel and timing at conservative levels. The aero package on the car worked so well that it took very little power to achieve these impressive speeds," Holdener says. "Of course, the 1999 Civic Si was also a good car to start with." In addition to the use of Lucas 5W-20 synthetic oil, the 1.97L engine buildup features a Dart head and block, Skunk2 camshafts and intake manifold and a Hondata S300 management system. Internal engine components come from Eagle and Coast High Performance. Boost is supplied by a Turbonetics T72 turbo feeding a dual-core Spearco air-to-water intercooler. Ice water is used to reduce the air intake temperature, but further cooling is achieved with the use of a water/methanol injection from Snow Performance. Ignition chores are handled by MSD while the custom 4-inch oval exhaust is from Borla. Holdener was quick to credit Bernie Vanhamond and Tom Habrzyk for their fabrication of the rollcage, full belly pan and other aero and safety equipment. "Driving a race car, even a 211mph Honda Civic, is always the easy part," Holdener says. "The real talent behind this car comes from the guys who built it."

Koenigsegg CCX v/s Bugatti Veyron

HOW DO YOU COMPARE THE GREATEST supercars in the world? You do it properly, that's how. You take them to the best driving road you can think of, you give them the time and the space to run at speed, you get the road closed by the cops to eliminate risk to the public, and then you hope The Stig turns up.

He did, of course, seemingly unaffected by the 45 degree heat, striding across the desert from the direction of Ayn al-Faydah toward the base of the Jebel Hafeet mountain. This 4,068ft high limestone alp is one of the most spectacular places in the Arabian Gulf, rising straight up from the plains above the city of Al Ain, two hours cast of Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates. The views oil the way up are incredible, and it's an amazing looking geological wonder, but forget all that the multilane road cutting its way up to the summit is new and beautifully surfaced, the corners majestic and challenging and varying in radius and severity. If there is a road more suited toThe Stig, I can't think of it.

Bugatti Veyron Cockpit


Koenigsegg CCX Cockpit

If we take the American Shelby SSC Ultimate Aero out of the picture production of that car isn't underway yet the Veyron and CCX are the fastest cars in the world. Koenigsegg claims to have run a CCX-R at 260mph in private testing, while the 683,000 euro Veyron's official maximum is 253mph. The Koenigsegg has 'only' 806bhp compared to the Veyron's 987bhp, but it's worth noting that the Swedish car is considerably lighter, 1,473kg plays 1,888kg, and slipperier too. The Koenigsegg holds no fear of its German rival.

The Veyron, the only all-white example in the world, was provided by a private owner, because Bugatti will not sanction or support any comparison involving one of its cars. The sheer walls of Jebel Hafeet echoed to the sounds of a twin-supercharged V8 and a quad-turbo W16, accompanied by the occasional whoosh and chirrup of tyres. Never a screeching howl, nothing lurid. Just hard, precise, fast piloting. The Stig avoided any incidents with the Koenigsegg he has a history with this car, as we know.. try YouTubing it but still quite dearly took it right to the very limit. He was on it. After a full 40 minutes, Stigster seemed satisfied. He walked off in the direction of Al Maqam.

First, the Veyron. You may have read about it before, you may have seen it on the telly racing across Europe and taking on Eurofighters. But none of that can really prepare you for the shock of the acceleration when you open the throttle and unleash nearly 1,000bhp and 923lb ft of' torque. It will get to I 00 mph in 5.5 seconds and 0- 1 50mph in 9.8 seconds. That's about the same time it takes a Lexus IS-F to get to 100. Lunacy. The Bugatti is immensely fast, with its fury delivered in a huge surge of turbo boost. This 8.0-litre W16 engine would deliver amazing performance without the four turbochargers. But they're there. Cool.

Koenigsegg CCX Door Panel

Slicing up the Jebel Hafeet road, snicking through the supremely fast and effective paddleshift sequential gearbox, it was immediately obvious that there's a lot more to this car than straight-line grunt. Its four wheel drive chassis gives it massive traction our of corners, though the traction control light blinks in an instant if you're leadfooted. More impressive is the way it change % direction you get quite a lot of feel for what the tyres are doing, and the overwhelming sensation is one of 'plantedness', a solidity drawn from many thousands of hours of testing and money no object engineering by masters. The steering's a bit dead in a Mercedes kind of way, but the weighting is fine. It's wonderfully quiet and refined too, the Veyron. There's a big sense of engine from behind your head, but it's never overly loud or intrusive. You could travel many hundreds of miles in this thing and remain comfortable.

Bugatti Veyron Rear

The Koenigsegg is a different type of animal altogether, and in a few seconds I understood why so many Koenigsegg owners also have it Veyron. It's the perfect combination an all rounder in the Veyron, a racer in the Koenigsegg.

It's raw, this Swedish thing aggressive, loud to the point of ear damage when it revs, and very much a track car in its unforgiving, direct nature and it is, very loud. But why shouldn't it be? This is a supercar, riot a shopping trolley, and it's not as if that 4.7 litre twin supercharged V8 sounds nasty. It sounds wonderful, without the wearing supercharger whine you usually get from such engines. It's a simple V8 yell.

