The Last Nissan GT-R R35 Has Finally Been Built, But Iconic Nameplate Will Live On

Japan was the last market still producing the R35

Almost a year after the final R35-generation Nissan GT-R was produced for the United States, the final—and we mean, final—R35 anywhere has rolled off the production line in its domestic market of Japan, the last active market for the sports car. 

It brings to a close a remarkable 18-year production run, whereby the R35 somehow endured despite a horde of newer, more modern rivals being launched over that timespan. Even though it has looked and felt dated for years, the GT-R’s magnificent handling and potent twin-turbocharged V6 somehow kept it around for far longer than anyone expected.

Final GT-R R35 Finished In Midnight Purple

Nissan shared a few images of the last R35 car, a Premium edition T-Spec finished in Midnight Purple. One might have thought this final example would end up in a museum, but Nissan says it’s on its way to a customer in Japan.

Between 2007 and 2025, Nissan produced around 48,000 units of the R35 in Japan, and each VR38 engine took approximately six hours to assemble by hand. Remarkably, a group of just nine “Takumi” (a master craftsman in Japanese culture) assembled each V6 over the course of the 18-year production run.

37% of all GT-Rs sold were in Japan, and the V6 was massaged to the point where it developed up to 600 horsepower in the GT-R Nismo. That’s dramatically up from the 473 hp the V6 made when the R35 was originally launched. Nissan visited the Nürburgring several times with the R35, eventually achieving a best time of seven minutes and 8.679 seconds with a Nismo version in late 2013.

“After 18 remarkable years, the R35 GT-R has left an enduring mark on automotive history,” said President and CEO of Nissan, Ivan Espinosa. “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.”

The GT-R Nameplate Isn’t Dead

In bidding farewell to the R35, Espinosa left Nissan fans with confirmation that the door has been left open for a new GT-R.

“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.” The CEO said that the GT-R name is “truly special” and can’t be applied to just any vehicle. “While we don’t have a precise plan finalized today, the GT-R will evolve and reemerge in the future.”

There have been long gaps between previous generations of the GT-R, and we could be facing another one, based on Espinosa’s statements. 

Nissan is in a precarious position of trying to revive its flagging sales, but it will take more affordable products like the new Leaf to achieve that. The R35 also launched at a time where thirsty, large-capacity engines were everywhere, but the automotive landscape has changed a lot since then, and it’s easy to imagine that the R36 (if that’s what it is to be called) will resort to some level of electrification.

Until that happens, we can only say a fond farewell to Godzilla, a truly epic car that earned Nissan a new generation of fans.