The RSV4 Factory APRC Special Edition is something to behold. Not to mention a force to be reckoned with on the track. Apparently somebody at Aprilia thought so too, because they took the RSV4 and lined it up with the other force to be reckoned with on the track: the Nissan GT-R. Before we dive headfirst into the fight, let's get the rap sheet on the Aprilia. The RSV4 is a monster of a machine. Traction Control. Wheelie Control. Launch Control. Quick Shift. It's a superbike wet dream.

Here's the rundown on just the above mentioned from Aprilia's website (there's plenty more on this bike that's simply spectacular and if you're interested you should check out www.apriliausa.com):

"The APRC package uses an automotive inertial sensor platform with two gyrometers and two accelerometers allowing the ECU to recognize the dynamic conditions of the bike and adapt the engine management parameters accordingly. The rider can adjust any component of the APRC system independently at will.

ATC: the traction control system of the future.
The ATC- Aprilia Traction Control undoubtedly is one of the greatest strengths of the APRC package. This is a fully innovative traction control system developed from an Aprilia patent, mainly focused on helping the rider improve his lap times. Thanks to the inertial platform and the Ride By Wire pioneered by Aprilia, the ATC not only reduces torque when the rear wheel slips but lets the rider control tail sliding when exiting a bend, giving him a better feel for throttle control, depending on lean angle.
Aprilia ATC is quickly, easily activated from the instrument panel menu and offers 8 settings. When the ATC is enabled, the rider can change setting in an instant at any time using a joystick on the left handlebar to suit track, pavement or tire conditions, without closing the throttle and keeping his hands on the handlebar, as in professional motorcycle racing. This way, the system can adjust to every single bend of any track so as to meet the specific requirements of any rider, including the most expert ones.
The other incredible achievement of Aprilia technology is the system's "learning capacity". Current traction control systems are designed and optimized for a single size and type of tire. This limit frequently cancels the benefits of traction control. Aprilia Traction Control (ATC) has overcome this limit: a procedure activated by the rider enables the system to learn the tire radius and final ratio adopted on the bike to obtain fine-tuned traction control.

AWC: stability at top acceleration.
Exploiting the full power of modern superbikes down to the very last HP is every rider's dream. Aprilia's AWC (Aprilia Wheelie Control) has achieved extraordinary results. Thanks to the exclusive Aprilia patented Wheelie Detection System, the AWC is able to "tell" when a wheelie begins and ends and kicks in to smoothen wheel contact with the road. Smooth, soft wheelie management avoids harsh power cuts or pick-up, providing perfect acceleration control. Again, the AWC system is activated from the instrument panel and can be adjusted independently from other control systems choosing from three settings to better meet rider requirements.

ALC: the best holeshot.
The perfect start is yet another racer's dream, because a good start frequently means you're half way towards a victory. When the lights go out, handling the huge power of modern superbikes is no easy task. Unless the bike handles it itself to offer its best starting performance. The ALC (Aprilia Launch Control) system ensures an instant start as the lights go out, applying full power to the road to assist the rider in this critical moment of the race. All the rider needs to do is give full throttle and release the clutch as he normally would and shift gears. The ALC has three settings that can be selected from the instrument panel menu, and then it must be "armed" at standstill, by squeezing both traction control buttons on the left handlebar joystick at the same time.

AQS: record-breaking shifting.
When you're after the utmost lap performance, you can't afford to waste even one thousandth of a second in an apparently simple operation like shifting. RSV4 Factory APRC SE is the first Aprilia bike that comes with the Aprilia Quick Shift as standard. Basically, the quick shift shortens spark advance for an instant and then gradually restores it, making for super-fast shifting with no need to close the throttle or use the clutch. The system works hand in hand with the new closer spaced gearbox to limit RPM drop during shifting for faster lap times. To optimize AQS performance, Aprilia engineers have fine-tuned power cut timing based on shifting RPM."

