Nissan introduced the first GT-R as a high-performance variant of its small Skyline in 1969.
In This Article...
What does Nissan GT-R stand for?
Some of the best vehicles to ever come out of Japan are various iterations of the Nissan GT-R. They have a cult-like following and are considered as performance automobile icons.
Gran Turismo Racing is the meaning behind the moniker GT-R. Although Nissan’s vehicles aren’t the only ones with the GT-R/GTR badge, they are frequently associated with the designation. BMW, McLaren, Mercedes, and even Isuzu are among the manufacturers who have given their vehicles the “GTR treatment.”
Which vehicles are GT-R?
The term GTR, often known as “Gran Turismo Racer,” has only been used for the most revered vehicles in recent years. Whether British, Italian, German, or Japanese, GTR is a badge that must be won; it can never be purchased. On paper, the new Mercedes-AMG GT R appears to be worthy, but what other vehicles bearing the mark are proven successes? Seven of the greatest GTRs ever constructed have been compiled, each with a unique motorsport and road-going history.
McLaren F1 GTR
Although the McLaren F1 was already the fastest production car of the 1990s, McLaren determined that it also need the race car treatment. The F1 GTR, as the vehicle was also known, is most known for its outright victory in the 1995 Le Mans 24-hour race as well as its third, fourth, and fifth-place finishes.
It took significant persuasion to persuade Gordon Murray to alter the F1, which was always intended to be the “ideal road car,” and powered by the now legendary BMW V12. But in 1995, he gave in, and the car was dismantled and made more competitive in order to compete against the F40 LMs and 911 Turbos that were racing in the GT1 class of the World Sportscar Championship.
Nine original F1 GTRs competed on the track with cooling ducts, a huge rear wing, and a restrictor that cut the engine’s power to only 600bhp. Later models were modified for the road after they were retired from competition.
Nissan Skyline R34 GT- R
The R34 Skyline GT-R is unquestionably one of the most coveted vehicles from the 1990s and the early 2000s. The four-wheel drive Skyline, which had about 280 bhp, was miles ahead of any other touring car of its time and earned its legendary status by thrashing everyone at the Bathurst 1000 in previous versions.
The final few R34s produced had a twin-turbocharged straight-six engine, which allowed them to reach top speeds of 186 mph. However, the R35 quickly followed and made the earlier Skyline seem quite subdued in contrast.
The R34 was shortened and had a ton of technology packed into it, including G-force sensors, lap timers, and a carbon fiber rear diffuser on the V-spec variants, in response to consumer complaints that the R33 was too large. For the vast majority of car enthusiasts, the R34 Skyline GTR is about as excellent as it gets, despite the fact that it is currently very impossible to find a clean example in the UK.
Nissan has it discontinued the GT-R?
Nissan has formally stopped taking bookings for its 2022 GT-R in Japan, which might be the final time the company sells the R35-generation GT-R. Exclusively in its home market of Japan, the 2022 GT-R was introduced in high-end T-spec and Nismo variants. Due to pollution rules, it was removed from Australia and banned from Europe earlier this year; nonetheless, the U.S. launches were designated as 2021 models.
Nissan formally declared the termination of the vehicle’s sales on May 3rd “because the volume of orders has met the anticipated sales level.
In response to CarScoops’ inquiry about the GT-future, R’s Nissan said, “Only the GT-R T-spec and NISMO Special Edition cars were designated as the 2022 GT-R, while the T-spec and NISMO Special Edition models were designated as 2021s in the U.S. We are unable to comment further on upcoming product announcements or plans outside of those models.
The GT-R R35 has a 15-year history, having made its début in December 2007. We’ll have to wait and watch if it survives to see a 2023 release or is replaced by a new hybrid R36-generation GT-R.
What GT-R is the cheapest?
The 2021 Nissan GT-R Premium 2dr Coupe AWD is the model with the lowest price (3.8L 6cyl Turbo 6AM). It has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of around $113,540 when destination charges are added.
What makes the GT-R known as Godzilla?
In 1989, the Skyline R32 earned the moniker “Godzilla” for its ability to rule Japanese Touring Car Racing. The GT-R was only available in Japan, though, so the rest of the world could only learn about it from magazines.
Is a Skyline a Nissan GT-R?
A sports automobile built on the Nissan Skyline platform is known as the Nissan Skyline GT-R (Japanese: GT-R, Hepburn: Nissan Sukairain GT-R). The first “Skyline GT-R” vehicles, with the model code KPGC10, were made between 1969 and 1972. They were successful in Japanese touring car racing competitions.
How quick is a GT-R?
The GT-R can reach a high speed of 205 mph and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in only three seconds on a long racetrack. The dual-clutch transmission provides nearly instantaneous passing power and rapid gear changes.
How come R35 isn’t a Skyline?
One of the most renowned Japanese performance cars of all time is the Nissan Skyline GT-R.
The “Godzilla” (see here why the Skyline GT-R is called as Godzilla) has come to represent strength and performance throughout the course of several different generations.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R has become one of the most coveted names in Japanese performance driving despite being illegal in the United States at the time (see our article on why Nissan Skylines are illegal in the United States).
