Iconic GT-R 50th Anniversary Limited Edition arrives in South Africa

2019/09/10

ROSSLYN, South Africa – Few vehicles in the world can be instantly identified by just three letters. But to motoring enthusiasts everywhere, "GT-R" has become synonymous with excitement, high performance and unparalleled refinement.

Making its debut at the 2019 New York International Auto Show, the 2020 Nissan GT-R 50th Anniversary Edition takes the nameplate to a level that was unimaginable when it was first introduced 50 years ago. To celebrate the half-century of the GT-R, engineers challenged themselves to find undiscovered performance potential while still making sure the car can be enjoyed by drivers at any level.

"A GT-R is about total balance management," said Hiroshi Tamura, chief product specialist for the GT-R. "It is not about chasing a power figures, but creating a new GT-R, where no aspect has been overlooked. This is appropriate to celebrate the GT-R 50th anniversary."

A 50th Anniversary Celebration

The 2020 Nissan GT-R will come in two trim levels in the South African market: GT-R Premium and GT-R Black Edition. In select regions, there will also be the Pure, Prestige and NISMO models, but it is the 50th Anniversary Edition that truly celebrates the GT-R's rich heritage.

The special edition car will come in three heritage-era, two-tone exterior colour combinations meant to represent the GT-R's liveries from the Japan GP series – of which the original GT-R was born to dominate in. Retired since the GT-R "R34" model, Bayside (Wangan) Blue makes a return, complete with white racing stripes. A four-coat, double-heat treatment process ensures a vivid blue with striking highlights and deep shadows. Blue accents on the wheel spokes are among several fine touches made to celebrate the GT-R's milestone. Pearl White with red stripes and Super Silver with white stripes round out the 50th Anniversary liveries.

Inside the 50th Anniversary Edition is a special grey interior colour scheme, which gives the cabin a sense of luxury, reminiscent of the atmosphere of the night sky after the twilight hour. Additional 50th anniversary features include unique steering wheel and shift knob trim, special seat embossing, an Alcantara® headliner with unique stitching, Alcantara-wrapped sunvisors, and more.

"The Nissan GT-R has been the icon of our company's driving performance for the past half century," said Shinichiro Irie, program design director for the GT-R. "We were highly motivated to ensure that the GT-R 50th Anniversary Edition stands out. While the exterior and interior changes may seem subtle at first glance, they're still impactful, especially with the new paint schemes, keeping the car's lines and overall presence modern and edgy."

Upgraded performance, born from racing

While many believed that the refinement and performance of the GT-R's 550-horsepower 3.8-liter V6 24-valve twin-turbocharged engine – each handcrafted by its own takumi technician – were so high that there was no room for improvement, the car's engineers had a few tricks up their sleeves. Among them was incorporating new turbochargers, which help increase the engine's low rpm response due to an abradable seal, providing tighter clearances and a 5 percent increase in efficiency. Overall, they provide even sharper engine response in and out of corners, making the driving experience more rewarding and richer than ever before. The exhaust manifolds, inspired by racing technology, have optimised turbo flange attachment points, which allow for easier servicing and potential tuning, without touching the exhaust manifold.

GT-R features a revised 6-speed dual-clutch transmission with a refined "R mode," made for both road and track. It features more aggressive downshifts to better anticipate swift cornering exits, with gear selection happening during ABS engagement, resulting in reduced understeer and a more driver-intuitive feeling. The adaptive shift control is programmed to change shift schedules to fit the user's driving style, making it possible to drive according to the law on public roads, with full brute force available on the racetrack, without needing to manually change shift modes.

The GT-R's signature exhaust note is the product of a new titanium muffler, featuring titanium finishers with burnished blue tips.

The electronically controlled suspension has been tuned to provide better cornering stability and a smoother ride. The steering is more linear and precise than ever, requiring minimal corrections at speeds of up to 300 kph (186 mph). A new brake booster increases the initial braking response by engaging with less pedal stroke, resulting in enhanced stopping power and feel.

A cabin worthy of GT-R

The GT-R's cabin represents the ideal blend of luxury and sport. The distinct driver-oriented cockpit has comfortable yet supportive seats for both front and rear passengers. The dashboard is designed to convey a "horizontal flow," delivering a sense of high stability for front seat occupants. It comes wrapped in a single, seamless piece of hand-selected Nappa leather, artfully stitched with takumi-style precision. The centre dashboard integrates navigation and audio controls and an 8-inch capacitive touch-panel monitor. The large icons on the display screen inform the driving experience without distracting from it.

Mounted to the sporty steering wheel are shift paddles that allow drivers to change gears in mid-turn without taking their hands off the wheel.

2020 GT-R specifications (SAF spec)

Premium

Pricing:

Premium Edition: R 2 250 000
Black Edition: R 2 360 000
GT-R 50th Anniversary Edition

• Pearl White with Red Decals: R 2 405 000 
• Ultimate Silver with White Decals: R 2 405 000
• Bayside Blue with White Decals: R 2 415 000

About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissan's global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance sold 10.76 million vehicles combined in calendar year 2018.

For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

About Nissan in South Africa
Nissan South Africa is the operational hub for Regional Business Unit South, serving Nissan's key South Africa market and 45 other countries in Sub Saharan Africa, including Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria as well as the key Southern African markets of Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. In South Africa, the company offers a range of 24 vehicles under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands, including the popular locally-produced Nissan light commercial vehicles - the NP200 half ton pickup and NP300 one-ton Hardbody - produced at the company's Rosslyn plant, north west of Pretoria. Nissan made history locally in 2013 with the introduction of Africa's first electric vehicle, Nissan's flagship Nissan LEAF. As well as boasting zero emissions leadership, Nissan is also a leader in the crossover segment. Among its product offerings are the all-new Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, as well as Juke. The Datsun brand has re-established Nissan in the entry-level market where the tailor-made Datsun GO is breaking new ground in the 'riser' market segment.  Infiniti continues to make a mark in the luxury segment. Nissan is one of the top five automotive companies in South Africa. For more information visit our website at http://www.nissan.co.za

Contact

Patience Dumisani
Head of Communications
Tel: (012) 529 5000
Mobile: 079 074 0922
patiencedu@nissan.co.za

Veralda Schmidt
Media Relations Manager
Nissan South Africa
Tel: (012) 529 5680
Mobile: 082 820 8562
veraldas@nissan.co.za