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DON'T SAY FERRARI TO GT-R ENTHUSIAST ROB SMITHERS – THIS IS HIS VERSION OF HOW A JAPANESE SUPERCAR SHOULD PERFORM AND LOOK WORDS: DAN GOODYER PHOTOS: STEPHEN HALL
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ay the word ‘supercar’ to a group of car enthusiasts and most will immediately think of Italy. Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani... all these cars are designed with passion and flair. Their designers are surrounded by beauty all day, every day. They are inspired by fashion, art and beautiful women. More to the point, these car makers only sell a handful of models, all of them expensive and fast. By comparison, Japanese car makers sell a full range of cars. Even the most extreme cars from Japan are created by manufacturers who sell at least one shopping car in their line-up. So which car could you describe as being Japan’s supercar? Well, it certainly used to be the Honda NSX. It had all the right credentials – a mid-engined, low-slung two-seater famously designed with guidance from Formula One legend Ayrton Senna. However, it was more of a strippedout track car than a supercar. Then we had the ultra-rare Lexus LFA. That was certainly expensive enough to be a supercar, and it performed like one too. However, it was almost too clinical. Where the Europeans focus on curves and hand-stitched leather interiors, the Japanese are inspired by technology. So the LFA was built from exotic materials and quite frankly went like stink. However, it just seemed a bit cold
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somehow, in comparison to its European rivals, who place more emphasis on soul and passion than sheer outright performance. Then a few years ago, along came the Nissan GT-R. Big, bold and relatively heavy, the R35 GT-R isn't necessarily what you'd expect from a supercar. That's because, strictly-speaking, it isn't. Take a look at the price tag of the GT-R and compare it to pretty much any Lamborghini or Aston Martin, and you realise it isn’t so much a case of how much more expensive they are, but how many GT-Rs you could buy for the same price. It's the same for the interior, too. Where something Italian would be marketed on the special type of leather used for the seats, the GT-R's focus is on that multifunctional display, designed with the help of Kazunori Yamauchi – the man behind Gran Turismo. We're not passing judgement that one is better than the other, just pointing out their different aims. Thing is, even in standard form, the GT-R can put up a fight in performance terms with almost any supercar from around the world. With the right tuning parts it can positively blow them off the road! It just needs a bit of sprucing up in the looks department. Some carefully considered aero and colour to round those
broad shoulders and add a bit of flair. Which is exactly what Rob Smithers has achieved with the help of Telford-based GT-R specialist Severn Valley Motorsport. Bought in 2011 in Titanium metallic, this GT-R has been to the plastic surgeons and come back a relative supermodel. The GT-R is a big car, so it's never going to look like a sleek, delicate little two-seater. This was a conscious decision by the Nissan engineers too, who explained they deliberately made the GT-R heavier than it could have been, as a way of increasing traction. Still, there was plenty of room for improvement in Rob's eyes, starting with the colour. Gone is the relative dullness of the original Titanium paint, replaced by a deep Ferrari Scuderia red. Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Without any other modifications this would have brightened up the big Nissan, but it hasn't just been thrown on. For a start the finish is flawless. Then there's the way it's broken up with bits of carbon and gloss black. Every small detail has been thought about to tie in with the overall theme. Rob bought the car brand new in April 2010. Initially he enjoyed the power and speed of the car, but felt it was a little too quiet. After just one week the tuning began, with SVM fitting a Y-pipe to free up the exhaust and add a bit of volume. After three
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months the car had been remapped using a Cobb Tuning Accessport. The result of which was around 580bhp. Once again, the work was carried out by Severn Valley Motorsport and a relationship was building. In fact, the entire build has now been carried out by SVM. Severn Valley's Amar explains: ‘We find that we build quite deep relationships with our customers. At the end of the day these cars are their pride and joy, and GT-R tuning isn't cheap, although it is very effective. We find that people come to us for the small stuff first, and when they see how we operate, they come back for future work. We offer every aspect of car tuning, styling and maintenance under one roof, so our customers can deliver their car with a list of jobs and leave it with us, knowing it will all be done to the highest standards. It's low-stress for them.’ In April 2011, almost a year later, Rob returned for a SVM 750 conversion. As the name suggests, this increases power to around 750bhp using a series of bolt-on modifications. Fundamentally, the engine remains stock, using the original bottom-
‘TUNING A NISSAN GT-R ISN’T CHEAP, ALTHOUGH IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE’ end. It's amazing how much power tuners like SVM are able to extract from the GT-R with just bolt-on parts. That VR38DETT engine has lived up to the expectation of GT-R enthusiasts around the world. This is despite Nissan bizarrely suggesting at the time of the car’s launch that the GT-R would not be able to be modified. They pointed out that all the electronic systems were linked to the factory ECU, which was so complicated that no tuner would ever be able to crack it. They got that wrong! The 750 upgrade felt like a big step up in power for Rob. He was very pleased with the car, so pleased that it remained in this spec for a full two-years. In that time he did a few high-speed events and the odd MLR 30-130 event which, as the name suggests, is a competition to find the ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?
