The final unit of the Nissan R35 GT-R has come off the production line at Nissan’s Tochigi plant in Japan, marking the end of an incredible epoch of the R35 GT-R which begun in the year 2007.
Nissan had in March announced the end of the production of the R35 GT-R. The last unit of the R35 GT-R was a custom made Premium Edition T-Spec for a Japanese enthusisast, finished in Midnight Purple, one of the only two colours available for the T-Spec. The T-Spec comes in two unique colors; Millennium jade and Midnight purple. The midnight purple was originally used in the R33-generation Skyline GT-R.
Nissan had discontinued the T-spec variant in 2021 but brought it back in 2024 at the Tokyo Auto Salon. The T-spec was a limited edition variant that Nissan had in the 2021 model of the Nissan R35 GT-R which was the highest trim then. It had more outstanding features such as carbon-ceramic brakes, gold-painted Rays forged alloy wheels, body-colored door mirrors, black hood ducts, and exclusive badging.
Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan said, “After 18 remarkable years, the R35 GT-R has left an enduring mark on automotive history. Its legacy is a testament to the passion of our team and the loyalty of our customers around the globe. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey. To the many fans of the GT-R worldwide, I want to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R forever, it’s our goal for the GT-R nameplate to one day make a return.”
Brief Overview of the Nissan R35 GT-R
The Nissan R35 GT-R came with its powerful VR38DETT twin-turbo V6 engine, acclaimed ATTESA ET-S all-wheel-drive system, and innovative aerodynamics, the Nissan R35 GT-R consistently delivered exhilarating driving experiences both on the road and the track.
One interesting fact about the Nissan R35 GT-R is that it was crafted by a team of nine master craftsmen christedned “Takumi” who passionately hand assembled each of the engines in the 48,000 units of the vehicle that were produced over the 18 years.
The Nissan GT-R 35 set new records and broke others. In 2007, the GT-R 35 set a lap time of seven minutes, 38 seconds at the Nurburgring Nordschleife circuit in Germany, one of the fastest laps achieved by a production car despite conditions being slightly damp on two corners. In 2008, the Nissan R35 GT-R bettered its lap time by nine seconds, achieving seven minutes, 29 seconds and cracking the seven and half minute barrier for the first time. In October 2012, the GT-R had improved its time to seven minutes and 18 seconds.
In the year 2016, it set the Guinness World Records title for the fastest ever drift at an event held at Fujairah International Airport, UAE. In November 2013, the GT-R NISMO equipped with track options that included aerodynamic tuning, weight-reduction measures, and a uniquely tuned suspension system driven by Michael Krumm managed to record a blistering 7 minutes 8.679 seconds – the R35’s best ever time at the hallowed circuit.
Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan said “As we bid farewell to the Nissan R35 GT-R, Nissan remains committed to the GT-R nameplate with a vision to reimagine it for a new generation. Learnings from the R35 will be integral to the next-generation GT-R, ensuring its legacy evolves while raising the performance benchmark.
Espinosa further added “We understand the expectations are high, the GT-R badge is not something that can be applied to just any vehicle; it is reserved for something truly special and the R35 set the bar high. So, all I can ask is for your patience. While we don’t have a precise plan finalized today, the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the future.”
Last year, Nissan’s global product chief Pierre Loing told Top Gear that regulations would force the end of the R35 GT-R. He however added that, the next-generation model could launch as soon as 2028. However, this will be determined by the advancements made by Nissan in battery development. It remains to be seen how the Nissan GT-R 36 will turn out with speculations rife that it could be a hybrid.
