VIDEO: AMS Performance Nissan GT-R Blasts its Way into the Record Books

Even after just a couple years on the market, the Nissan GT-R has already firmly established itself as one of the most spectacular (if not the most unorthodox) supercars of this century, if not all time. If you ask us, the idea of a front-engine, V6-powered, all-wheel-drive 2+2 from Japan being able to pummel mid-engined two-seaters costing twice or thrice as much and hailing from lands like Italy and Germany is as outrageous as it is appealing.

But as is the case with seemingly every mode of transportation short of Aperture Science’s Handheld Portal Device, there’s always at somebody who wants his or her ride to go faster, and Nissan’s giant slayer is no different. Yet while there are plenty of Godzillas shot up with ‘roids running around on the roads and tracks of the world, very few of them are extreme as the one cooked up by West Chicago, Illinois-based AMS Performance.

Christened the Alpha 12 by its makers, this de-winged R35 dines on 35 psi of turbocharger boost. AMS also reinforced the 3.8L twin-turbo V6’s block, and has added an aftermarket exhaust system and made numerous other unspecified changes. The net result is…well…watch for yourself.

So which stat was the one that put your jaw on the floor? The 1,300hp? The 9.05 second quarter-mile ET? The 166 mph trap speed? Well those are all staggering (and the dragstrip numbers are apparently the best for any GT-R), but the tidbit that amazed us had to do with the fact that the record run was made on a day with less-than-ideal weather conditions. The high temperature and humidity made for a greasy track, but clearly the AWD Alpha 12 didn’t have any trouble hooking up, right? Au contraire; AMS Performance reports that the wheelspin didn’t let up until driver Ivan Phipps grabbed fifth gear. Yowza.

Needless to say, we can’t wait to see what this bad boy can do with better track conditions, not to mention find out more about this tuning package, including the price. But since the Alpha 10 package is priced at an eye-watering $63,995 (plus the cost of the donor car), we’re guessing the Alpha 12 will be higher still. But let’s be honest: How can you argue against 1,300hp and quarter-mile times in the low 9s (and almost certainly high 8s with good track conditions)?

Source: AMS Performance