Right. So, this bike is no ordinary bike—it's a track bred beast that's meant to do one thing. And it's meant to do it fast. Not altogether unlike our favorite car, which features much of the same awesome technology: launch control, lightning fast shifting and spectacular traction control. So, what happens when you pit these two modern technological goliaths against each other on the Monticello Mushroom? Let's watch and find out. 6 turns, 0.9 miles, and two laps of adrenaline fueled racing. We couldn't wait either.

So, a mere two and a half seconds separate the beast from a 1000cc superbike. Overall not too shabby. I'd have to say that as far as speed and power go, when a car can reasonably keep up with a superbike—somebody's been doing some great engineering. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if the GT-R had been a 2012… A person could go crazy just thinking about things that could've been.

RSV4 Factory APRC SE

Technical sheet

• Engine: Aprilia longitudinal 65° V-4 cylinder, 4-stroke, liquid cooling system, double overhead camshafts (DOHC), four valves per cylinder.
  
• Fuel: Unleaded petrol
  
• Bore x Stroke: 78 x 52.3 mm
  
• Total displacement: 999.6 cc
  
• Compression ratio: 13:1
  
• Maximum power at the crank: 180 HP (132.4 kW) at 12,250 rpm
  
• Maximum torque at the crank: 115 Nm at 10,000 rpm
  
• Fuel system: Airbox with front dynamic air intakes. Variable length intake ducts controlled via ECU. 4 Weber-Marelli 48-mm throttle bodies with 8 injectors and latest generation Ride-by-Wire engine management. Choice of three different engine maps selectable by the rider with bike in motion: T (Track), S (Sport), R (Road)
  
• Ignition: Magneti Marelli digital electronic ignition system integrated in engine control system, with one spark plug per cylinder and "stick-coil"-type coils.
  
• Starting: Electric
  
• Exhaust: 4 into 2 into 1 layout, single oxygen sensor, lateral single silencer with engine control unit-controlled butterfly valve and integrated trivalent catalytic converter (Euro 3).
  
• Generator: Flywheel mounted 420W alternator with rare earth magnets.
  
• Lubrication: Wet sump lubrication system with oil radiator and two oil pumps (lubrication and cooling).
  
• Gear box: 6-speed cassette type gearbox 1st: 38/16 (2.375) 2nd: 35/18 (1.944) 3rd: 28/17 (1.647) 4th: 32/22 (1,455) 5th: 34/26 (1,308) 6th: 33/27 (1,222) Gear lever with Aprilia Quick Shift electronic system (AQS)
  
• Clutch: Multiplate wet clutch with mechanical slipper system.
  
• Primary drive: Straight cut gears and integrated flexible coupling, drive ratio: 73/44 (1,659).
  
• Final drive: Chain: Drive ratio: 42/16 (2.625).
  
• Frame: Twin-spar adjustable aluminum frame, with castings and pressings. Envisaged adjustments: • headstock position and rake • engine height • swing arm pin height Öhlins adjustable steering damper
  
• Front suspension: Öhlins Racing upside-down fork, Æ 43-mm stanchions (with Tin surface treatment). Low profile forged aluminum radial caliper mountings. Completely adjustable spring preload and hydraulic compression and rebound damping. Wheel travel: 120 mm.
  
• Rear suspension: Double braced aluminum swing arm; mixed low thickness and sheet casting technology. Öhlins Racing mono-shock absorber with completely adjustable piggy-back in: spring preload, wheelbase, hydraulic compression and rebound damping. APS progressive linkage. Wheel travel 130mm.
  
• Brakes: Front: Dual 320-mm diameter floating stainless steel disc with lightweight stainless steel rotor and aluminum flange with 6 pins. Brembo monobloc radial calipers with 4 Æ34-mm opposite. Sintered pads. Radial pump and metal braided brake hose. Rear: 220-mm diameter disc; Brembo floating caliper with two Æ32mm isolated pistons. Pump with integrated tank and metal braided hose.
  