ROB'S CHOICE OF SEATS REFLECTS THE G-FORCE THIS GT-R CAN GENERATE. INSTEAD OF LEATHER RECLINERS, ROB HAS GONE FOR A PAIR OF BRIDE LOW MAX FIXED-BACK BUCKET SEATS, WITH A SUBTLE BLACK LUKE HARNESS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WHEN YOUR CAR HAS MORE THAN 750BHP AND IMMENSE LEVELS OF GRIP, YOU NEED HEAVILY-BOLSTERED SEATS TO KEEP YOU IN PLACE AND FEEL WHAT THE CAR IS DOING. THE RED ‘LOW MAX’ LOGO COMPLEMENTS THE COLOUR-SCHEME, MATCHING INTERIOR DETAILS LIKE THE DOOR HANDLES TOO. NICE TOUCH
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quickest accelerating car from 30mph to 130mph, a challenge that is a great benchmark for judging the ‘real world’ performance of a car and one that Nissan GT-Rs seem to be extremely proficient at. However, as someone who likes to tinker with his cars, Rob could slowly feel the urge to go for more. So, in 2013, work began on an SVM forged engine, using their own forged rods and pistons. The entire rotating assembly was also dynamically balanced. This is a critical part of the build as a well-balanced engine moves more freely, makes more power and is ultimately more reliable. Amar adds: ‘Rob used the car without incident for two years with our 750 conversion, so it proved totally reliable, but using our forged
‘IT LOOKS LIKE IT COULD HAVE BEEN A NISMO BUILT SPECIAL EDITION’ components gives Rob extra peace of mind. At that power level the engine is generating a lot of torque, and it's torque that can bend or break engine components such as the connecting rods. Fitting forged internals is like adding an extra layer of protection to your engine.’ While the engine was being rebuilt, the gearbox was also tweaked, including the installation of the latest software from Cobb Tuning. Once again Rob went away a happy man. It wasn't until the start of this year that Rob decided he wanted to freshen up the looks of the car. In a world full of more 1,000bhp GT-Rs than you might imagine (many of them built by SVM), it was the look of Rob's car, rather than the rampant 780bhp motor, that really caught our attention. It strikes that magic balance between being eyecatching yet subtle. It looks like it could have been a Nismo-built special edition, SEVERN VALLEY MOTORSPORT
WITH OVER 30 YEARS IN THE TUNING BUSINESS, SEVERN VALLEY MOTORSPORT HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. THEY RECENTLY EXPANDED THEIR PREMISES AND HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES TO PRODUCING THE BEST GT-RS IN THE WORLD, AS THEIR DEMO CARS HAVE PROVED BY RECORDING SEVERAL SPEED RECORDS. ONE UNIQUE ASPECT OF SVM IS THEY CAN OFFER EVERY FORM OF TUNING, BODYWORK, SERVICING AND MOT TESTING UNDER ONE ROOF. CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.SEVERNVALLEYMOTORSPORT.CO.UK (01952) 583917
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WHEELS OF WONDER
AT FIRST GLANCE WHEEL GEEKS MIGHT THINK THESE ARE BBS CH ALLOY WHEELS, BUT THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE THE LIMITED EDITION CH-R INSTEAD, WITH A SUBTLE CHANGE IN DESIGN SO THERE'S LESS WHEEL. THE SPOKES ARE ALSO HOLLOW, AGAIN TO SAVE WEIGHT. WHILE SVM HAS DETAILED THE ‘MOTORSPORT’ LOGOS IN RED TO CONTINUE THE COLOUR SCHEME. THEY'RE WRAPPED IN A SET OF THE NEW MICHELIN PILOT SPORT CUP 2 TYRES. THESE ARE DESIGNED TO OFFER LOADS OF GRIP WITH A FOCUS ON HIGH-SPEED STABILITY, SO THEY'RE PERFECT FOR ROB'S HIGH-SPEED RUNS
