Half A Century in the Making --- The 2021 Nissan GT-R

Last year, the GT-R name celebrated 50 years since its very first inception back in 1969-1970. It has taken many forms, but perhaps none more iconic than the modern-day GT-R, which arrived on the streets of Japan in August 1989. Since then, the Nissan GT-R has continued in its path of steady development up until now, including the launch of our internationally beloved Nissan GT-R in 1995. Now, we prepare to welcome the 2021 Nissan GT-R model.

Opinion from fans could be mixed when it comes to the 2021 model. Some will be glad that there aren’t any significant or ground-breaking changes to this edition. Others are dismayed to see some of the changes to the line-up, minor though they are. One piece of good news is that the previously exclusive Bayside Blue will now be available on all models of the GT-R in 2021. In 2020, this was only available on the special 50^th anniversary model.

The fantastic Bayside Blue colour is a welcome addition to the regular line-up, but it’s one of the exclusions that some are dismayed about. The 2021 GT-R will only have two trim levels --- Premium and Nismo --- which means we have bid farewell to the Track Edition that previously offered a happy middle ground to drivers.

Beyond that, many of the details have remained the same as in the 2020 edition. Under the bonnet of the Premium trim, you’ll find a 3.8L twin-turbocharged V6 engine delivering an impressive 565hp and 467lb-ft of torque. The top-rated Nismo won’t have a bigger engine, but it will be clocked higher, offering 600hp and 471lb-ft of torque. The GT-R’s racing genes are further confirmed by the presence of a 6-speed DCT transmission and AWD as standard. That’s a lot of performance packed into one car.

There’s no doubt that most would be happy with the Premium, even those who feel they’d be downgrading by moving from the previous Track Edition to the Premium. If you are after the absolute best GT-R experience, however, then nothing can substitute the Nismo. The attention to detail is immediately noticeable --- carbon-fibre panels across the board, Brembo brakes, 20” alloys and much more. The turbocharger is even designed the same as the Nismo GT3 racer.

One more item of for the “unchanged” list is the price point. These are still not cars for budget drivers. The Premium trim will start at around AU$158,000, and the Nismo will be around AU$293,000. It’s a luxury price, but for a truly iconic machine that’s fun to drive, packed with quality features, and oozing the craftsmanship and athletic precision for which Nissan is known.