After nearly two decades of stoplight domination, the mighty R35 Nissan GT-R has officially ended production at the automaker’s Tochigi plant outside of Tokyo. The final production unit, a Premium Edition T-Spec finished in Midnight Purple, will be delivered to a customer in Japan, the final sales market for the sports car icon. That said, the automaker has already made it clear that this isn’t goodbye forever.
The automotive world was a very different place when the Nissan GT-R arrived in 2007. There was genuinely nothing quite like the Nissan on the road, especially for under $70,000 at the time of its North American debut. It was a large car for the time, significantly heavier than you’d expect for a performance-oriented model of the era. It carried a rapid-shifting dual-clutch gearbox, which was a strength against Italy’s single-clutch units in-period. All-wheel drive ensured the GT-R was unflappable on corner exit, while its turbocharged VR38DETT twin-turbo V-6 engine ensured it had supercar levels of thrust. It was a real revelation, and one that seemingly influenced the direction of supercar manufacturing.
Over the course of those 18 years in production, Nissan managed to crank out nearly 48,000 units, surpassing the R32 as the most prevalent of the breed. A core team of just nine master technicians were responsible for building every single one of the engines installed in those cars, which is a feat worth celebrating. Things aren’t all gloomy at Nissan however, with senior leadership clearly committed to the future of the GT-R nameplate.
“After 18 remarkable years, the R35 GT-R has left an enduring mark on automotive history,” said Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan. “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.”
“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,” added Espinosa. “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.”
Rumors about a potential R36 GT-R have been consistent for years. Given the fact that the brand is now halo-less, that situation may evolve quicker than expected. That said, we know that any sort of R36 is going to look a lot different than its predecessor. Perhaps Nissan will use the car to redefine the segment once more. One thing is certain, however. The R35 GT-R is going to be a really tough act to follow.
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