Nissan GT-R

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In 2000, as per the request of CEO Carlos Ghosn, Nissan commenced the revival of their iconic sports car model, as part of the Nissan Revival Plan. Ghosn believed that introducing a halo car would increase public interest and enthusiasm towards the then-struggling Nissan brand, ultimately bolstering sales. He insisted the GT-R should be made as a high-performance car, capable of rivaling esteemed sports cars from manufacturers in the likes of Porsche, Lamborghini, and Ferrari, all while maintaining a comparatively affordable price point. He also sought to preserve a distinctive feature from its predecessors; four round taillights, which he considered the signature design element of all GT-R models. Development began in 2000, with Nissan designers from Japan, US and Europe generating a multitude of sketches. Out of these, 50 designs reached Nissan's design director at the time, Shiro Nakamura. Nakamura emphasized that the design must not only embody a modern sports car aesthetic but also encapsulate Japanese cultural elements and pay homage to its predecessor's heritage. In 2001, Ghosn officially announced ongoing development of the GT-R, with a concept reveal at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show. The chief designer, Hiroshi Hasegawa, dedicated over four years to complete interior and exterior designs. Chief engineer of the Skyline GT-R R34, Kazutoshi Mizuno (also known as Mr. GT-R), spearheaded the mechanical aspects of development. Mizuno initially rejected the project, due to the directive to build the car on the outdated FM platform. Mizuno expressed his reservations, stating, 'I could not make a world-class performance car from this platform as Ghosn requested.' In April 2003, he constructed a Infiniti G35 based GT-R prototype on an advanced iteration of the FM platform known as the Premium Midship (PM) platform. Mizuno was then granted the full development authority and was designated as the chief engineer of the GT-R. At the 2003 Tokyo Motor Show, Ghosn confirmed that the production version would debut in the fall of 2007. Subsequently, the prototype underwent refinement at Lotus Engineering, focusing on enhancing chassis rigidity and revising suspension geometry to align with the car's performance goals. In January 2004, Mizuno officially commenced development with a specialized team and a full-scale GT-R model. The Mizuno-led team developed and tested the drivetrain and chassis, including the suspension setup and brakes, using the Infiniti G35 test mule at the Nürburgring and Sendai Hi-Land Raceway. Mizuno claimed his ambitious goals were to build the GT-R so as to be able to have comfortable conversations with a passenger at speeds of 300 km/h (186.5 mph). Furthermore, he aimed for a power-to-weight ratio of under 4 kg (9 lb) per horsepower and a lap time at the Nürburgring in under 8 minutes. Notable mechanical designs and concepts, including the Brembo brakes system and the Bilstein suspension setup, were conceived and developed by Mizuno himself. Initial plans for the GT-R involved a straight-6 engine, consistent with its predecessors. However, the decision was made to opt for a shorter V6 engine for ideal weight distribution. Nissan's chief powertrain engineer, Naoki Nakada, spearheaded the development of the brand-new VR38DETT 3.8L twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which was an evolution of the VQ engine. Aerodynamics development began in early 2004, spearheaded by a team of the company's best engineers, including Yoshitaka Suzuka, the developer of Nissan's successful Le Mans prototypes. The process began with an internal design competition among Nissan's design studios located in Atsugi, Tokyo, London, and La Jolla. Over 80 sketches were submitted, aligning with the original styling concepts. Subsequently, 12 distinct sketches were created by design elements from the initial submissions. Further refinement whittled them down to 3 1⁄4 scale wind tunnel models created by the development team. The team set a numerical target for the car to achieve a drag coefficient of Cd=0.28 or lower, combined with front and rear downforce, which was not done by any other manufacturer. Suzuka initially proposed utilizing active aerodynamics, but the idea faced rejection due to the concerns of inflating the car's price beyond Nissan's planned offering. In August, Suzuka initiated wind tunnel testing at the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, spanning three months and involving over 300 test runs using the scale models. The program then transitioned to two 40 percent scale models—one representing the GT-R and the other replicating the Infiniti G35 test mule. Drawing data from its full sized version's testing at the Nürburgring, this scale model served as a comparable datum against the GT-R model. Initial wind tunnel tests with the GT-R model yielded a drag coefficient of Cd=0.32. As the project progressed, exterior designers Hirohisa Ono and Masato Taguchi joined to refine certain aspects of the car, such as adjusting the front nose height.

Reader's Guide

The Nissan GT-R (R35) is a sports car built from 2007 to 2025. Unlike its predecessors, the GT-R was offered worldwide. It received various facelifts and updates comparable with the competition, and several special editions were offered during its prolonged production span. The car is used in motorsports, notably winning championships in the FIA GT1 World Championship, Super GT and in various GT3 racing series, including the GT World Challenge. It is well received among enthusiasts and automotive publications, British motor magazine Top Gear claimed it as 'one of the most incredible cars of any kind ever built', due to its exceptional performance and practicality given at an affordable price. Listed among the fastest production cars—as it set the record for the fastest accelerating four-seater production car—it has won numerous notable accolades such as the World Performance Car of The Year among many others. In 2021, sales in the Australian market were discontinued due to new side impact regulations. The European market, including the United Kingdom, were also suspended, with new noise regulations. Followed by the suspension of sales in North America in 2024, sales in Japan and other markets remained until late-August 2025, ending production of the GT-R after 18 years and around 48,000 units were produced.

Did You Know?

• The GT-R is the first ever rear mounted independent transaxle all-wheel-drive vehicle.
• It was one of the first production cars to feature launch control and a dual-clutch transmission.
• Chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno initially rejected the project, saying 'I could not make a world-class performance car from this platform as Ghosn requested.'
• The car set the record for the fastest accelerating four-seater production car.
• Production ended after 18 years and around 48,000 units were produced.

Common Misconceptions (Editorial)

Some assume the Nissan GT-R is a direct successor to the Skyline GT-R within the Skyline lineup, but the facts state that although it is the sixth-generation GT-R, it was no longer part of the Skyline line-up. Additionally, while many believe the GT-R used the same FM platform as the Skyline and Z models, it was actually built on the PM platform, a derived but distinct architecture. Another common misconception is that the GT-R's engine was a straight-6 like its predecessors; in reality, the development team chose a shorter V6 engine (the VR38DETT) for better weight distribution.

Why It Matters (Editorial)

The Nissan GT-R endures as a landmark in automotive history because it demonstrated that a Japanese manufacturer could produce a world-beating supercar challenger at a comparatively affordable price, forcing rivals to reconsider performance-per-dollar benchmarks. Its blend of advanced technologies—like launch control, a dual-clutch transmission, and ATTESA E-TS Pro all-wheel drive—set new standards for production sports cars and earned it a lasting reputation as a formidable, accessible icon of engineering ambition.