Nissan’s 390-unit GT-R sale in 2023 does indeed mark a 584% improvement from its 2022 showing.
Despite being around for over 15 years already, love for the Nissan GT-R still appears to be even stronger than ever in 2023. Such is because the Japanese automaker has seemingly defied expectations by shifting 390 units of these once-technologically-advanced-but-now-rather-old-school supercars over the last 12 months, which is incidentally a growth of over 584% from their sales count of 57 in 2022.
More impressively perhaps is that this significant increase in sales in 2023 is in spite of the GT-R’s main markets currently being only Japan and North America. This is as Godzilla has since been discontinued in Australia and Europe from 2022, with the former due to crash regulations while the latter being a casualty of the increasingly-tightening emissions regulations.
Now of course, Nissan having given its GT-R a significant refresh early last year may have been a big contributor to that staggering increase in sales. The highlights with the 2023 update includes redesigned front and rear fascias with new LED lights on both ends, with this R35 iteration of Godzilla also gaining two exterior hues from its historical palette too – Millennium Jade and Midnight Purple.
Other changes made specific to the top-flight Nismo special edition meanwhile includes a carbon fibre bonnet hood and new Recaro carbon black seats, as well as special suspension tuning and a mechanical limited-slip front differential, in order to justify its nigh-on ridiculous $222,885 (RM 1.03 million) in the US. For those who want something a little bit affordable on the other hand, Nissan has also brought back the T-Spec trim with the 2023 update, which combines the base powertrain (535 hp vs 600 hp in the Nismo) with the Nismo’s widened body, suspension and carbon ceramic brakes.
As for why anyone would even consider getting the aging Godzilla in this day and age of much more competent modern alternatives in the first place, the 390 orders could well come from buyers who just want a throwback to a more analogue era of performance cars. Sure, the GT-R may have been a tech-fest when it came out, but its lack of major changes in over a decade-and-a-half means it is still one of the only supercars to still feature hydraulically-assisted power steering and proper physical buttons in its cabin.
What more is that while the GT-R may be considered a bit flabby back in the day, its 1,400 kg kerb weight actually puts it to be lighter than any iteration of modern 992 911. And lest we forget that while old it may be, Nissan’s incremental improvements over the last 15 years still means that Godzilla can still competently bare its fangs against its modern day rivals.
It remains to be seen as to how long more Nissan will soldier on with the GT-R, but it is all but certain that the 2023 update was to be the final major refresh for this aging beast before it presumably goes all-electric. So for those who are looking at procuring one of the last analogue performance cars, best get one before it is too late.
