- Nissan’s supercar-beating coupe has finished an 18-year production run
- It may return in electric vehicle form
The final Nissan GT-R was Midnight Purple — a fitting end for a car unconventional from the moment it first appeared.
Nissan yesterday said the company has built its last GT-R after an astonishing production run of 18 years.
The GT-R broke new ground with its introduction for the 2008 model year and still seems improbable a generation later. It used a hand-built twin-turbo V6 to outrun some supercars with far larger engines and higher price tags.
The top-of-the-line NISMO edition got from zero to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, and topped out at over 200 mph. Its price rose with its fame – a quick search finds the few still available on dealer lots sitting at asking prices over $130,000. But, for a time, it offered Ferrari-like speed at a 5-figure price tag.
Its line may not end with that purple T-spec model, though.
Nissan has been in difficult financial straits recently, failing to find a merger partner earlier this year. A recovery plan involves canceling most sedans, revamping luxury brand Infiniti’s image and lineup, and even bringing back the once-beloved Xterra off-roader.
Should it work, Nissan may find itself in a position to replace the GT-R with a monster electric vehicle (EV).
A concept car unveiled two years ago, the Nissan Hyper Force Concept, looked like a next-generation GT-R and reportedly could birth the first car sold in the U.S. to use advanced solid-state batteries.
