A MAJOR carmaker which is “on the brink of collapse” has confirmed the death of one of its most popular motors after 18 years of production.
Nissan released a heartfelt message for customers and fans of the iconic vehicle, announcing its demise.
Nissan has announced it is discontinuing its production of the GT-R R35[/caption]
The motor was axed from UK markets three years ago[/caption]
The iconic motor had been in production for 18 years[/caption]
The GT-R R35, affectionately known as Godzilla, was first unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007 before being updated and facelifted many times, most recently in 2023.
A statement on the carmakers website said: “We have received many orders for the Nissan GT-R and have now finished accepting orders for the planned production quantity.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our customers for their support since its release in 2007.”
The February 28 message confirmed the end of the classic vehicle’s production in Japan, meaning it had lost its final market.
Nissan had already discontinued deliveries of the R35 in Europe and the UK in March 2022, while Australia and New Zealand lost them even longer ago in October 2021.
North America was the second-last to fall, with production wrapping up there in October last year.
Described as a true “supercar killer” with a reputation for outperformance in the right hands, the R35 followed previous concept versions from 2001 and 2005.
The GT-R has always been centred at its engine, a 3.8L V6, which was significantly improved throughout its 18-year lifespan.
Starting off at just 473hp, it grew by almost 20 per cent up to 565hp after the 2023 facelift.
Going even further, the high-performance Nismo version pushes that number up to 600hp.
For fans of this more classic style of Nissan, this could spell the end of the old GT-R bloodline, with a glimpse of the future being seen in the Japanese carmaker’s starkly contrasting 2023 Hyper Force Concept.
It is this wild supercar that is expected to evolve into the R36 GT-R, which will likely then take the reins as Nissan’s halo car, showcasing the manufacturer’s cutting-edge technology.
Nissan has been facing financial difficulties recently, which means plans to have the GT-R’s successor be a fully electric model could be derailed.
Since the motor is expected to be powered by high-tech solid-state batteries which aren’t expected to be ready before 2028, we don’t expect to see the R36 on sale anytime soon.
NISSAN’S WOES
Legendary carmaker Nissan is “on the brink of collapse”, following a decline in sales in recent years which was brought about by poor management decisions and a failure to adapt to the growing electric vehicle market.
Nissan’s worries have been further exacerbated by the Zero-Emission Vehicle, or ZEV, mandate, requiring 28 per cent of car sales to be electric in 2025 — or face fines of £15,000 for every car they fall short on.
The iconic brand tried to merge with rival Honda but talks sensationally broke-down last month.
One Nissan senior official said they strongly objected to the “rude things” his company had been told.
A merger with Honda could cut costs for both companies, but there were two key reasons behind the collapse in talks.
Firstly, discomfort came from Honda’s demand that Nissan would become its subsidiary, something the latter felt went against previous agreements, reports The Japan News.
Secondly, Honda also told Nissan to restructure its business and abandon its original hybrid vehicle (HV) system, e-Power, in order to adopt Honda’s HV system.
The Japanese car maker has warned it is “on the brink of collapse” and that it could go under without much-needed support.
A Nissan official said the firm has “12 or 14 months to survive” and was likely to endure “tough” months ahead.
The firm has already cut 9,000 jobs across its global operation, while its CEO Makoto Uchida took a 50 per cent pay cut in an economy drive.
Currently, Nissan’s sales of electric cars, such as the Leaf, are lagging behind their rivals, putting them at risk of significant penalties.
Nissan has warned it is ‘on the brink of collapse’[/caption]
