2024 Nissan GT-R Final Editions from iBestTravel

It’s a day we knew would eventually come. However, did anyone imagine it would take 17 years to arrive? Nissan has announced the final R35-generation Nissan GT-R, which will bow out with two model-year 2024 special editions: the 2024 Nissan GT-R T-spec Takumi Edition and the Skyline Edition. Both will retail for north of $130k, and who knows if dealers will take advantage of their “final special edition” status to milk a few more bucks from customers.

The End of an Era: R35 Chassis Longevity

Nissan certainly milked some longevity from the R35 chassis itself. The R35 debuted for the 2008 model year (in the U.S. as a 2009 model), boasting absolutely staggering performance figures combined with a somewhat polarizing focus on computer-enhanced hardware. Under the hood, the inline-six of previous generations was replaced by a VQ-series V-6 displacing 3.8 liters and breathing a lot of boost from twin IHI turbochargers. The initial GT-R made (an understated) 480 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque—monumental numbers for the time—and lunged to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds on the way to an 11.6-second quarter-mile.

The Complex Engineering of the R35

The R35 is impressively complex. Its wild all-wheel-drive system takes an engineering approach that complicates and adds driveshafts, sending power from its front-mounted engine back to a rear-mounted transaxle, and then forward again through a second driveshaft to the front differential.

Continuous Evolution Over the Years

Over more than a decade-and-a-half, Nissan did not leave the GT-R alone. It kept adding power, consequently increasing the GT-R’s performance and price. The 2015 Nissan GT-R NISMO, for example, was boosted to 600 hp, 481 lb-ft, with a remarkable 0–60 time of 2.9 seconds and a flat 11-second quarter-mile. The GT-Rs could handle impressively, too, with the NISMO running a remarkable 22.9-second figure-eight time in testing.

Special Editions to Send Off the R35

So how do these special editions send the R35 off? The Takumi Edition, according to Nissan, pays tribute to the takumi (master craftsman) that hand-assemble the GT-R. It features a gold VIN plate in the engine bay, acknowledging the takumi with red-etched script. Notably, the engines of these models are balanced to a higher degree, although the specifics remain vague. More importantly to enthusiasts, the Takumi Edition sports a Midnight Purple paint job, a color that resonates deeply in Godzilla lore. The interior trim is Mori Green. This edition also includes upgraded features such as GT-R NISMO carbon-ceramic brakes, gold-painted 20-inch Rays wheels from NISMO, wider front fenders, and a specially tuned Vehicle Dynamic Control System (also tuned by NISMO). The Takumi Edition MSRP is set for $152,985.

The Skyline Edition: A Nod to Tradition

Meanwhile, the Skyline Edition is a bit less expensive, painted in Bayside Blue with a Sora Blue interior. Bayside Blue was retired after the legendary R34 Skyline GT-R took its final bow, but was revived in 2019 as a 50th Anniversary Edition color. As a send-off color, it’s back. The Skyline Edition does not appear to have any other changes, retailing for $132,985.

The Future of the GT-R

Nissan has been communicating to the world that it is not done with the GT-R or a GT-R-like vehicle in the future. They have indicated to expect a “next era of exciting innovation in performance.” Therefore, we hope they build on the R35 legacy in the right way.