Put your foot on the throttle violently, and the whole car snaps forward in an instant, bang. Do the same in the Veyron, and the computer will have a very quick think about it, the turbos will come on boost and you'll then be accelerated into the next dimension. That whole process takes no time at all, but you notice it, and the throttle pedal is very slightly fuzzy.. The Koenigsegg's throttle pedal, by, contrast, is like a delicate, sharp, snapping switch, one that you can adjust to very, small degress if you need to. This is a pure driver's car.

Even more impressive is the way the car rides. It's magic I found some hacked-up sections at the bottom of he mountain and the Swede really glided over them. It is far from uncomfortable it is a beautifully engineered machine, and its subtlety genuinely surprised. Most of all though, it's immensely fast.The engine noise is ridiculous... and the speed, well. A recent 0-300km/h-0 test carried out by a German magazine clocked this CCX at 29.2secs. No Veyron was present Bugatti doesn't help with such things, remember so the next fastest car was the McLaren SLR 722. It was line-ball between it and the Koenigsegg from 0 to 200km/h (120mph), but then the Swedish beast was 6.5 seconds faster from 200 to 300km/h (186mph). That's a lot, and it says everything about the car's immense performance.

Koenigsegg CCX Engine Compartment

So which car wins this face-off to end all face-offs? Ultimately, it's the Veyron, because it is probably the greatest engineering fear in automotive history. It's inefficient. yes, and it's far from green, but, by God, it's fast and it combines that monumental speed with real luxury inside, and a quiet, relaxed cockpit ambience when you're not in a hurry. If you happen to see a Koenigsegg drive by when you're in your Bugatti, you'll know that its driver is having more fun a more exciting experience, but you simply won't care. Because if You wanted to, you could have him. Because the Veyron rules. And probably always will.

Subaru GC8 Impreza Reborn With 722bhp

Many people in the business reckon this Subaru is the best the UK has to offer-and with good reason. The facts and figures speak for themselves. This car won the '07 TOTB-the UK's prestigious handling, top speed and dragstrip competition- the Scooby Shootout Handling competition and finished second overall at the '07 Time Attack. It produces 605 bhp at the wheels or 722 when the gas is switched on; so figure on about 800 at the flywheel. To build, the car cost 150,000 and has reached 194 mph and a recorded 9.59-second quarter-mile. Despite that multitasking competitive pedigree, it's still road legal and immaculate enough to be entered in concours.

"The whole concept for the car was that it had to be a show car, a race car and a drag car," says Roger Clark Motorsport's Matt Clark, who built the car. "We wanted to build an all-round car, which could do anything." That's a great description of the Subaru and the results confirm it. Bear in mind, however, that the car runs in basically the same spec regardless of what the event is, so some kind of compromise is inevitable.

The car is the result of four months of Matt's hard work and is an "Evo" version of an earlier customer's car that produced 800 bhp and was the first Subaru in the world to clock a 9.8-second quarter-mile with a manual gearbox.

"We wanted to stick with an old Subaru shape because it's still the car that everybody loves, especially with those wide arches," he says. "Those arches are a '99 WRC kit and so are the bumpers and boot spoiler. We had to add strengthening struts to the wing regarding midrange power. And because it was bigger than the GT35 it replaced, it didn't need to work as hard." He says the twin scroll helped to cancel out any extra lag.

A lot of this car was fabricated to meet Matt's specifications, and he's especially proud of the six-speed sequential gearbox that he had designed and built. You can now buy one from RCMS with the same spec for 18,000.

"It's reliable, fast and very strong," Matt says. "The big turbo cars are frantic once they get going and the engines are high strung. With a dog box, you can change into any gear at any speed and it blows your engine in the process. It's happened to a couple of people I know this season, but you can't do that with our box." The car is also fitted with an optional paddle shift system for when the driver-Olly, Matt's brother-is too busy to take his hands off the steering wheel. Although, he hasn't really had enough practice to feel comfortable using it.

So what does Olly make of the car his brother built? "It's been built in the ruthless pursuit of perfection," he replies. "If it's not absolutely perfect then Matt won't compromise and the whole car reflects that." Despite a successful rally career, following in the footsteps of his late father, Roger Clark, Olly has limited experience on the track but, as results show, he has adapted quickly and been a consistent front-runner.

So what's the car like to drive? "It's impossible to describe how fast that car is," Olly says. "It did 194 mph at TOTB from a standing start and since then we have added some more ignition at the top end, so it should be good for 200 mph now." He also says that the car is still docile enough to take your granny to the shops. Although, that would be a waste of its impressive potential. "It's absolutely brutal when the power kicks in between 4,500 and 5,000 rpm," he says. "And then it keeps pulling all the way round to 8,500." He describes the suspension as "awesome with some understeer," but admits that is an area that they plan to develop further.

Early teething problems with the nitrous bursting alloy boost pipes was resolved by switching to a direct-port system with individual jets for each cylinder, which has been successfully used on the dragstrip and the long straights at Silverstone.

