Nissan And Italdesign Create The Ultimate GT-R To Celebrate 50th Anniversary

Nissan has revealed the GT-R50 by Italdesign, a prototype based on the 2018 GT-R Nismo built to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of both the iconic Japanese sports car and Italdesign.

As the GT-R turns 50, Nissan has collaborated for the first time with Italdesign to create a “limitless” GT-R. Italdesign developed, engineered and built the one-off prototype which will debut in Europe next month.

The GT-R50’s new bodywork gets a distinctive gold detailing, a new hood with a more pronounced power bulge, thin LED headlights, a lower by 54mm roofline, a steeper rake for the rear window and twin floating taillights with hollow centers, among other.

The prototype is finished in what Nissan calls “Liquid Kinetic Gray” paint finish with “Energetic Sigma Gold” accents while the wheels are custom 21-inch items.

The cabin is also bespoke, with the dashboard getting a new design that doesn’t feature an infotainment screen for a cleaner look while the instrument cluster is digital. There are two different carbon finishes used across the center console, instrument panel and door linings. Gold details match those of the exterior while black Alcantara and black leather upholstery is used for the seats.

As for the engine, a limitless GT-R should only offer the best. The hand-assembled 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 is upgraded by NISMO with larger GT3 competition-spec turbos, larger intercoolers; heavy-duty crankshaft, pistons, connecting rods and bearings; high-flow piston oil jets; revised camshaft profiles; higher-flow fuel injectors and optimized intake and exhaust systems.  The result? 710hp (720PS) at 7100rpm and 575lb-ft (780Nm) between 3600 and 5600rpm.

The six-speed dual-clutch transmission is reinforced, while stronger differentials and drive shafts make sure that the massive power will be transmitted safely to all four wheels. The suspension utilizes Bilstein DampTronic adjustable dampers.

“How often do you get to ask, ‘What if we created a GT-R without limits,’ and then actually get to build it?” said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior vice president for global design. “This is a rare window in time when two big moments intersect: 50 years of Italdesign shaping the automotive world and 50 years of Nissan generating excitement through our iconic GT-R. So to celebrate this convergence, Nissan and Italdesign created this custom GT-R to mark 50 years of engineering leadership.”