Goodbye Godzilla: End Of The Line For The R35 Nissan GT-R

Few cars have earned the kind of cult status that the Nissan GT-R enjoys. It’s a name that means speed and power. A car that enjoys legendary status in the history of automobiles. But now, after nearly 18 years of dominance, the R35 GT-R has reached the end of the road.

It has officially been discontinued from the Japanese market, which was the last market where it was on sale.

As we bid farewell to the R35 Gojira, let’s take a moment to celebrate its journey and the mark it has left on the hearts and minds of enthusiasts.

Birth Of A Modern Legend

The GT-R nameplate was already very well known long before the R35 arrived in 2007. Its predecessors, starting with the R32, R33, and R34, gained the "Godzilla" moniker thanks to their ability to shame far more expensive supercars with absolute ease.

There’s a reason the Nissan GT-R earned the legendary moniker Godzilla or Gojira, as it’s known in Japanese. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't nicknamed in Japan but was actually coined in Australia for the R32 Skyline GT-R.

Unlike its predecessors, it dropped the "Skyline" badge and stood as its own entity. Nissan’s engineers reworked everything. The RB26 inline-6 was replaced with the hand-assembled VR38DETT 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6, and the old manual gearbox made way for a faster 6-speed DCT. 

With an official nought to 100 kmph time of under 3 seconds, the R35 was faster than almost anything else in its price range. It was a missile, engineered to outgrip, out-accelerate, and outclass its rivals.

Tales Of Achievements

From the moment it hit the streets, it began breaking records. Legend for a reason.

• Nürburgring Nordschleife Domination - In 2009, it set a lap time of 7:26.07 seconds, shaming cars that cost twice or even three times as much. Over the years, Nissan kept refining the formula, with the GT-R Nismo setting a 7:08.68 lap time in 2013, making it one of the fastest production cars to lap the Green Hell.

• A Video Game Icon - For most of us, the first time we ever drove an R35 GT-R was on a screen, not a road. From Gran Turismo to Need for Speed, the R35 became a legend in a lot of games.

• Racing Success - It saw success in Super GT, GT3, and even in endurance racing, proving that it also had the handling and durability to go wheel-to-wheel with the rest and be the best.

Special Editions

For nearly 18 years, Nissan kept updating the R35, and even introduced special editions like:

• GT-R Nismo – A track-focused version with aggressive aerodynamics, more power, and a Nürburgring-tuned chassis.

• GT-R 50 by Italdesign – A limited-run 50th anniversary edition, carrying Italian design elements with its celebrated Japanese performance traits.

• GT-R T-Spec – One of the final iterations, paying homage to the OG Skyline GT-R in its colours and celebrating its legacy.

Even in its final years, the R35 remained a favourite amongst enthusiasts. It even proved itself by staying relevant in an era of hybrid and electric supercars.

The India Chapter

In 2016, Nissan India decided to bring the R35 GT-R as a completely built unit (CBU) onto Indian shores. It was launched at a starting price of Rs 1.99 crore.

Despite being almost a 10-year-old product with a steep price tag, thanks to the high import duties, Godzilla received immense love from Indian petrolheads. Its aggressive design and the roar from the VR38DETT V6 made sure that it turned heads wherever it went.

End Of An Era, But Not The End Of The Legend

As we bid adieu to the R35, the world is evolving. The days of big block, turbocharged engines and raw performance are tales of a bygone era. A lot is being replaced by silent battery-powered and motor-driven wheels. But Godzilla’s legacy will never fade.

Nissan has already hinted at a next-generation GT-R, and while it may upgrade with the latest tech, maybe even a hybrid powertrain, one thing is sure: it will have the soul of a GT-R. 

The dawn is upon the R35, but the legend lives on, waiting for its next reincarnation, waiting to tell the tales, waiting to sing the symphony that we all love.

To the car that set new benchmarks, shamed giants, and captured the hearts of enthusiasts worldwide, we salute you.

Rest well, R35. You’ll never be forgotten.

See you soon, Godzilla!