Subaru Impreza
Power Output: 605 Bhp, 722 Bhp (Including Nos)
Car Spec

Engine
2 lt 16v Quad Cam Ej20 Engine
Closed-Deck Subaru Block
Wrc R-Profile High Wrap Cam Belt System
Modified Oil Pump
Wrc S10 Inlet Manifold, Eight Injector Kit
72 Mm Throttle Body
5.5-Liter Alloy Sump
Oil Catch Tank And Breather System
Subaru S202 Oil Cooler
Goodrich Braided Vacuum Hoses

Internals
Extreme Arrow H- Section Rods
Steel Billet Crankshaft
Omega Ceramic-Coated Flat-Top Pistons 9.75:1 Compression
Parted Sti 4 Cylinder Heads Modified For Lobe Clearance, Fitted With Wrc/Rcms A-Ring Head Gaskets And Gas Rings
Rcms Camshafts Exhaust 270-Degree 1o.5mm Lift,Inlet 290-Degree Duration And O.5mm Lift
One-Piece Nimonic Exhaust Valves
One Piece Stainless Inlet Valves
Uprated Valvesprings
Plasma Nitrided Titanium Spring Caps
Wrc Main And Big End Bearings

Induction
Garret Gt40/88 Twin Scroll Turbo Running 2.1-Bar Boost
I.C.E. Adjustable Boost (1.2 To 2.1 Bar)
K&N Air Filter With 100mm Inlet Trumpet
Rcms High-Flow 100mm Thick Front-Mount Intercooler With Twin-Tube Core 70mm Stainless Steel Intercooler Pipework
Wizards Of Nos Direct-Port Nitrous Kit Set For 100bhp Increase

Fueling
8 X 700cc Injectors
Blueprinted Bosch 044 Fuel Pumps (200-Liter Per Pump)
Sx Fuel Regulators Set At 4-Bar Static Pressure
Goodrich Fuel Feed Pipe
Goodrich Fuel Return Pipe
Rcms Fuel Distribution Block
Fia Spec 28-Liter Rubber/Kevlar Bag Fuel Tank In Aluminum Cover
Vp120 Race Fuel

Engine Management
M800 Motec Ecu With Traction Control, Nitrous Control, Anti-Lag, Paddle Shift Control And Full Data Logging
Exhaust
Wrc Short Runner Ceramic Coated Exhaust Manifold
Tial 45 Mm External Wastegate
3.5-Inch Unsilenced Stainless Steel System With Ceramic Coated Downpipe

Drivetrain
R180 Sti Rear Axle 3.9:1 Cwp And Plated Modena Lsd Differential
Gkn Rally Driveshafts
Torque Line Carbon-Fiber Propshaft
Rcms Six-Speed Subaru Gearbox Casing Modified For Sequential Gearbox System
Six-Speed Modena Gear Kit
Subaru 3.9:1 Front Cwp
Rcms Paddle Shift System
Plated Center Differential With 1:1 Uprated Output Modena Gears
Plated Front Modena Differential
Rcms Spec Triple-Plate Os Giken Clutch And Flywheel
Rcms Hydraulic Light Pressure System

Brakes
Front Ap Racing 355mm Discs And Six-Pot Calipers
Rear Ap Racing Gpn 270mm Discs And Four-Pot Calipers
Ds3000 Racing Pads
Rcms Hydraulic Carbon Hand Brake
-3 Stainless Steel Goodrich Pipe Work And Quick Release Fittings
Bias Pedal Box With Dash-Mounted Adjuster
Quick Change Brake Bias Adjuster On Center Console
Quick-Release Dry Brake Fluid Connection

Suspension
Wrc Spec Exe-Tc Fully Adjustable Dampers WithHigh- And Low-Speed Bump And Rebound Adjustment
350-Pound Front Springs And 325-Pound Rears
Sti Rose-Jointed Rear Lateral Links
Sti Rose Jointed Rear Trailing Links
Exe-Tc Bottom Rose Jointed Upright Bushes
Sti Alloy Front Arms
Sti Quick-Steer Steering Rack
Rcms Adjustable Rose Jointed Arms Front And Rear
Rcms Fully Adjustable Top Mounts

Wheels & Tires
8.5x18 Dymag Carbon/Magnesium Alloys
245/40-18 Michelin Pilot Sport Cup And Toyo R888 Tires

Exterior
Wrc Steel Arches And Skirts
Wrc Front And Rear Bumpers
Wrc Carbon Rear Spoiler With Additional Wing Supports
Sti Alloy Bonnet With 22b Vents
Rcms Carbon Vent
Wrc Front Vent And Rcms Gas Struts
Heated Front Screen
Wrc Non-Heated Lightweight Rear Screen
Modified Front And Rear Inner Arches
Semi-Tubbed Front Arches
Semi Seam-Welded Chassis
Carbon-Fiber Race Mirrors
Motec Data Logging Transponder Mounted In Drivers Wing Mirror
22b Alloy Wing Badge On Front Grille

