The ultimate R35 Nissan GT-R has rolled off the production line at Nissan’s Tochigi plant in Japan, closing out a lengthy 18-year production run for the long-lasting Japanese super coupe.
After announcing the top of production back in March, Nissan has now produced the ultimate R35 GT-R – a Premium Edition T-Spec, finished in Midnight Purple, for a Japanese buyer.
Production had already wrapped up for other markets, with roughly 48,000 GT-Rs rolling out of the Tochigi factory, 993 of which were delivered in Australia.
The R35 GT-R was axed Down Under all the way in which back in 2021, because it didn’t meet a then-new Australian Design Rule for side impact safety.
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Nissan has also made it clear it’s committed to a future generation of the GT-R, though it has previously said it will be either hybrid or all-electric, so the R35 will likely be the ultimate purely petrol-powered GT-R.
“To the various fans of the GT-R worldwide, I would like to let you know this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R ceaselessly, it’s our goal for the GT-R nameplate to at some point make a return,” said Nissan president and CEO Ivan Espinosa.
“We understand the expectations are high, the GT-R badge will not be something that may be applied to only any vehicle; it’s reserved for something truly special and the R35 set the bar high. So, all I can ask is in your patience.
“While we don’t have a precise plan finalised today, the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the long run.”
The R35 was powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 engine – the VR38DETT – mated with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system.
Power and torque rose from 353kW and 588Nm at launch to 419kW and 632Nm from 2017 onwards, with the Nismo version of the GT-R being upgraded to pump out 441kW and 652Nm.
Nissan has kept the GT-R looking largely the identical over its lengthy run, with each of its multiple facelifts being fairly minor in relation to visual changes.
Underneath the skin, nonetheless, there have been various changes remodeled its 18-year run, including retuned suspension and revisions to the engine to liberate more power and torque.
The GT-R’s engine was produced by a core team of just nine master craftsmen during its entire production run, with these Takumi – as they’re known – hand-assembling each of the engines in a special facility. Their names may be found on the plaques attached to every engine.
It’s possible the subsequent GT-R won’t have an engine in any respect.
The Nissan Hyper Force concept eventually 12 months’s Tokyo motor show previewed the potential way forward for the GT-R as a 1000kW electric coupe, with reports from Japan claiming the R36 will feature solid-state batteries.
Nissan’s global product chief Pierre Loing told Top Gearlast September that regulations will force the top of the R35 GT-R, though the next-generation model could launch as soon as 2028 if advancements in battery development proceed at current rates.
He also suggested that it’s not yet clear whether the brand new GT-R can be an electrical vehicle (EV) or a hybrid.
“[…] we’d like to have a niche [in production between R35 and R36], because going into the electrified world, there’s a variety of debate about ‘what’s a GT-R in an era of electrification?’,” he said.
“We don’t have all of the answers yet. We’re in the midst of all those debates.”
It’s no secret Nissan is within the midst of a serious restructuring that can see it shutter plants and cut hundreds of jobs after huge losses, making a distinct segment vehicle just like the GT-R not seem a priority.
Nonetheless, Nissan introduced a brand new generation of its Z sports automobile for 2023 and, amid its restructuring, committed to a brand new generation of its Skyline.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