• Wheels: Aprilia forged aluminum alloy rims, completely machined, 5 split spokes. Front:3.5"X17" Rear: 6"X17"
  
• Tires: Radial tubeless. Front: 120/70 ZR 17 Rear: 200/55 ZR 17 (alternative: 190/50 ZR 17; 190/55 ZR 17)
  
• Dimensions: Max. length: 2040 mm Max. width: 735 mm (at the handlebar) Max. height: 1120 mm Min. height from the ground: 130 mm Saddle height: 845 mm Centre to centre distance: 1420 mm Trail: 105 mm Steering angle:24.5°
  
• Dry weight: 179 kg *
  
• Fuel tank capacity: 17 liters (4-litre reserve included).
  
• Other: *Dry weight, without battery and fluids.
  

The GT-R RC is equipped with an FIA compliant roll cage, welded in, complete with a Recaro fixed back seat, and a Willans 6-point safety harness. They also equipped the car with a fire system, air jacks, and a 120-liter ATL safety fuel cell. There are no creature comforts in this beast. The A/C and radio are gone, the carpet is gone, the door panels and dash have been modified to be as light/simple as possible. This leaves only the bare essentials—after all this is a RACE car and has been designed to do one thing: win. There is a copious amount of carbon fiber throughout the body: the hood, trunk, bumper and rear wing are all made of the glorious dark weave. The factory brakes have been scrapped in favor of larger Brembo units, 6-piston calipers mated with gigantic 410mm rotors up front, and 4-piston calipers with 380mm rotors out back. Not exactly child's play. The car does however retain the factory engine and transmission. The GR6 dual clutch transmission has proven successful for the NISMO engineers, and the VR38DETT powerplant that powers everything has been left mostly stock, but considering they won't release details or numbers for the exact horsepower figures, but with the 2012 GT-R putting out close to 530 AWHP, it's a safe bet that it won't disappoint. The tech team has also relieved the stock suspension of its duties and replaced it with a totally custom, fully adjustable set up. This allows the user to adjust spring-rate and pre-load for different courses and tracks. This also allows for easier changes to different suspension setups

The stock wheels have been replaced with an unknown—probably Volk/Rays if we know NISMO, and are sized at 20x10.5J with a +25mm offset. These sweet looking rollers are wrapped in ADVAN 290/710 R20 slicks and are guaranteed to be grippy enough to detach retinas. The entire car weighs in at 1,520 kg, or 3,344 lbs. Considering the stock 2012 GT-R tips the scales at over 3800 lbs, that's a significant dip in the lean-me-out-to-be-a-killer diet. Considering the obvious chassis upgrades, and a healthy driver behind the wheel, the RC should put some non-believers in their places.

Here's the catch: it costs roughly $250,000 USD. Yep. Better tell the kids they're going to have to take out student loans. And donate a kidney. And move to a smaller pad. The price tag is enough to scare most people away, but at the same time, if you're looking to race a GT-R, this is probably not a bad route to start on. They guys at NISMO have already done most of the work for you, and everything is already approved, set up, and tweaked and tuned for you. All you have to do is grab your fire suit and your racing shoes, throw on your helmet and comms—and get ready to tear some Porsche's behinds up.

You should know by now that we wouldn't leave you without some mouthwatering pictures…

Nissan equipped Sumo Power and JRG Motorsport to not-so-quietly surprise the rest of the world with their track monsters. The planet was stunned when 4 GT-Rs took top ten finishes two races ago, and last week, they proved to everyone once again that great driving and an excellent pit crew along with one of the best cars on the planet makes for an unstoppable force. Throughout the race, the tension was spectacular—an excellent display of skill from all drivers, and a fiercely competitive line up set the stage with high stakes as the RAC Trophy was on the line.

