Being a formidable car kaiju when it was first created, the fact that the same chassis survived to be a teenager is testament to Godzilla’s scientific prowess.
We were aware that this day would inevitably arrive. But who would have thought it would take 17 years to get there? The 2024 Nissan GT-R T-spec Takumi Edition and the Skyline Edition are the two model-year 2024 special editions that Nissan has revealed would mark the end of the R35-generation Nissan GT-R. Both will retail for more than $130,000, and it’s unclear whether dealers would profit from their status as “final special edition” by charging extra for them.
Let us state this: Nissan managed to extract a considerable amount of longevity from the R35 chassis. Launched for the 2008 model year (2009 in the US), the R35 featured performance numbers that were simply mind-boggling, along with a rather divisive emphasis on technology that was boosted by computers. The inline-six of earlier versions was swapped out under the engine for a VQ-series V-6, which has a displacement of 3.8 liters and is powered by two IHI turbochargers. With its impressive peak power and torque of 443 lb-ft and 480 horsepower, the original GT-R was able to reach 60 mph in 3.2 seconds during our testing, and it also achieved an 11.6-second quarter mile.
The R35 was and remains a remarkably intricate device. With its “complicate and add driveshafts” approach to engineering, its wacky all-wheel-drive system transfers power from its front-mounted engine to a rear-mounted transaxle before transferring it forward through a second driveshaft to the front differential.
For more than fifteen years, Nissan refused to let the GT-R go. It continued to boost power, improving both the GT-R’s performance and cost. For instance, the 2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO was upgraded to 600 horsepower, 481 lb-ft, 2.9 seconds for the 0-60 time, and a flat 11-second quarter. During our testing, the NISMO ran a figure-eight time of 22.9 seconds, which the GT-Rs could also manage.
When the R35 was first released, it was our 2009 MotorTrend Car of the Year winner because it was so amazing, so unique, and so fierce. In our words at the time, “To put it simply, no Nissan has ever been as amazing or powerful as the GT-R. What’s more, the GT-R surpasses all other 2009 competitors in terms of meeting our standards. It truly earns our Golden Calipers for that.
How then do these limited editions launch the R35? According to Nissan, the GT-R is hand-assembled by takumi, or master craftsmen, and the Takumi Edition is a tribute to them. In the engine bay, there is a gold VIN plate that honors the takumi with red-etched writing. Although Nissan does not provide specifics, it claims that the engines in these vehicles are more precisely balanced. What interests enthusiasts more is that the Takumi Edition has a paint job in Midnight Purple, a color that has strong connotations in Godzilla mythology. Mori Green is the interior trim color. There are several enhanced components: bigger front fenders, 20-inch gold-painted Rays wheels from the NISMO, carbon-ceramic brakes on the GT-R NISMO, and a specifically adjusted Vehicle Dynamic Control System (also tuned by NISMO). The MSRP of the Takumi Edition is set at $152,985.
On the other hand, the Skyline Edition, which has an interior painted Sora Blue and is painted Bayside Blue, is slightly less costly. According to Nissan, Bayside Blue was put into retirement with the release of the renowned R34 Skyline GT-R, but it was brought back in 2019 as a 50th Anniversary Edition color. It’s back now, as a farewell hue. There don’t seem to be any more changes to the Skyline Edition. It costs $132,985 at retail.
Nissan has been subtly hinting on the internet that it plans to continue developing the GT-R or vehicles similar to it in the future. Anticipate a “next era of exciting innovation in performance,” according to Nissan. We hope it appropriately continues the tradition of the R35.