Nissan's Le Mans racer debuts on Gran Tourismo 6

folarin okunola

June 2, 2015 3:28 PM

The car is unlocked by simply setting a time in the final in-game GT Academy event.

The GT-R LM racer in the GT6 gameplay.

Nissan's brand new, never-been-raced Le Mans prototype will be making its debut on Gran Turismo 6 today, just two weeks before it makes its real life debut.

The car is unlocked by simply setting a time in the final in-game GT Academy event, a lap around the La Sarthe track that hosts the 24-hour endurance race, the LMP1 racer is yours for free if you own the PS3 console.

The real racer itself is the birth child of some very weird engineering. The GT-R LM is front-engined front-wheel drive, with nose-heavy weight bias meaning almost all the downforce is generated at the front, allowing Nissan to run skinny rear tyres. Gaping tunnels that run the length of the chassis funnel air around a teardrop-shaped tub to keep drag to an absolute minimum.

The result simply translates into the fastest overall time at the speed trap during last Sunday's Le Mans test day, if not yet a likely contender for the 24-hour crown.

Even the hybrid twin-turbo V6 engine, a variant of which has been confirmed for the next road-going GT-R, is hooked to a mere five-speed gearbox because it's so fantastically torquey. Fewer gear changes means less transmission wear, which means more chance of finishing the race.

folarin okunola