The #22 JRM GT-R piloted by Richard Westbrook and the #8 Young Driver Aston Martin piloted by Stefan Mucke had a collision early on in the race where the Nissan was attempting to pass the Aston Martin yet the Aston Martin closed the door on the turn too late forcing the Nissan to collide with the Aston Martin (rules are, if a competing driver passes your B-pillar, you are obligated to let him pass). This collision sent the Aston Martin into a spin, off of the track, yet was easily recovered and the Aston Martin began to resume the race… or so we all thought. It was at this point—after he regained control of the car and safely made his way back onto the track with no apparent damage, that he made his way straight into the rear quarter of the Nissan and proceeded to slam his car into the side of the Nissan. This caused both cars to wreck and totaled the Aston Martin, prematurely ending the race for both cars. The video can be found here of the wreck, and you can clearly see that Mucke is frantically (angrily?) waving his left hand/arm maybe in an attempt to make a gesture at Westbrook, but either a. loses control driving with one hand and makes contact; or b. intentionally rams the cars together in retaliation. I'll let you decide on the video. Not the most sportsmanlike conduct to be seen in an international race. This however was only the beginning of some of the most intense racing to be seen for the day. After the safety car cleared the track, the real racing began.

During the pit stop, there was a driver change for the JRM car, Michael Krumm started the race and Lucas Luhr finished it, and between the two, they netted a first place finish. This came after a perfect pit stop from their crew and got the two drivers switched out and all tasks completed first. After arriving fresh on the track, and first out of the pits, Luhr snatched the lead from the #7 Aston Martin driven by

Tomas Enge. This was not to last however as the two switched position a number of times throughout the last half of the race. The intensity built all the way to the last lap in which the Aston Martin snuck by the #23 Nissan and grabbed first until Luhr wrestled the spot of first back to the hands of Nissan and managed to hold it- although just barely and not without immense amounts of pressure from Enge. The end result is obviously astounding, and we're excited to see how the next race- round #6 at Navarra, Spain shapes up on July 2^nd and 3^rd.

The Nissan Skyline GT-R BNR32 (commonly shortened to R32) was originally intended and purpose built to dominate Group A racing (which the FIA homologated in 1982) back in the late 80's which is how the 2.6L twin turbo powerplant (RB26DETT) coupled with an All-Wheel Drive drivetrain decision was made. This secured an intimidating competitive platform for production car racing. This was technically the 3^rd generation of Nissan Skyline, but the first to arrive with forced induction and the first generation to move from solely RWD platforms to an available AWD platform. This marked the beginning of an era of total track domination by Nissan and the newly minted R32 GT-R which was soon to be dubbed "Godzilla" for its monstrous performance on the track.

Fast forward 20 years, and we have replaced the Skyline GT-R (which succeeded in BNR33, and BNR34 platforms) with just the GT-R. Confusing, I know—but the GT-R is here to replace the want and desire some of us North Americans had for the Skyline. The GT-R has been released in the USDM since 2008 and after its 2007 debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon it has made enormous waves in the racing community worldwide. Today and more recently the GT-R is becoming an easily hated heavyweight contender in the FIA GT1 class. I should explain when I say easily hated: this is a series dominated by manufacturers and cars like the Lamborghini Murcielago 670 RS, Aston Martin DB9, Ford GT and now the Nissan GT-R. Not your just average homeboy in the company of giants. A little over a week and a half ago, on May 13, the Nissan GT-R made the boldest statement yet in the GT1 series placing 4^th, 5^th, 7^th and 9^th in the championship race at Sachsenring in Saxony, Germany. That's no typo—the GT-R took 4 spots out of the top ten meaning that every GT-R in the grid finished in the top ten. Pretty spectacular stuff considering the competition, and a rude awakening to a lot of thoroughbred companies. It's almost like a bad dream coming back- Godzilla returns!

Here's the Championship Race report for Round 4:

Nissan built upon a satisfying day during yesterday's GT1 World Championship Qualifying Race to do even better today, with all four GT-Rs on the grid finishing the Championship Race in the top 10. As yesterday, the pairing of Enrique Bernoldi and Warren Hughes, in the no.20 Sumo Power GT, finished as top Nissan in fourth, a place ahead of team-mates David Brabham and Jamie Campbell-Walter in the no.21 car. Peter Dumbreck and Richard Westbrook, in the no.22 car, were the top ranking JR Motorsports in seventh place, whilst Lucas Luhr and Michael Krumm finished ninth in the no.23.