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TECHSPEC ENGINE 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo, VR38DETT, Severn Valley Motorsport (SVM) forged pistons, SVM forged con-rods, Cobb Tuning Accessport, SVM Stage 2 turbochargers including uprated motorsport actuators, large K&N air filters, SVM intake and mass air flow meter pipework, SVM bar and plate front-mounted intercooler, powdercoated black intercooler hard-pipes, SVM cat-less down pipes, SVM 102mm (4in) stainless steel exhaust system, Motorsport Injectors 1,000cc fuel injectors, twin motorsport fuel pumps, powder-coated black header tank, Ferrari Scuderia red inlet manifold cover, gloss black rocker cover, silicone hoses, Murray clamps Power: 780bhp at the flywheel
TRANSMISSION Factory six-speed dual-clutch semiautomatic gearbox with Cobb Access port custom tune
BRAKES OE calipers with AP Racing discs all round, Ferodo DS2500 pads
SUSPENSION KW spring sleeve kit
WHEELS & TYRES 9.5x20in (front), 10.5x20in (rear) BBS CH-R alloy wheels with 275/35/20 (front) and 305/30/20 (rear) Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, Eibach wheel spacers all round, wheels resprayed gloss black with red embossed logo
which is always the sign of a well-tuned car in our experience. Lots of colours were thrown around in the planning stage. The car was going to be green, then yellow, then blue. Eventually Rob settled on the deep shade of red used on the Ferrari F430 Scuderia, and we're pleased he did. It suits the GT-R so well, especially with those black BBS wheels and the mix of carbon and black detailing that runs throughout the bodywork. Rob spontaneously bought most of the aero bits. From Japan he imported a set of vented Varis front wings, the carbon-fibre slats behind the front wheels remind us of a Super-GT racer or a Time Attack car. Or perhaps, more accurately, the Sumo Power GT1 GT-R? While that Knight Racer ducktail rear spoiler neatly finishes off the rear-end.
It's one of our favourite parts of the car – not as boisterous as a big wing and a step towards something you might see on a Ferrari, especially once coated in the hue of Italian royalty. But this isn't a Ferrari. The R35 GT-R remains distinctly Japanese, however you try and modify it. All Rob and SVM have done is to add the finishing touches... and plenty of power. The result is a car that really stands out when parked amongst other GT-Rs. Not because it has bright paint and lairy spoilers, but because it looks tasteful, sexy even. It sits in that rare parking space where form meets function. It's the kind of GT-R you want sat in your garage. The GT-R you want to be sat in when something Italian pulls up next to you at the traffic lights – launch control on, green light… Sayonara! JP
INTERIOR Factory interior with Bride race seats
EXTERIOR Knight Racer carbon-fibre front splitter, gloss black nose cone, carbon-fibre grille insert, carbon-fibre bumper top-mount, gloss black bonnet vents, Varis front wings with carbon-fibre triple vents, wing mirrors resprayed in red and gloss black, Knight Racer carbon-fibre side skirts, Varis rear valance with carbon-fibre side vents, Top Secret rear LED fog light, de-badged rear, Knight Racer FRP ducktail bootlid, gloss black wing badge holders, gloss black rear valance with centre blade in red, carbon-fibre exhaust tips, full respray in Ferrari Scuderia Red
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