How A Fire Was A Blessing In Disguise For This 1,250

This clapped out Nissan GT-R was a part of the Red Bull Racing Show Run in India, where it met its unfortunate fiery incident.

The R35 Nissan GT-R is said to be one of the best modern sports cars. While the current R35 generation is an incredible machine, some would argue it is becoming a bit long in the tooth. The R35 GT-R was introduced back in 2007 packing a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine that initially made 473 hp.

Over the course of 16 years, the Nissan GT-R was improved and perfected. In its latest form today, it makes 592 hp with the NISMO Track Edition. In the rapidly growing car culture in India, there is one GT-R that seemingly stands out for the right and also one wrong reason.

Imran Majid is the owner of a Nissan GT-R which is said to be the fastest car in all of India. According to Majid’s Instagram page, he acquired the GT-R in 2021 and hasn’t looked back or held back since. However, while featuring in a Red Bull Racing Show Run in early 2023, the Japanese supercar unfortunately caught fire. For some, that would be the end of the road, but this moment instead seems like a blessing in disguise.

Manufacturer

Nissan

Years of Production

2007-Present

Displacement

3.8-Liter

Configuration

Twin-Turbo V6

Power

557 hp (592 hp NISMO, Track Edition)

Torque

467 lb-ft

Fuel

Gasoline

Notable Applications

Nissan Juke R, Praga Bohema

Finding expensive supercars in India isn’t as rare as you might think. But 10-15 years ago, if a new machine landed in the country, it would make headlines in all the major national automotive outlets. This particular R35 GT-R was one of the first examples to ever be imported into the country. This was even before Nissan officially introduced the GT-R to the market in 2016.

This R35 GT-R came with the factory choice of silver paint. In 2021, Majid acquired the car from its original owner and went to work building the ultimate machine to ever drive on Indian roads. In a recent video by Horsepower Cartel, owner Majid revealed that his relationship with the car had a lot of ups and downs.

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While details about the car are sparse, the numbers do not lie. In March 2022, the GT-R was already claimed to be making 1,200 hp… at the wheels. Majid entered the car at the Vroom Drag Meet, where it had a last-minute gearbox failure, and required an overnight transmission rebuild.

However, with all things said and done, the tricked-out GT-R supercar did what it was supposed to do. It clocked a quarter mile time of 11.021 seconds. Unimpressed with that, Majid hoped to be back for a 10-second run.

By November 2022, during the Valley Run, the GT-R shaved a ton of time and hit the quarter mile in 9.766 seconds. Then, in February 2023, it went even faster, at 9.4 seconds. It was officially crowned as the fastest street car in India.

The key point to note is that these times were not set on a purpose-built drag strip. Just regular quality tarmac using grooved tires. Imagine what it could do on an NHRA-spec drag strip with a set of sticky slick tires.

The Wild Child GT-R called “Alpha 12” featured in the Red Bull Show Run held in Mumbai, where Majid saw the biggest ‘down’ during his ownership of the GT-R. While F1 legend David Coulthard was wowing the crowd, the rear end of Majid’s GT-R caught fire during the show. Reportedly, nearby restaurants used their fire extinguishers to save the car, but the damage was done.

Earlier images of the car, even from the incident, show that Majid had already made some heavy modifications to the car. But a large part of the body was still left untouched in its silver body.

The GT-R is not lightweight by any means, weighing nearly 4,000 lbs. Due to the unique philosophy used by the designers and engineers, the Nissan GT-R used its mass in its favor, to help put down the power, rather than being as light as possible. The electronics helped it gain a reputation for launching perfectly and corner like it's on rails.

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However, for fast drag times, the only way to get to the finish line sooner was a stricter diet. Early images show that the hood was one of the first casualties, being replaced with a lighter alternative. The front bumper was next to go, followed by the front fenders and then eventually the doors.

Other posts we found online show the interior is completely stripped out. The heavy comfort seats were replaced with a single racing seat, a roll cage was added for safety and stiffness, and the door cards were removed. On the passenger side, a massive bottle of nitrous keeps the driver company.

Before the fiery incident, the GT-R also met with a fender bender in Goa. But the fire was the biggest concern. Rather than handing up the gloves, Majid took the opportunity to revamp the car and give it everything it was begging for.

Following the crash and traumatic incident faced by the GT-R, Majid saw the opportunity for a major overhaul. The car is now 70 percent carbon fiber. This includes the hood, bumpers, doors, boot lid, and rearview mirror housing.

The car received an amazing custom chromaflair midnight purple paint job, with a significant section left as exposed carbon. The car features a new upgraded big brake kit and runs on Ferrada wheels for the street. The whole package brings proper Fast and Furious, or Need for Speed Carbon vibes to the GT-R.

In the Horsepower Cartel video, Majid not only showcased his entire collection but revealed some of his plans for the Wild Child GT-R Alpha 12. Now back better than ever, the car is currently making 1,250 hp at the wheels, but the engine is capable of over 1,500 hp.

While Majid didn’t go deep into the details, for the next valley run he wishes to be pushing a lot more and will be changing a few things. We expect the 9.4 second 1/4 mile time to be beaten on its next outing if everything goes to plan.

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Majid revealed that he has his eyes set on reaching the 8s (8-second quarter mile times) for the next run. That will be a sight to see. However, we hope that Majid’s experience with the Alpha 12 GT-R is smooth sailing from here.

Source: Imran Majid via Instagram, Horsepower Cartel via YouTube

Rahull's passion for the automobile started very early at his cousin's garage that restores vintage Ford Model As, Cadillacs and more. He then stumbled upon Formula 1 at the age of 6 and his father's cameras soon after. Life is about passions and he intends to share his through his writing and photography.