Interior
Fia Gpn T45 Multipoint Welded-In Rollcage
Motec Digital Dashboard
Defi Turbo/Fuel Pressure Gauges
Carbon Kevlar Recaro Spa Pro Seats
Sabelt Six-Point Harness
Wrc Roller Bearing Single-Piece Steering Column
Momo Steering Wheel
Rcms Sequential Gear Stick With Reverse Lock Out Mechanism
Rcms Steering Wheel Mounted Paddle Shifters
Full Plumbed-In Fire Extinguisher System
Rcms Carbon-Fiber Door Cards

2009 Nissan GT-R

In 2001, two years after the demise of the Skyline GT-R R34, rumors began to surface across the globe of a new GT-R being developed by Nissan's top engineers. As information of the new GT-R began to slowly trickle in (mostly rumors) the initial reports weren't looking promising. Immediately brought to attention was that the once proud Skyline name longtime associated with the GT-R family was rumored to be non-existent on the new R35. Would the removal of the "Skyline" badge spell disaster for the next generation or perhaps invoke a less performance-orientated vehicle? While rumors continued at a frenzied pace as Nissan kept tight-lipped on the development, another surprise twist began to spread of Nissan planning the use of a naturally aspirated 3.0L engine with an automatic transmission brought a sense of frustration among hard-core GT-R fans. And, who could blame them? The once proud Skyline owners and hard-core fans who relished the GT-R's monarchy within motorsports were stabbed in the heart by a shocking vision that Nissan relented to the pressures of the economy and developed a car that stressed comfort over performance. The new GT-R was looking less appealing with every rumor that spread.

The R34, known to be the last of the great GT-R family, paid a fitting tribute to the GT-R's 15-year dominance, winning numerous victories in the racing scene. The deadly combination of the RB26DETT engine, AWD platform and ATTESA E-TS Pro setup proved superior among Skyline owners and a virtual nightmare among those who dared to cross its path. In a fitting tribute to the R34, NISMO and Nissan developed the final production R34, known as the NISMO R34 GT-R Z-tune. The vehicle emerged in 2000 and was limited in production with only 20 produced in the world. Known as the cream of the crop within the GT-R family, the R34 GT-R Z-tune developed 500 hp from the factory and was brazenly dubbed "the strongest road-going car in the world." The vehicle enjoyed a short stint of fame before finally being put to sleep by Nissan-forever lost in the books of automotive history.

On Oct. 24 2007, all rumors were finally put to rest as Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. announced the launch of the new GT-R. Powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6, 473bhp and 434lb-ft of torque, a rear-mounted twin-clutch transmission, Brembo brakes, Bilstein suspension, sticky tires and that it's going to be released in the US sometime next year. You've been bombarded with pictures, websites, articles and videos. No doubt, just 28 pages ago in this very magazine, you read that it'll sprint from zero to 60mph in 3.5 seconds and run the quarter in the 11s. But how will the GT-R fare when it goes on sale and the aftermarket gets its hands on it?

Engine
The recipe for Nissan's flagship supercar starts with the engine, the VR38DETT. According to GT-R chief vehicle engineer, Kazutoshi Mizuno, there are three conditions for a vehicle to be considered a modern supercar: a power-to-weight ratio close to 8lb/hp, a 186mph top speed and a Nrburgring lap time below eight minutes.

Naturally, horsepower is a necessary requirement and the GT-R comes on strong with two IHI turbochargers, connected to an all-new 3.8-liter V6 engine. According to Hiroyuki Ichikawa (from Nissan's Powertrain Engineering Division), the all-aluminum VR38 is based loosely on the VQ-series, but is different in almost every way. The casting is completely new, and the fully closed-deck unit uses plasma-coated cylinder bores to balance strength and weight. The VR uses twin throttle bodies ( la VQ35HR) and a single mass airflow sensor to meter air, which should help keep things simple on the ECU tuning side. What won't help is the drive-by-wire system controlling both throttle bodies.

The VR38 also uses a magnesium oil pan, which holds GT-R-specific Mobil One 0W-40 oil and Nissan's new wet/dry sump oiling system. Ichikawa tells us a dry sump-style oil pump, bolted inside the oil pan, sucks hot oil from each turbocharger and then, instead of feeding into a reservoir, spits the oil directly onto the standard wet sump oil pickup. From there, oil is pushed through an external cooler kit and then through the engine. The system has proved itself capable of maintaining proper oil pressure at up to 1.6g, according to Ichikawa-although he had no comment on its ability to fit onto a VQ35 engine.

The turbochargers' turbine housings are, unfortunately, cast as one piece, with the exhaust manifolds for each bank. The turbos use proprietary bolt-on housings to connect to the air intake tubing and to twin front-mounted air-to-air intercoolers. They're fairly small snails and the runners in each exhaust manifold are also quite tiny. Surely a compromise for throttle response and lag, this integrated system means that the only option for an upgraded turbocharger would be a complete replacement of the entire twin-turbo system. No, that's not going to be cheap at all.

However, the twin intercoolers should be kept on all bolt-on equipped GT-Rs, as it will be fairly difficult to fabricate any tubing shorter or smoother within the tight confines of the GT-R's engine bay. Replacing some rubber factory connectors with hard piping could be good insurance at higher boost levels, though.

