520KW HENNESSEY GT-R BREAKS LOOSE

The Nissan GT-R is one the world’s most celebrated performance cars of any kind. Dubbed Godzilla because of its insane credentials on and off the race track, the GT-R was always going to be tuned by the aftermarket crowd. One of these tuners is American outfit Hennessey Performance, a Texas-based company whose best-known work is in tuning Dodge Vipers to insanity.

Hennessey can now turn an ordinary (by supercar standards anyway) GT-R’s 353kW and 588Nm into something touching on the likes of McLaren SLR, Ferrari Enzo and Porsche Carrera GT. There are two tuning packages offered, the first called Godzilla 600 being a mild 450kW, 773Nm. The second one, Godzilla 700, gives owners 522kW under the right foot, to do with it as they please. Mind you, the engine is still the same 3.8-litre twin turbo V6.

By upgrading the air induction system, making alterations to the electronic boost control, exhaust system and intercooler, Hennessey shows how much more power can be wrought from the GT-R. Mind you, any of these changes on their own is probably guaranteed to throw the factory warranty out the window. If this doesn’t faze you at all then prepare to part with some US$14 500 for the package to be installed in your GT-R for Godzilla 600, and US$24 500 for the Godzilla 700 option.

Of course you’d still be expected to pay the estimated R35 000 monthly installment.