Just when we thought time was up for the R35 GT-R, Nissan pulls it out of the casket, updates it for 2024 and makes us wonder - is this the last hurrah of the fabled sports car from Japan? Adithya Gopal has all the details.
It’s 2024 and the R35 Nissan GT-R turns 17 years old. That doesn’t stop Nissan from carrying out yet another set of engine and aero tweaks, throwing in new paint jobs and calling it a day. New for this year is a Premium Edition T-spec and the Track Edition, borrowing parts from Nismo’s top rack for the venerable VR38DETT 3.8-litre V6. The numbers you’re searching for are 557 bhp and 633 Nm (467 lb-ft) going to all four wheels. Nissan still lets you buy the insane 600 bhp GT-R Nismo track-tool with aerodynamic updates and a front LSD.
Before we jump into the nitty-gritty, it’s essential to know the 2024 Nissan GT-R will not be shipped to the UK or any European markets. It is only destined for the US and its home turf. This also pops the question - Is this the end for the R35 GT-R? Because, not too long ago Nissan showed us the 1321 bhp electric Hyper Force concept - essentially the R36 GT-R concept with a video game name.
The 2024 car arrives in a variety of trim options for the Japanese market: Pure Edition, Black Edition, Premium Edition, Premium Edition T-spec, Track Edition engineered by Nismo, Track Edition engineered by Nismo T-spec, Nismo and the Nismo Special Edition.
The T-spec gets carbon ceramic brakes, gold RAYS 20-inch forged wheels, tweaked vehicle dynamic control and wider front bumpers, all from Nismo’s catalogue. Plus, it also receives special badging and suede Mori Green cabin upholstery.
Nissan seems to have been partial to the US market with two special exterior paint options - Millennium Jade and Midnight Purple. GT-R nerds might already see where this is headed. Both iconic shades from the R34’s colour palette, paying homage to the famous V-Spec versions. Meanwhile, the Nismo features a new appearance package that brings red RAYS forged 20-inch wheels, unique clear paint to the carbon fibre bonnet, a new engine cover and the Nismo exclusive Stealth Grey shade.
The hand-assembled 3.8-litre V6 still puts out 557 bhp and 633 Nm and comes with a titanium exhaust as standard. For the Premium Edition T-spec and the GT-R Track Edition trims, the engine gains high precision weight-balanced piston rings, connecting rods and crankshafts for faster revs and reduced turbo lag. These trims also feature exclusive Takumi certification and gold VIN plates. The Premium Edition also comes with a blue cabin.
The ATTESA AWD system is brought over with no changes, as are the 6-speed DCT gearbox and the Bilstein suspension setup. In terms of braking, the Premium trim makes use of Brembo six-piston front callipers and four-piston rear callipers with Dunlop summer tires for the US market. The T-Spec uses bigger carbon ceramics from the Nismo with stickier Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 rubber with a Nismo-specific compound.
Nissan revised the Nismo in 2020 with turbochargers from the GT3 racecar and a slew of changes, all of which remain but for 2024, the biggest update is the inclusion of a front Limited Slip Differential for better traction on track. Output figures for the 2024 Nismo are rated at 592 bhp and 652 Nm (481 lb ft). The Brembo carbon ceramics now measure 408mm at the front and 388mm at the rear while also shedding 16 kg. The standard GT-R weighs 1784 kg while the Nismo is 30 kg lighter at 1754 kg.
Nissan has also revised the design to reduce drag and increase downforce. The tweaked front and rear design, new bumpers and reshaped wings for enhanced aerodynamics without changing the drag coefficient of 0.26 Cd. The engineers, in true Nissan fashion, also managed to design a thinner mesh for the front grille to increase cooling and cut-down drag. This sums up what Nissan has been doing since 2007: they have been fine-tuning and continuously perfecting the R35 ever so slightly over the years. Kaizen, as the Japanese refer to it, is the art of doing this, and Nissan appears to be a master at this.
The R35 GT-R is one car that refuses to die no matter what. It’s hard to comprehend that the R35 debuted the same year as the Ferrari’s F430 Scuderia! More so when you know Ferrari has since launched four successors. However, in GT-R’s defence, it was absolutely ahead of the game in 2007. A screeching AWD computerised driver’s car that questioned physics and gobbled winding roads and venerable supercars for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Since then, the GT-R has been obliterating everything on its path, carrying on the legacy of the three letters on its shoulders for 17 long years. The sheer performance it brings to the table and how accessible it is, makes the GT-R special even today.
The R35 GT-R is definitely entering its final saga, but the 2024 version is here to stay, at least for a while. Before it goes electric, Nissan is presenting you with that last shot at owning one of the best performance cars of all time, probably in its best form. Prices start from $121,090 in the US, which would be around £96,000 if it were to come to our shores. Quite a bummer if you live in the UK or Europe.
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