SP Rides: The Mega-Godzilla
BY MICHAEL KITCHENS
Year, Make, Model: 2014 Nissan GT-R – Switzer Ultimate Street Edition
Color: Black
Engine: 1,000-plus horsepower on 93 octane pump fuel, Switzer Stage 1 VR38DETT engine build (Switzer spec Mahle pistons, pins, and rings, Switzer spec Carillo connecting rods, Switzer spec camshafts, Switzer blueprinted engine and oil pump, Switzer spec Nissan engine components), Switzer USE billet wheel turbochargers, Switzer cast stainless steel turbo manifolds, Switzer turbo heat shielding and thermal wrap, Switzer wastegate assembly, Switzer catless downpipes, Switzer fuel injector kit, Switzer fuel rails and regulator kit, Switzer ethanol flex fuel kit, Switzer in-tank fuel system upgrade, Switzer intercooler, Switzer upper intake plumbing with BOVs, Switzer high-flow turbo intakes and filter assembly,Switzer performance tuning and evaluation, Cobb Accessport V3 with TCM support, Switzer premium 102 mm stainless steel exhaust for R35 GTR, stainless steel Y-pipe, stainless steel extension pipe, stainless steel rear muffler section, stainless steel tips (adjustable), install hardware
Exterior: APR carbon fiber wing-APR carbon fiber front lip
Transmission: Billet 1-6 gearset, Custom USE 800-plus pound-feet clutch, GR6 transmission fluid
Suspension: Swift lowering springs
Wheels, tires: Advan GT racing wheels — 20-by-10 front, 20-by-12 rear, Toyo R888 tires
Since its introduction in 2007, the Nissan GT-R has continually redefined what it means to be a sports car. It’s one of the fastest production vehicles on the famous Nürburgring Nordschleife and is already a technological, high performance marvel — directly from the factory.
So how do you improve such a vehicle? You send it off to Switzer Performance in Ohio for a little bit of work. About 1,000 horsepower worth of it. You see, this is the Switzer Ultimate Street Edition GT-R. It is not a joke. This is serious business. This is the legendary Godzilla on steroids.
Developed by David Kim, this GT-R has a tremendous list (practically too numerous to list) of additional upgrades, which have resulted in a tire-shredding, AWD mega-Godzilla of a car. It has blistering performance wrapped up in a push-button, comfortable ride that still has incredible fuel economy at the change of a fuel map with the Cobb Accessport V3.
The entire engine and drivetrain have been massaged with note-worthy upgrades sure to light a fire. Switzer has included billet wheel turbochargers, stainless steel turbo manifolds, downpipe, intake and a full upgrade of the fuel system. The changes are numerous and exhaustive. This is not your typical bolt-on build and the resulting performance creates a formidable vehicle.
Performance wise — it blasts past even some of the most capable exotics while remaining user-friendly and even suitable to be a daily driven commuter. Visually, the OEM lines have been augmented with a set of APR carbon fiber pieces to include a large wing and a slick front lip. The body has been lowered on Swift lowering springs while settling on the very incredible Advan GT racing wheels. These gorgeous wheels are wrapped with Toyo Tires R888s with 20-by-10 in the front and an enormous 20-by-12 in the rear.
For the owner of this ride, the entire setup is a far cry from the Hondas he used to race at Hawaii Raceway Park. With the advent of a quicker-than-lightning dual-clutch transmission and the traction available from the all-wheel drive performance, it’s admittedly impossible for him to ever go back to what he grew up on. The bar has essentially gone through the roof.
For all this power, the lack of a motorsports facility hampers this car’s potential and it weighs heavily on the mind of the owner. Having spent years of time on the track, having such an incredible performance machine seems almost wasted without a place to race. So for now — this fire-breathing monster lies in wait, ready to put a hurt on anything that comes its way.