From the turbos, each downpipe snakes under the car, joins into a single pipe after the close-coupled catalytic converters and resonators, then splits again into the twin-exit, quad-tipped exhaust. Precious pounds can easily be shaved here. And power gained-from going to a larger-diameter, lightweight single exhaust system made of thin-walled stainless steel or titanium.

Boost controllers, exhausts, air intakes and even turbo kits should be no problem, but if you're going to attempt anything beyond a bolt-on part, be careful who you choose to build your engine. Each VR38DETT will be hand-assembled by a single technician in an engine clean room, to exacting tolerances that will be easier to corrupt than improve upon.

Transmission
One of the biggest problems with engine tuning on the new GT-R is the GR6-typedual-clutch transmission. The transmission is rear-mounted, right under the back seats. Torque is transferred to the transmission via a carbon fiber driveshaft and then front torque is sent back up using another driveshaft. Besides all-wheel drive, VDC-R stability/traction control is also on board to assist even the crappiest of drivers.

First, third and fifth gears utilize one clutch, while second, fourth and sixth utilize another. Upshifts can be cracked off in 0.2 seconds in R mode-using steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters-and downshifts come with an automatic rev-matching blip of the throttle. There are even selectable driving modes, which will change shift rate, plus a fully automatic mode for all the Starbucks-swilling types.

It's a brilliant system when paired with a stock engine, but start making 700hp and things could get a little wacky. The GR6's programming looks at throttle position, vehicle speed, redline and other data based on a factory car's output. Modifying the engine will undoubtedly affect the shifting point, slip and firmness of the clutch activation. The GR6's programming will need to be altered to enable a higher clamping load to handle greater torque numbers. And this isn't even considering how much power each clutch pack is rated for. Aftermarket tuners, such as Jim Wolf Technology, will surely sit down with the car soon and figure out how to crack and re-program the GR6. This is important, because there is no true manual transmission offered.

Chassis
Kei Miyata, Project Management Group No.2 (i.e. the brake, subframe and suspension engineer), developed the front double-wishbone and rear multi-link suspension. Although racecar design cues, such as using the rear-mounted transmission as a stressed member, were not considered, the GT-R does make use of pillowball bushings on some of the inner arm mounting points. Miyata also designed the GT-R with aluminum suspension arms and an X-braced front subframe.

However, swapping out the rear anti-roll bar would be our first modification. The solid rear unit (which we estimate to be around 14mm) should be dumped for more tail-out action, as Miyata admitted that the car was designed to lean more toward understeer at the limit. Blame that on the general public, who Nissan knows will surely wrap a few 473hp GT-Rs around light poles.

The DampTronic suspension, developed with Bilstein, is electronically controlled with three selectable settings (comfort, normal and R). The dampers are adjustable in real-time-even when in motion-and work by using solenoids hidden inside the inverted monotube damper piston. The solenoids vary the size of the bypass in the piston, adjusting the flow of shock fluid and thus the firmness of the damper valving. The system has been carefully set up by Bilstein and Nissan, but still has to make compromises in terms of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). Our first experiment would be to swap in a set of stiffer springs and drive in R mode all the time, then see what difference a corner-balanced coilover suspension would make.

Brakes
To a brake geek, the R35 is a dream come true. Working with Brembo, Nissan has deployed 15-inch two-piece brake rotors all around, along with six-piston front and four-piston rear fixed calipers. The brake calipers are forged monoblock gems and feature carefully staggered pistons, which have drilled-out heads to help reduce heat transfer from the pads. The rear uses an integrated drum brake and all four rotors employ a staggered pillar vane system within the rotor to create high-pressure turbulence that sucks out air from the center of the hat through the rotor.

With a weight of 3836 pounds, the GT-R is not light by any means and it needs all the heat dissipation it can get on the track. A good set of pads, higher-temp brake fluid and some stainless steel braided brake lines are all the GT-R's brakes are going to need to handle most any race track. To the first person who figures out how to adapt these to a 350Z-please write and let us know.

Interior
If you've ever run across a JDM head unit here in the States, then you know the obscure frequency range is only good for Spanish radio. So don't expect the Carwings navigation system to come over with the GT-R. We'll have a Bose unit instead. What you can expect is the multi-function meter display system. This is an in-car, seven-inch LCD screen that can function as numerous gauges, like the HKS CAMP system. Developed with Polyphony Digital (of Gran Turismo fame) and Xanavi (sponsor of the Nismo Super GT Z), the monitor can display water temp, boost pressure, oil pressure, transmission temp, speed, brake pressure, throttle position, steering angle, g-force and other parameters, using a combination of graphs, charts, and displays. According to Nissan, it's designed to aid you in becoming a better driver. But all we know is that you won't need to buy another aftermarket gauge again. This means less clutter. And honestly, the GT-R has more than enough switches, dials and buttons already.