With the Nissans sitting fourth (no.20), sixth (no.22), eighth (no.21) and 11th (no.23) on the Championship Race grid after yesterday's performances, there were to be scenes in the opening seconds very reminiscent of the chaos at the start of yesterday's Qualifying Race. With all the cars jostling for position on the home straight as the start lights turned green, Westbrook was forced wide into the gravel in the no.22 JRM, and though he was to recover the car well, he found himself losing six positions by the time he came back on track. However, this was nothing compared to the carnage of two separate collisions that ensued seconds later, the second of which brought a premature end to the races of three cars.
Fortunately, all the Nissans were to avoid any fallout from the incidents, with Lucas Luhr, in the no.23 JRM, the main beneficiary as he moved up into seventh - a rise of four places from his start position. As the grid took their places behind the safety car, the GT-Rs found themselves in fourth (no.20), seventh (no.23), eighth (no.21) and twelfth (no.22), and seven laps later Nissans were to benefit further from a competitor's misfortune: a problem sustained by the no.41 Mark VDS Ford allowing the latter three GT-Rs to all move up one place. This - fourth, sixth, seventh and 11th - was how it remained as the all-important pit window opened…

The pit stops saw some particularly great work by the no.22 JRM crew, who helped their car gain three places, as the GT-Rs emerged after the pit stop reshuffle in fourth (no.20), sixth (no.21), eighth (no.22) and ninth (no.23).
Enrique Bernoldi, fresh in for Warren Hughes in the no.20 Sumo Power GT, was to soon find himself under intense pressure from the no.3 Hexis AMR Aston Martin, much more suited to the tight twists and turns of the Sachsenring circuit, but there was relief for the Brazilian when the car hot on his heels for fourth span out and was forced to pit. This also had the knock on effect of lifting the nos.21, 22 and 23 Nissans up into fifth, seventh, and eighth places respectively, and these positions were to be held to the end with the exception of Krumm's no.23 JRM, passed by the no.40 Marc VDS Ford GT with moments remaining.

Speaking afterwards, Warren Hughes, commented: "I'm very happy. Over the course of the weekend, considering how GT-R unfriendly Sachsenring is, we probably got the absolute best result we could have done, short of the top three cars in front of us failing.
"It's probably fair to say that the car wasn't as strong today as yesterday, as the track conditions were a bit different - slightly cooler. The sweet spot of a car is so small that tiny factors like that can make a difference, and as such we lost a little bit of performance. Overall though, I'm delighted with my personal performance as well as that of the team, and once again it feels great to be the top ranked Nissan car, because everyone knows the calibre of our drivers."

Hughes' co-driver in the no.20 Sumo Power GT, Enrique Bernoldi, added: "Fourth is a very positive result here in Germany on this track. As Warren mentioned, the track conditions were different today than yesterday, and in my stint in the car I really felt the effect the circuit was having on tyre wear. I was struggling to maintain position, and was put under severe pressure by the no.3 Aston Martin, but then he ran into trouble, which gave me some breathing space. That's the kind of luck you need in racing sometimes!"

"It's been a great weekend for Sumo Power and Nissan - we've picked up some valuable points that perhaps we weren't expecting. The car is also feeling good and we seem to have ironed out some of the reliability issues that were affecting us in the first couple of races. Hopefully we can really push on now in the remainder of the season."
Round five of the GT1 World Championship, at Silverstone, will take place on the weekend of the 4th - 5th June, 2011

Here are some excellent race pictures found on nagtroc.org:

The new GT-R, which is designed to break the 3-second barrier on a 0-60MPH acceleration almost certainly does this with the aid of the R Mode launch control function. Seeing that it's back and available again is nice, but, reading some of the other aspects mentioned concerning it make it sound even nicer. There exists now an R Mode functionality which will disable the R Mode system from turning on if used more than 4 times consecutively. This limits people from using this as their daily driver, and also provides a nice balance between track-only functionality and street-fun. The R Mode is also enabled to provide greater engine speeds within a reasonable number by limiting the top speed on each gear, similar to the function of the original VDC Off function, at a more safe degree. This should help prevent any major system errors occuring as result of using the R Mode function. The R Mode function doesn't just change the Launch Control either, it also enhances the vehicle ride to be harsher and more race-like in feel. Ultimately, the R Mode seems designed to put the entire GT-R in to a sort of super-performance state, designed specifically for race applications.

As soon as I can figure out how to trick my website in to letting me load the entire .pdf of the owner manual, I'll be certain to.

"Just about every car enthusiast knows a little bit about the Nissan GT-R and the infamous ‘launch control feature’ that will void your warranty if it is used (to obtain the claimed 3.4second 0-60mph times). The fact of the matter is we can argue back and forth about how Nissan handled the situation. Mr. Torres’ recent class action lawsuit was settled last year and now the details have been made public with Nissan now taking certain actions.

In the settlement, Nissan denies all fault saying, “Nissan denies all the allegations in the lawsuit. More specifically, Nissan denies that there was a design or manufacturing defect, denies misrepresenting the performance capabilities of the 2009 GT-R, and denies that it refused to honor customer warranties for resulting damage without disclosure.”

Because of the settlement Nissan is now offering any 2009 Nissan GT-R owner a transmission software upgrade which we clarified some time ago when Nissan first said they would reprogram transmissions to lessen the likelihood of failure. Nissan will not deny warranty coverage for those who used their GT-R with the VDC (vehicle dynamic control – a form of traction control) off prior to receiving the notice from Nissan. Remember using the vehicle with VDC off in the ‘launch mode’ would void your warranty before? The kicker is, some owners who have grenaded trannys may still have to dish out some serious bucks or take it up in the courts like Torres did. To top off the whole situation, Nissan is pimp-slapping everyone by offering a $75 coupon for owners who sign the paperwork to get the transmission upgrade."

Side note: Here's a pretty fantastic video of a person using their GT-R to do what every GT-R owner dreams of doing: run away from the police. It's definitely helpful when said police are chasing you in a van. A cool video, with a bit of audio cut out to protect those involved, shows just how impressive the GT-R can be over a standard, every-day, vehicle (like a van) even when it's pushing itself to the limit. I guess if I had to run from the police, GT-R would be my first choice of vehicle to do with.

All of that being said, I do not recommend anyone out there ever do this as it's even more illegal and dangerous than it is cool. Which is impressive, as it is super cool.

The problem was that some owners of this $77,840 screamer were assassinating their $20,000 gearboxes, and the GT-R’s warranty states that shutting off the VDC voids the warranty. Break your transmission after a few launch-control starts and you’ll pay, not Nissan. The alternative, to leave the VDC on, resulted in a wimpy, 1800-rpm launch. So, for 2010, Nissan is offering a single launch-control feature that works whether or not the VDC is engaged.

The new setup is a compromise that provides owners with launch control that won’t potentially void the warranty. With the new program, engine revs build to 3000 to launch the GT-R. The result is far less distressing to the transmission than the 4400-rpm launch and quicker than the 1800-rpm launch.

Everything has a price: The new model is slower by 0.5 second to 30 mph and 0.6 second to 60. Don’t sweat it, though—by 150 mph, the two models are tied."

I don't know how much I like the performance losses here, although I do see the necessity in doing it for posterity's sake with the vehicle. I hope that in 2011 they can do another tweak and give us GT-R drivers back those lost numbers while maintaining the durability of the new system. This does seem like a major issue with a car that has seemed to me to be otherwise perfect.

I'm glad I know about this issue now, because I would surely cry if I destroyed the insides of my Godzilla! Be aware GT-R owners, your vehicle is only 99% perfect! I know, I was as surprised as you to hear this.

Source: Car and Driver