[NEWS] Nissan to end R35 GT-R production

The R35 is dead ... the R36 may or may not arrive at some future point.



    Nissan Finally Kills The GT-R As Orders Close After 18 Years
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    After almost 20 years on sale, Nissan finally closed the order
    books on its flagship GT-R sports car this week. The R35 GT-R
    first premiered back in 2007, but Nissan gradually began
    ending sales for the flagship sports car in various global
    markets over the past four years. Now, the final nail is in
    the GT-R's coffin as the automaker stopped sales at home in
    Japan.

    Nissan first premiered the R35 GT-R at the 2007 Tokyo Motor
    Show, where it stunned car fans around the world with its
    rapid performance and forward-thinking technology. As such,
    it stayed on sale way longer than most other cars would, but
    the writing has been on the wall for Nissan's flagship for
    several years now.

    After sales ceased in Australia in 2021 as a result of new
    crash test rules, deliveries of the GT-R then stopped in
    markets like the U.K. and Europe a year later, and U.S. sales
    finally came to an end in 2024. Production of the GT-R will
    now end in Japan, after Nissan stopped sales at home for
    good, reports CarThrottle.


    Why has the GT-R been killed?
    Slowly but surely, the GT-R has faced new safety and
    emissions rules that came into force across the various
    global markets, and which the 18-year-old design no longer
    meets. Now, as Nissan prepares to develop an all-new R36
    flagship, the automaker released a statement confirming its
    demise:

       "We have received many orders for the Nissan GT-R
        and have now finished accepting orders for the
        planned production quantity. We would like to
        express our sincere gratitude to all our
        customers for their support since its release in
        2007."

    The GT-R's death in Japan follows an end of the road for
    the car in America last year. To bring U.S. sales to an
    end, Nissan premiered two final limited-edition offerings,
    which it called the T-Spec Takumi and Skyline trims.


    When was the GT-R launched?
    The end of orders in Japan brings together a majestic 18
    year run for the Nissan GT-R. The car first launched in 2007,
    which was the same year Apple unveiled the first iPhone:
    while the GT-R has remained on sale, Apple came out with more
    than 15 other phone models.

    Of course, a car is engineered with more longevity than a
    phone, and the GT-R was lauded for its advanced tech when it
    first went on sale. This included its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6,
    which remains largely unchanged since 2007, a rapid six-speed
    dual-clutch gearbox, and an advanced four-wheel-drive system
    that helped the GT-R become one of the fastest production
    cars around the famed Nurburgring.

    The Nissan GT-R also had a handful of facelifts over its time
    on sale, including in 2010, 2016, and 2023. Each of those
    updates refined the styling, interiors, and added some truly
    lush color options to the GT-R.

    What comes next for Nissan?
    Production of the GT-R will end in Japan later this year and
    - provided Nissan doesn't go bust before then - will pave the
    way for a new flagship at the brand.

    The replacement for the GT-R is rumored to be a new R36
    sports car, according to CarScoops. It could be based on
    Nissan's wild Hyper Force Concept that it showcased in 2023,
    which teased a move away from gasoline power in favor of a
    battery pack and electric motor. For that to happen, Nissan
    would need to refine the high-tech solid-state batteries that
    it's been working on to push forward its electric vehicles.

    The current trend for delaying electric performance models
    from the likes of Aston Martin could be a spanner in the
    works for this time frame, but if Japan gets its way and
    Tesla invests in saving Nissan, it may have no other option.


    
<https://www.jalopnik.com/1801542/nissan-cancels-r35-gt-r-after-18-years-orders-closing/>