Thread: 2009 Hennessey GTR600

Now that we know Nissan will not be bringing the GT-R SpecV to the U.S., we at Road & Track went looking for a fitting substitute, one that properly enhances the performance of the car without disrespecting its spirit — and besides, not many people could justify the steep $160,000 price tag of the SpecV. Call it fate, but just as we were about to throw in the towel, an email arrived from Hennessey Performance Engineering, whose all-conquering Dodge Vipers have graced many pages of past R&T issues. Turns out, he had just finished his own special GT-R, one called the GTR600, and wondered if we were interested in driving it.



If it seems odd that John Hennessey, owner and founder of Hennessey Performance Engineering, is now also tuning Japanese cars, let us remind you that he got his start tweaking Mitsubishi 3000GTs nearly 20 years ago. And it was clear after driving the Hennessey GTR600 that he's still familiar with Japanese cars.



The first thing Hennessey worked on was on the twin-turbocharged V-6. The factory turbochargers were modified with new 47-mm compressor wheels, with boost set at 17 psi. There's also a long list of new parts (under the company's SUMO brand) that includes the exhaust system, ECU, intercooler piping and wastegate actuators. All this results in 642 bhp at 6400 rpm and 611 lb.-ft. of torque at 4500 using premium gasoline (Hennessey claims that it'll pump out 700 bhp with racing fuel and boost turned up to 21 psi).



And man, does this make a difference at the dragstrip. The launching system limited engine revs to just about 2700 rpm with VDC on or off. Take your foot off the brake pedal, and you could swear the GTR600 is about to go airborne as it leaves the line. The GTR600 hit 60 mph in a scant 2.9 seconds and reached 100 mph in 6.5. The quarter-mile mark goes by in10.8 sec. at 130.4 mph. Hard to believe, but this thing made the GT-R SpecV feel slow...With race gas and the boost turned up, the GTR600 hit 193.8 mph in the standing mile, said Hennessey, and it hit 150 mph in just 14.3 sec.



The amazing part? Hennessey has kept the GTR600 easy to drive around town. He chose not to tweak the suspension too much, lowering the car an inch or so, but keeping ride quality smooth, There's a KWs suspension coilover kit that improves body roll through tight corners. The GTR600 failed to outperform the SpecV on our handling tests primarily because it wore the less-sticky Bridgestone Potenzas instead of the Dunlop SP Sport 600. The GTR600 circled the skidpad at 0.97g and raced through the slalom at 73.2 mph.



Hennessey Performance Engineering has started taking orders for the GTR600 (call (979) 885-1300 or go to hennesseyperformance.com). The cost of Hennessey's tweaks with installation included is $38,800. Add that to the base price of the Nissan GT-R, and you get a total price of $118,090. Not bad for a car that makes the $160,000 SpecV seem like it's slow.



Hennessey GTR600 List price $118,090
Curb weight est 3900 lb.
Wheelbase 109.4 in.
Length 183.3 in.
Height 52.9 in.

ENGINE
Type twin turbo alum. block dohc V-6
Bore x stroke 95.5 x 88.4 mm
Horsepower 642 bhp @ 6400 rpm
Torque 611 lb.-ft. @ 4500 rpm
Redline 7500 rpm
Fuel injection elect. sequential port
Recommended fuel 100-octane race gas

CHASSIS & BODY
Layout front engine/awd
Body/frame unit steel
Brakes 15.0-in. vented discs
Wheels forged alloy, 20 x 9½ f, 10 x 10½ r
Tires Bridgestone Potenza P255/40RF-20 f, P285/35RF-20 r
Steering rack & pinion, vari pwr assist
Suspension upper & lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar/multilink, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar

PERFORMANCE
0-60 mph, sec. 2.9
0-100 mph, sec. 6.5
1/4 –mile, sec 10.8 @ 130.4
Braking, 60-0 mph 114 ft.
Braking, 80-0 mph 201 ft.
Speed thru 700-ft. slalom 73.2 mph
Skidpad, 200-ft. circle 0.97g

Tweaks
SUMO Stainless Steel 88 mm Catback Exhaust System
SUMO Stainless Steel Midpipe Exhaust
SUMO Engine Management Computer Programmer (17 psi boost)
SUMO Intercooler Piping Upgrade
SUMO Inlet Piping Upgrade with Stainless Steel Blow-off Valves
SUMO Sport Turbo Upgrade – Modified Factory Turbos with 47 mm Compressor Wheels (stock compressor wheels = 42 mm)
SUMO Modified Factory Wastegate Actuators
Professional Installation
All Necessary Gaskets & Fluids
Chassis Dyno Tuning & Engine Management Calibration
Limited One Year Warranty
Powered by Hennessey Custom Floor Mats
Limited Edition GTR600 Plaque in Interior & Engine Compartment
Factory Engine Cover in Red with black GTR600 Badges
Hennessey & GTR600 Exterior Badges

GTR600 Upgrade -Total Installed Cost: $24,500

Options (prices include installation):
SUMO Electronic Exhaust Cutout (75 mm): $1,500
KW Variant 3 Adjustable Coilover Suspension Upgrade: $5,500
HRE C91 Light Weight Alloy Wheel Upgrade (set of 4): $7,300

Total Cost of Options $14,300
Total Cost of GTR600 Upgrade & Options As Tested $38,800

IMO way too expensive for what you get. You will see why in about 48 hrs...

I agree way to expensive for what you get. I can be putting a lot more power then his BHP to the ground for about half the price.

All I will say is this... for a bit over half that you can add another 100 hp and turn that from BHP to WHP... I speak from experience!

Plus hennasee will rip you off, talk smack to you and your old mother, steal your parts rebadge and steel everyone else's r and and call it his own and take all the credit because of his marketing dollers.


His first kit was an over charged hks kit with his advertising the hks kit engine bay from the hks site... He blanked out hks but he didn't blank out the water mark that was the size of the image.

He doesn't have an ecu... He uses the cobb stuff and stole the rest of the r and d from cobb and hks.


When everyone comes out with much better like jon here... He will copy that too.

Oh yea he is over charging big time too! That suspension cost around 4200 at most other venders... Meaning he is making bank on that alone.

Lets just say that it is public knowledge that their clutch packs blew on their mile passes the other weekend... well who ya gonna call ...

I think Hennessey is one of the most impressive marketing machines in the US automotive aftermarket. I believe they build fast cars, and I believe that they would not be my first choice to work on my gtr.

I will also say that the 820 HP kit on my car will cost MUCH less than this kit and include MUCH more and I can also say it has more r and d in it because well... I did a ton of it on my car and this project is not new!

Originally Posted by R35GTR

Lets just say that it is public knowledge that their clutch packs blew on their mile passes the other weekend... well who ya gonna call ...

I think Hennessey is one of the most impressive marketing machines in the US automotive aftermarket. I believe they build fast cars, and I believe that they would not be my first choice to work on my gtr.

I will also say that the 820 HP kit on my car will cost MUCH less than this kit and include MUCH more and I can also say it has more r and d in it because well... I did a ton of it on my car and this project is not new!

If you dont mind me asking who did you use for your build? After the clutch pack stament I am guessing I know .

SSP and Z Car Garage