Rise of Mechagodzilla: Nissan's 600-horsepower 2017 GT-R NISMO

If Nissan's GT-R is Godzilla, the 600-horsepower GT-R NISMO is Mechagodzilla.

On Friday morning, Nissan unveiled the 2017 GT-R NISMO, the most extreme version of the "new" GT-R that debuted at the New York Auto Show in April.

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For those of you who don't know, NISMO is Nissan's performance arm. When it turns its engineering wizardry to the all-wheel drive tour de force, it creates the most GT-R that the GT-R can GT-R. Essentially, it's the automotive equivalent of the Xzibit meme.

Image: memegenerator

By that, I mean if the standard GT-R is considered harsh and uncomfortable, the harder, faster and stiffer GT-R NISMO is more so. That said, Nissan claims that this refreshed GT-R NISMO is more comfortable and civilized than the last one. Let's hope.

Along with a new front fascia with a bigger "V-motion" grille, the car has an updated interior with fewer buttons on the dash and more luxury appointments. Specifically, it boasts high-quality Alcantara suede and an enlarged 8-inch infotainment screen.

Image: Nissan

Intriguingly, although Nissan considers this a "new" GT-R NISMO, its twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine produces the same 600 horsepower as the 2016 version. Clearly, "new" is a bit of a stretch.

The GT-R NISMO can still go toe to toe with any of the latest and greatest supercars on the track and keep up — if not outpace them — for less money. That said it's not cheap.

Image: Nissan

Nissan hasn't given updated pricing for the 2017 model year. The 2016 GT-R NISMO clocked in around the $150,000 mark, so this one should be a bit more. Regardless, it's an impressive driving machine nonetheless.