Wheels & Tires
For the GT-R to reach its 188mph top speed, a suitable tire had to be on board. The standard run-flat, nitrogen-filled Bridgestone Potenza RE070 and the optional Dunlop SP Sport 600 DSST all-season run-flat tire will be available-with no spare in sight. The tires are sized 255/40/20 up front and 285/35/20 in the rear. The tires can go 50 miles at 50mph with a puncture and are designed to give the GT-R a reported 0.99g of lateral grip. We're interested in seeing if a lightweight 18- or 19-inch wheel can cover the monstrous Brembo brakes.



Aerodynamics
High-speed stability was also high on the GT-R engineering team's list. And the car spent lots of time in the wind tunnel as a result. The R35 features sculpted ducting to fully shroud and feed the intercoolers and oil cooler, and the slippery body shape has a drag coefficient of only 0.27. The GT-R also uses a flat undertray, made of alternating pieces of polypropylene and carbon fiber, which feed a rear carbon fiber diffuser. The undertray also has aerodynamic ducts which help scoop air up and out of the rear to cool the transmission. According to Nissan engineers, the front splitter is good for 309 pounds of downforce (or reduction in lift, however you want to see it) at 186mph, while the rear wing is good for 220 pounds, and the rear diffuser 110 pounds.

Carbon fiber is used extensively in the undertray for its combination of heat resistance, low weight and high strength.

The new R35 Nissan GT-R is a supercar in every facet, from manufacturing to design to performance. According to Manaki Iwamoto, general manager of Nismo Corporate Planning & Communications, Nismo has already begun R&D on the GT-R and will soon release a host of parts. He admits the car will show relatively smaller performance gains from light aftermarket tuning than a Sentra, but the new GT-R will be a potent and fast machine, especially when tuned without compromise. We can't wait to see.

Boost controllers, exhausts, air intakes and even turbo kits should be no problem, but if you're going to attempt anything beyond a bolt-on part, be careful who you choose to build your engine. Each VR38DETT will be hand-assembled by a single technician, to excating tolerances that will be easier to corrupt than improve upon.

2009 Nissan GT-R
Estimated Price: TBD
Car Spec

Engine
Engine Code: VR38DETT
Type: V6, aluminum block and heads, twin-turbocharged and intercooled
Valvetrain: DOHC, four valves per cylinder, variable intake valve timing
Displacement: 3799cc
Bore x Stroke: 95.5 mm x 88.4 mm
Compression Ratio: 9.0:1
Claimed Crank Hp: 473hp @ 6400rpm
Claimed Crank Torque: 434lb-ft @ 3200-5200rpm
Redline: 7000rpm

Drivetrain
Layout: Longitudinal front-mid engine, all-wheel drive
Transmission: Six-speed GR6 dual-clutchGear Ratios
1: 4.056
2: 2.301
3: 1.595
4: 1.248
5: 1.001
6: 0.796
Final drive: 3.700

Chassis
Chassis Code: CBA-R35
Exterior dimensions
Curb Weight: 3836 lbs
Overall Length: 183.3 in.
Wheelbase: 109.4 in.
Overall Width: 74.6 in.
Track F/R: 62.6 in./63.0 in.
Height: 53.9 in.

Suspension
Front: Double wishbone, inverted electronically adjustable monotube, forged aluminum control arms, pillowball inner lower arm bushings, anti-roll bar
Rear: Multi-link, inverted electronically adjustable monotube, forged aluminum suspension arms, pillowball inner arm bushings, anti-roll bar

Brakes
Front: 15-in. two-piece floating rotors, six-piston fixed monoblock calipers
Rear: 15-in. two-piece floating rotors, four-piston fixed monoblock calipersElectronic driving aids/inhibitors: ABS, EBD, VDC-R (switchable)

Wheels And Tires
Wheels: 20x9.5 (F), 20x10.5 (R), forged aluminum
Tires: 255/40/20 (F), 285/35/20 (R), Bridgestone RE070A (summer) or optional Dunlop (all-season)

320 bhp Suzuki SX4

Following the successful testing in selected events of the 2007 World Rally Championship (WRC), the Suzuki WRC Team has begun an assault on the 2008 championship with the SX4 WRC which is derived from the SX4. Developed as a driver-friendly World Rally Car by Suzuki Sport, Suzuki’s motorsports division, extensive testing on many different types of surfaces was carried out when the team entered two events during 2007. Using the valuable experience gained last year, the SX4 WRC has been improved for full-scale competition and among the major changes are a new differential and new suspension settings as well as other improvements under the skin. The SX4 WRC has a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (developed from the J20 unit) with full-time 4WD and a 5-speed sequential gearbox. The 1997 cc engine delivers 320 bhp between 4000 and 4500 rpm while maximum torque of 590 Nm peaks at 3500 rpm. The SX4 WRC’s powertrain features a carbon 3-disc clutch, electronically-controlled centre differential and mechanical front and rear differentials. Its well-balanced chassis and rigid structure allow the front and rear MacPherson struts with coil springs work to their full potential with Reiger shock absorbers fitted for dynamic, responsive handling. For tarmac events, the car uses 20/65-18 tyres fitted on 8X18-inch wheels; when racing over gravel, 17/65-15 rubber is mounted to 7X15-inch wheels. The SX4 WRC sits on a wheelbase of 2500 mm, stands 1450 mm high and weighs 1230 kgs (the minimum permitted by FIA regulations). The WRC effort builds on Suzuki’s success in the JWRC, where the Swift Super 1600 has enjoyed an excellent record. Commenting on the first full season of competition for the team, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, principal of the Suzuki World Rally Team, said: "As we embark on our full first season, our goal is to make steady progress by taking one step at a time. Results are obviously important, but we cannot get ahead of ourselves either. In our debut year, it's only natural to expect a few minor problems and we're grateful to have a driver of the calibre of Toni Gardemeister to help us improve. P-G Andersson is at the very start of his career, so his job is to learn as well. We all share the common objective of performing to the best of our abilities, and increasing the profile of Suzuki's compact cars all over the world."

