Making of the Nissan GT-R's heart

Every car's heart is its engine. When it happens to be the pulsating heart of a supercar, it becomes extra precious. And when it gives life to a car called the Nissan GT-R, it enjoys a really special place. We enjoy visiting every automobile plant as it always provides some interesting insights into the exciting world of engineering and innovation. So when we had the opportunity to visit the Nissan GT-R's only engine plant in the world at Yokohama, Japan, we expected it to be an experience to cherish.

As we proceed towards the engine plant, what else but a GT-R greets us at the entrance, speaking its own language through the well-known growling note.

In one part of Nissan's Yokohama plant, which started operations in the 1930s, is located the area where the 3.8 litre V6 engine is born. The environment inside is sensitive, almost like an ICU. The 550hp (20 more for the 2017 GT-R) GTR engine touches insane temperature levels as it belts out the peak power.

Under normal driving conditions, when the GT-R hits 230kph, the engine’s water temperature is 94deg Celsius, and the engine oil can be as hot as 112deg Celsius! The engine assembly environment is a stark contrast, though. The pristine engine department has a constant temperature of 23deg C (+/- 2 degrees) and humidity of 15-17 percent throughout the year. Every engine is assembled by one person, whose name is neatly etched on the cover of the engine he/she assembles.

It doesn’t help to be in a hurry to get a GT-R engine. Instead, enjoy a good night's sleep and come the next day. It takes 8.3 hours to put together an engine with approximately 300 parts in each. Thirteen engines are assembled every day in a single shift. The measurements are so precise that some of the clearances cannot be measured by a machine.

Since the GT-R’s powerplant is not a regular engine, not any technician can work on it. Fifty-four-year-old master Takumi Kurosawa reveals that one has to be a craftsman with a passion to qualify for the job. It is almost like in a martial arts school! There are only five masters (Takumi in Japanese) and three associate masters (Jun Takumi) in the GT-R engine assembly facility. One needs to clear seven exams to be an associate master!

Yumika Takechi, 28, is one of the lucky ones to qualify as an associate master. More so, because she is the first and only female in the GT-R engine assembly facility. Yumika and her colleagues have to meticulously check and sign off every engine before they propel the GT-Rs to burn rubber on the track. We got a taste of it, partially, at the track. Partially because the track had a speed limit of 80kph, rather unfair for a car like the GT-R!

As for the experience at the GT-R engine plant, it lived up to our expectation as we got some interesting insights into engineering.

Comments

2018 Lamborghini Urus India review, test drive

On first introduction, it’s a recipe for intimidation. It’s claimed to be the fastest SUV in the world (0-100kph in 3.6sec and a top speed of 305kph puts it nearly in supercar territory), and it’s made by Lamborghini – creator of some of the most savage vehicles on the market. Things – as with any Lamborghini, for that matter – would be a lot less daunting if we were driving on a smooth European country road, a wide motorway, or even a race track. But today we’re driving the Urus on a narrow ghat road, as well as through some heavy Pune traffic. Perhaps the intention was to demonstrate that this is the first Lamborghini ever to go on sale in India that truly works in our conditions – but still, I doubt they accounted for rush hour. It’s requisitely mad to look at, employing as many ‘sporty’ design tropes to an SUV body style as possible – the only thing missing is a massive wing on the back; and somehow, it works. It’s ...

What to avoid during a car service

When it comes to getting their cars serviced at authorised outlets, owners usually go the whole hog. They want their cars coming out of service centres looking brand new, and are willing to pay for it. But do service centres take undue advantage of this? Yes, they do. Servicing may involve changing certain parts and oils after a set interval, but service centres will almost always try to plug in a few extras using technical jargon that a layman may not really understand. Certain processes are completely unnecessary, and customers end up paying extra as they are not aware of what's important and what's not. Also, most of the times, the service associate will throw you a hard sales pitch, and it's not always done with your best interests in mind. So what exactly are the things you don’t really need and should avoid? Engine flushing Flushing an engine simply means cleaning the impure oil and gunk that ...

Rolls Royce Cullinan SUV in the works

Rolls Royce has released the first pictures of its Cullinan SUV prototype. The company has said that only the length of the prototype gives clues about the production. The entire car is an engineering mock-up to test the new all-wheel drive transmission and suspension. The prototype, based on a shortened Phantom II, is set for road testing from the second week of April. The company has said that it would “assist Rolls Royce engineers in developing a final suspension system that will deliver the brand's hallmark 'magic carpet' ride not only on the road, but off-road too”. Rolls Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Ötvös had, some time back, confirmed to our sister publication Autocar UK, that the company was developing an all-new four-wheel drive high-bodied Rolls Royce. He had, however, avoided using the word ‘SUV’. The new Rolls Royce is expected to shatter existing price and size ceilings for a SUV, but as per the brand's design boss Giles Taylor, the SUV will be po...

Automobilestillnow

Search This Blog