Nissan creates GT-R drone: 0-100 km/h in just 1.3 seconds

• Nissan creates high-performance, high technology GT-R drone
• Car vs Drone race previews Nissan's celebration of the legendary GT-R at Goodwood Festival of Speed (23-26 June)

GOODWOOD, UK (June 23, 2016) – Nissan today unveiled the GT-R Drone – one of the fastest accelerating FPV (First Person View) racing drones in the world.

Built to be able to keep up with the new 2017 Nissan GT-R while filming on the track, the drone features the very latest in performance-enhancing technology, just like its automotive equivalent.

Custom designed by World Drone Prix Champions, Tornado XBlades Racing, the GT-R Drone uses a special race tuned configuration and low-drag canopy to reach 100kph from a standstill in just 1.3 seconds.

To show off the talents of both machines, the GT-R Drone took on the road-going supercar around the challenging Silverstone circuit.

Both machines use incredible technology and engineering to extract the maximum performance, both in a straight line and through corners. The GT-R car transfers power from its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter 24-valve V6 to all four wheels; the GT-R Drone delivers incredible acceleration via four propellers mated with 2000kV XNova motors and race specification Sky-Hero quadcopter frame.

The race saw Nissan NISMO driver Ricardo Sanchez take the wheel of the new GT-R with James Bowles, the 2015 British National Drone Racing champion, piloting the GT-R Drone around a purpose-built 1.2-mile course at Silverstone.

The new 2017 GT-R represents the most significant changes to the car since the R35 model was first introduced in 2007. Unlike the drone, the GT-R features new aerodynamic features, which are designed to keep it firmly on the ground.

While the drone can out accelerate the car, wheels soon catch up with rotors: The GT-R Drone has a top speed of approximately 185kph, versus 315kph for the European model car.

Even the incredible four-wheel-drive system of the GT-R can't match the ultimate agilty of the drone, which is has a turning circle of just 0.3 meters. Its custom setup allows it to perform heart-stopping maneuvers with incredible precision and agility.

Both machines will also be on display at Goodwood Festival of Speed this week.

Tech Spec on the Europe-model GT-R and GT-R Drone  

About Nissan in Europe
Nissan has one of the most comprehensive European presences of any overseas manufacturer, employing more than 17,000 staff across locally-based design, research & development, manufacturing, logistics and sales & marketing operations. Last year Nissan plants in the UK, Spain and Russia produced more than 635,000 vehicles including award-winning crossovers, commercial vehicles and the Nissan LEAF, the world's most popular electric vehicle. Pursuing a goal of zero emissions and zero fatalities on the road, Nissan recently announced its Intelligent Mobility vision. Designed to guide Nissan's product and technology pipeline, this 360 degree approach to the future of mobility will anchor critical company decisions around how cars are powered, how cars are driven, and how cars integrate into society. Nissan is positioned to become the most desirable Asian brand in Europe.  

About Nissan Motor Co
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 247,500 employees globally, Nissan sold 5.32 million vehicles and generated revenue of 11.38 trillion yen (USD 103.6 billion) in fiscal year 2014. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. Nissan leads the world in zero-emission mobility, dominated by sales of the LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle. It is the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.

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