Nissan still has a lot of work to do, if it wants to catch the Porsche 918 Spyder's insane Nurburgring lap record of 6:57, but considering what it's working with, the 2015 GT-R NISMO's lap time of 7:08.69 (with a track pack, which drops 143 lbs.) is still damn impressive (video below).
Ahead of its official debut this week, the first images of the GT-R Nismo were leaked, along with its specs. This new model will push 600 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque (raised from 545 and 463) from its twin-turbocharged, 3.8-liter V6, thanks to bigger turbos, and tweaked intakes and exhaust systems. The car rides on 20-inch alloys with 255/40RF-20 run-flat Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT 600 DSST tires, giving it some extra grip.
The ultimate NISMO is coming to Japan in late February 2014, and hits U.S. and European showrooms later in 2014.