Sayonara, Godzilla: This Is The Last Ever R35 Nissan GT-R

We knew this day was coming, but it doesn’t make it any easier. After 18 years, production of the R35 Nissan GT-R has finally come to an end. This Japanese-market T-Spec model, aptly finished in the iconic GT-R shade of Midnight Purple, is the very last example to be built, but Nissan promises it’s not the end of the road for the GT-R name.

Launched in 2007 as a followup to the R32, R33 and R34 Skyline GT-Rs of the 1990s, the GT-R badge was spun off into a standalone model for the R35, and it switched from straight-six to V6 power.

That V6, the 3.8-litre twin-turbo VR38DETT, was initially making 473bhp, but in the very last Nismo models, power was up to 592bhp. Amazingly, across the car’s 18-year lifespan, the responsibility of hand-assembling those engines fell to a group of just nine 'Takumi' master craftsmen. All in all, they installed their handiwork in around 48,000 cars.

While it stayed on sale in a single generation, its old sparring partner, the Porsche 911 Turbo went through three iterations – six, if you count its mid-life updates. Despite its longevity, though, regulations and demand had been catching up with Godzilla for the last few years, with sales limited to its native Japan for the last year or so of its life.

Now, finally, that remarkable run is over, and there’s a big R35-sized hole left in our hearts. Along with news of the car’s demise, though, there’s a glimmer of hope. Says Nissan’s new boss, Ivan Espinosa:

“After 18 remarkable years, the R35 GT-R has left an enduring mark on automotive history. Its legacy is a testament to the passion of our team and the loyalty of our customers around the globe. Thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey. To the many fans of the GT-R worldwide, I want to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R forever, it’s our goal for the GT-R nameplate to one day make a return.

“We understand the expectations are high, the GT-R badge is not something that can be applied to just any vehicle; it is reserved for something truly special and the R35 set the bar high. So, all I can ask is for your patience. While we don’t have a precise plan finalised today, the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the future.”

So, while we don’t quite know what form the next GT-R will take, we can at least take some comfort in the R35’s demise, knowing that it’ll eventually have a follow-up. Until then, thanks for the memories, Godzilla.