The submersible Rinspeed Squba car

Back in 1977, in the James Bond Movie "The Spy Who Loved Me," Roger Moore's agent 007 had a very special Series 1 Lotus Esprit that converted from a sports car to a submarine. The Lotus had propellers and rudders and even a battery of harpoon launchers to help Bond fight off the bad guys. The submarine Lotus was more than just a prop; it did go underwater and the rudder and propellers worked. However, it wasn't actually water-tight, and so a stuntman with Scuba gear operated it inside behind the dark glass. The picture to the right shows a scale model of the submersible Lotus. Well, now there is a real diving Lotus. Rinspeed, a Swiss tuner and builder of exotic concept cars and other futuristic vehicles built the Rinspeed sQuba, a drivable, divable concept car that really works. Based on a Lotus Elise, the electric-powered sQuba is the brainchild of Rinspeed founder Frank M. Rinderknecht, who never forgot that submersible car from the James Bond movie. “For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water. Now we have made this dream come true,” Rinderknecht said. How did they do it? First, there had to be some practical thinking. For example, even though the Lotus Elise is a very small car (only about 150 inches long), the enclosed volume of about 70 cubic feet would have required adding 4,400 pounds of weight. The necessary ballast tanks would have made for a large, bulky vehicle that didn't look anything like a sleek sports car. So Rinspeed decided to build the sQuba as an open vehicle with its passengers using built-in scuba gear while underwater. The car floats on water, then sinks when the doors are opened and water enters the car. However, without passengers it surfaces on its own. What all did Rinspeed do to make this possible? Well, they removed the combustion engine and replaced it with a variety of electrical motors. For operation on land, the main electric motor makes 73 horsepower and 118 foot-pounds of torque at 4500 rpm. Rinspeed estimates the top speed to be "over 75 mph," but given the weight (less than 2,000 pounds) and power it's probaby over 100 mph. Floating in water, the sQuba uses two propellers in the back, powered by an 800 Watt electric motor each, good for a speed of about four knots. Underwater, propulsion is via two electric 5-horsepower Seabob jet drives that breathe through rotating louvers and expell the water through light but twist-resistant Carbon "nano tubes." That gives the sQuba an underwater speed of about two knots. Power is supplied by rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries. Rinspeed states "the sQuba's filling station is the water reservoir,” referring to the electric hydropower the Swiss are experts in. Operating diving depth is around 33 feet. When going under, the car's occupants use an integrated air supply system with two gas tanks -- one 15 liters, the other 18 liters -- and Scubapro regulators, specifically Scubapro's classic and very reliable air-balanced G250V second stage. The Scubapro gear and the tanks are mounted behind the passengers. The sQuba is chuck full of interesting technology, and not only for underwater operation. On land, it uses a laser scanner system to essentially drive itself. For underwater operation, Rinspeed and its partners designed a cockpit and instruments that's inspired by the elegant shape and lines of a Manta Ray. Individual instruments seem to float and have dials that are lined up like lenses. The main control cluster is futuristically lighted and sits behind a protective sheet of glass with a fisheye effect. Controls can be operated even with diving gloves. How real is the Rinspeed sQuba? Real enough for an impressive video of its operation on land, floating and diving. You can see the movie as well as pictures on Rinspeed's website. It works. But it's also a concept and not meant for production at all. For that, it'd need a more powerful motor, and the market for diving cars is likely very small. But none of that matters. Concepts are limited only by the imagination. "For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water," said Frank Rinderknecht. "Now we have made this dream come true.” Very cool.

Basic Turbo Tech

The center cartridge is often taken for granted as much of the attention when it comes to turbochargers is focused on housing sizes and wheel trims. The center section is the "durability center" of a turbo. Lubrication and cooling of the unit happens here and if things go bad, it's game over. There's no doubt that ball-bearing cartridges have been a godsend for turbo enthusiasts. Almost like cheating, tuners are using the ball-bearing design's quick spool-up to negate turbo lag and to run bigger units on smaller applications.

Garrett's dual ball-bearing turbos were originally designed for diesel engines. Diesels were known to produce throttle tip-in smoking. The smoke was the byproduct of a rich condition that occurs after the throttle is opened, but before boost is realized. Response was the goal because diesels don't rev very high. So ball-bearing turbos designed to spool-up quickly were developed that shortened the time between the pedal and the boost, which helped solve the problem. The highly responsive design was perfect for extreme motorsport applications, which eventually led to the HKS/Garrett GT lineup now seen on the street, as well as offerings from Turbonetics and other manufacturers.

