- The order books on the R35-generation Nissan GT-R have officially closed in Japan.
- With no replacement in sight and Nissan’s shaky financials, this might be it for the sports car also known as “Godzilla.”
- It also wouldn’t be the first time the GT-R has had a long pause between generations.
The thump you just heard was the closing of the order book for the Nissan GT-R, and it sounds worryingly authoritative. According to a statement posted on Nissan’s Japanese home website, no more orders are being taken for the production of the R35-generation GT-R. Either you already have your name on the list, or you can’t get one.
Given that Nissan brought back the Z after a short hiatus, there might be a tendency not to worry about it. Plenty of nameplates go away and then return a few years later. In fact, such a situation happened with the Skyline GT-R between the “Kenmeri” GT-R of 1973 and the R32-chassis GT-R of 1989. (Side note: if you’re a real GT-R otaku, only the R32 is supposed to get the Godzilla nickname.)
However, with that particular 13-year pause, some other hot Skylines filled the gap, whereas the R35-chassis GT-R is a standalone car. And, while Nissan has previously confirmed that there will be a next generation of both the GT-R and the Z, it did so at last year’s New York auto show, when the financial picture for the company was not so dire. The current situation, including ending merger talks with Honda, does not look so good. What precious R&D dollars are available need to go towards keeping mainline products competitive rather than an expensive performance flagship.
The R35 chassis is so old that JDM versions actually now qualify to be imported into Canada under the country’s 15-year rules (we have to wait 25 years in the United States). Nissan tweaked the car here and there over its production run, including many special editions, but it’s worth noting that there were only three years of the previous R34. When the R35 first debuted, it was a monster. In its last years, it was starting to look like something of an atomic-breath dinosaur, still very fast but also faded. Beyond concepts, Nissan doesn’t seem to have an heir waiting in the wings.
Still, there’s hope to be found. At the heart of the Z’s rebirth was none other than Hiroshi Tamura, who shepherded the R35 into existence. Tamura-san is such a huge fan of the GT-R that he still has the R32 Skyline GT-R that he’s owned since he was in his 20s. Even when the accounting department turns off the faucet, the enthusiasts working at a company can manage to keep things moving.
For now, at least, the Nissan GT-R is officially dormant, if not indeed dead. Nissan will continue to build the cars that have been ordered, and then it’s curtains for the iconic sports car. Here’s hoping it’s not goodbye forever.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.
Source: Motor - aranddriver.com