You probably already know that Nissan stopped producing the R34 Skyline generation in 2002 (for more information, see our buying guide for the R34 GT-R).
The Skyline actually kept on after that and is still going today, but it is now what is known as the “New Generation Skyline,” which is very different from the original Skylines. The new Skyline is more well-known in America as a line of Infiniti vehicles, including the Infiniti G35:
This New Generation Skyline was mainly focused on giving a premium touring car experience and never included a GT-R variant.
Due to the overwhelming demand from auto enthusiasts, the R35 GT-R was debuted in 2007 and is still in production today.
Indeed, the R34 GT-R was the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34, to give an example.
What makes the Nissan GT-R of today the Nissan Skyline GT-R R35? After all, any car sporting those distinctive taillights must be a Skyline!
The reason the R35 GT-R is not a Skyline is rather straightforward, in case you’re wondering.
Earlier GT-Rs (such as the R32, R33, and R34) were built on the Skyline platform of that generation.
Consider the R32 GT-R, which was offered in a variety of trim levels and engine/gearbox combinations, including as a sedan.
Nissan used that generation’s Skyline base to build the R32 GT-R (the original “Godzilla”), turning everything up to 11.
There is no platform overlap with the existing Skyline (known in America as the Infiniti Q50). The R35 GT-R is a “standalone” vehicle, as opposed to the previous generations of GT-Rs, which were all the pinnacle of the applicable Skyline platform.
Although the R35 GT-R is essentially the spiritual successor to previous Skyline GT-Rs, Nissan opted not to utilize the Skyline brand due to the distinctive platform.
Which is faster, a Lamborghini or a GT-R?
In order to provide you a more visual understanding of how the two vehicles differ, we constructed the table above to conduct our competitive comparison. It goes without saying that we looked at horsepower in the first row, so you can probably guess how exactly this comparison will play out. The Aventador has 135 horsepower more than the GT-R and weighs approximately 500 pounds lighter, which further increases its edge.
What does JDM mean?
The term “Japanese Domestic Market” (JDM) describes the domestic market for automobiles and auto parts in Japan.
[1]
Contrary to popular belief, not all Japanese-branded automobiles fall under the JDM category. JDM refers only to a car built to be sold in Japan. [Reference needed]
When opposed to the American market, where car owners now keep their vehicles for longer periods of time—the average age of the American fleet of cars is 10.8 years[2]—JDM market cars are more affordable. Gray markets and stringent motor vehicle inspections are challenges faced by Japanese owners. The Fdration Internationale de l’Automobile estimates that the average annual mileage of an automobile in Japan is only 9,300 kilometers (5,800 miles), which is less than half of the average annual mileage in the United States of 19,200 kilometers (12,000 miles). [3]
Vehicles made in Japan for the domestic market may be very different from those made there for export or from automobiles constructed elsewhere using the same platforms. Japanese automakers are forced to develop innovative technologies and designs first in domestic automobiles because Japanese car owners prioritize innovation above long-term ownership. For instance, Honda’s Variable Cylinder Management made its debut in the 2003 Honda Inspire. However, VCM, which had a bad image from Cadillac’s attempt in the 1980s with the V8-6-4 engine, was absent from the 2003 Honda Accord V6, which had the same basic car and was primarily aimed for the North American market. The Accord V6’s facelift for 2008 saw the successful introduction of VCM.
The Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) put safety-related limits on JDM cars in 1988, limiting them to 280 horsepower (PS) (276 hp) and a top speed of 180 km/h (111.8 mph). The speed limit of 180 km/h (111.8 mph) was maintained despite the removal of the horsepower cap in 2004.
The Nissan GT-R will be replaced by what?
Nissan and NISMO have introduced the new Z-model GT500 vehicle, which will take the place of the departing GT-R in the portfolio of the Japanese automaker beginning in 2022.
The Z is a brand-new automobile that will compete against the Honda NSX-GT and the Toyota GR Supra in the premier division of Japan’s Super GT championship in 2019.
The vehicle is based on Nissan’s seventh-generation Z road car, which will make its debut in 2023. Although the competition version’s technical specifications have not been made public, GT500 cars must be powered by 2-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged engines.
The GT-R, which served as the foundation of Nissan’s premier Super GT model from the 2008 season until its final campaign this year, is replaced by the Z.
Five championship championships were won by Nissan driver teams in 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015.
The business has previously promoted Z vehicles, such as the Fairlady Z33, in which Richard Lyons and Satoshi Motoyama won the 2004 JGTC championship.
“According to Nissan CEO Ashwani Gupta, the Nissan Z GT500 represents Nissan’s philosophy of accepting challenges and bringing exhilaration to life.
“We continue to reinvent our cars through our racing endeavors, and we compete to win with the same audacity we have demonstrated countless times over the years.
Takao Katagiri, President and CEO of NISMO, added: “With our brand-new Nissan Z GT500 vehicle and our intense enthusiasm for motorsports, we will compete in the 2022 Super GT series.
“We hope that Nissan and the NISMO motorsport teams will continue to receive the fervent support of our supporters.
Video of the new Z GT500 being driven at Fuji Speedway, including a fast lap by factory driver Ronnie Quintarelli, was shown by Nissan as it was unveiled.