In the first of this two-part article, we'll examine the inner workings of the center cartridge to develop a basic understanding of its functions. In the next installment, we'll explore the different types of ball-bearing center sections. Learn how the center cartridge works as we assemble a conventional journal center section and outline some of the differences between journal bearings and Turbonetics single ball-bearing center sections.

The difference can be seen in the palm of your hand. It's all about stability and friction resistance; the ball bearing easily outshines the journal bearing in both aspects. Turbonetics reports that its single ceramic ball-bearing design spools 25 percent faster than a journal setup, while delivering 50 times greater thrust resistance.

Here's a conventional journal-bearing center section setup. On the left, a 270-degree thrust bearing and brass journal bearing.

This is the Turbonetics single-ball-bearing center cartridge. It features a beefier thrust bearing, a 360-degree washer and an angular-contact ceramic ball bearing.

Small but important, these retainer clips slip into ridges inside the center section and keep the bearing(s) in place within the cartridge.

Next, the bearing is dropped in the housing. In this picture, it's a journal-style unit.

Then the thrust bearing and the washer are put together. The thrust-bearing assembly is positioned on the housing. The dowels are used to properly line up the assembly with the oil passages in the cartridge housing.

The thrust bearing is one of the prime areas of failure. Ever wonder why oil changes are more frequent for turbocharged cars? Note the three oil ports and pads on the thrust bearing washer (arrows). Everything is riding on the thin layers of oil provided by these orifices. In journal bearing applications, a retaining clip is inserted in the backing plate, which is secured with four bolts.

Clutch Upgrade Solutions For The Evolution VIII

Ask any mechanic what a fried clutch smells like and most likely they would reply that it smells somewhat like burnt toast. Unfortunately for Mitsubishi Evolution VIII owners that smell is an all too common occurrence. Hundreds of Evo VIII owners have learned the hard way about living /eating burnt toast; it's a bitter pill. Some owners with have reported clutch failure with as few as 3,000 miles on the clock. Dozens of Evo VIII forums have reports of similar occurrences. The worst part of the whole situation is that dealers will not warranty the clutch due to it being a "wear item." One clutch we removed from a vehicle only had, 3,000 miles on the odometer and it looked like a grenade was thrown at it. All the friction material on the disc disintegrated into smaller pieces.

After doing some investigation we found that one of the reasons for the failure in the clutch is the flywheel. Heat is the number one reason for clutch failure and the Evolution's flywheel does a poor job of transferring heat away from the disc. Upon closer inspection, besides the obvious blown clutch fragments, we noticed the flywheel had severe discoloration on the backside due to excessive heat buildup. Our guess is besides the overall heavy weight of the vehicle and the AWD drivetrain the driver would have to ride the clutch much more than a lighter weight 2WD vehicle for that much heat to build up in the flywheel. Add a little stop-and-go traffic into the mix and you have yourself a recipe for clutch failure. Fortunately, the after market has also recognized the need for a performance clutch for the Evolution VIII. From a simple single-disc replacement to an exotic triple-disc carbon clutch, whatever your needs are the after market has you covered.

Advanced Clutch Technology

ACT offers three different types of clutches from a basic street to full race applications. The ACT street clutch kit has a 38-percent increase in clamp load and has a torque capacity of 497 lb-ft. ACT also offers two race clutch kits: one is a four-puck disc design while the other is a six-puck disc. Both race clutch kits features a 38 percent increase in clamping load and have a torque capacity of 636 lb-ft. All three clutch kits come with a new throwout bearing and clutch alignment tool. Centerforce Centerforce offers their patented Dual-Friction design clutch utilizing custom carbon fiber organic facings and ball-bearing pressure plate. The carbon fiber organic material is better suited to handle the extreme heat conditions of the Evo's drivetrain. The increased clamping load does not mean a heavy pedal due to its ball-bearing design. You won't have to perform leg presses at the gym to operate the clutch. The Dual-Friction clutch has been tested on vehicles generating over 450 hp to the wheels. Centerforce also offers a billet steel flywheel that is lighter and better able to transfer heat away from the clutch disc. Clutch Masters Clutch Masters offers four different stages of performance clutches for the Evolution VIII, from a basic street setup to full race applications. Their street variant has a holding capacity of 70 percent over stock while the race version is capable of holding 170 percent over stock. All Clutch Master clutches come with a new throwout bearing and clutch alignment tool. The company also offers an aluminum flywheel for the Evolution VIII.

RPS Performance Products If all-out performance is what you're after then the RPS carbon-carbon twin-disc clutch is what you need. Specially designed for high-output Evolution VIII's the RPS carbon-carbon clutch is capable of holding over 700 hp and still civil enough to be used on the street. Pedal pressure is increased only by 10 percent but the engagement is extremely smooth and comfortable to drive. However, if you want the Ferrari of clutches be prepared to fork out some dough.