The GT-R50: Nissan's Million-Dollar Middle Finger to Restraint
Rarity isn't always meaningful. But when Nissan and Italdesign decided to celebrate their respective 50th anniversaries, they created genuine scarcity.
Only 18 examples of the GT-R50 exist worldwide. Not 50 as planned. COVID and the eye-watering $1.1 million price tag saw to that.
When Godzilla Puts on an Italian Suit
The GT-R50 isn't merely a rebodied Nismo. It's a comprehensive reengineering exercise.
Hand-built in Turin by Italdesign's craftsmen, this is what happens when Japanese engineering prowess meets Italian design sensibility.
The standard GT-R silhouette remains recognizable, but longer, wider, and more aggressive. Carbon fiber everywhere.
Inside, minimalism reigns. Black Alcantara meets Italian leather. Gold accents match exterior trim. Race-inspired toggle switches replace conventional buttons.
Engineering That Makes Engineers Smile
Beneath the sculpted hood lies a hand-assembled 3.8-liter VR38DETT V6 that would make tuners weep:
- 720 horsepower from GT3-spec turbochargers and reinforced internals
- 575 lb-ft of torque channeled through a strengthened 6-speed dual-clutch
- 2.6 seconds to 60 mph, with a top speed around 205 mph
Nissan didn't just add power. They reinforced everything: crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, bearings, and cooling systems.
The suspension uses Bilstein DampTronic adjustable dampers. Michelin Pilot Super Sports (255/35 R21 front, 285/30 R21 rear) connect this beast to tarmac.
Collectible? Undeniably
Car #11 recently surfaced for sale in Canada. Finished in Liquid Silver Metallic with Nismo Red accents and the optional hydraulic rear wing.
When fewer than 20 examples exist of anything, the collector value is assured. But the GT-R50 isn't a garage queen.
It's a drivable sculpture. A 720-horsepower statement piece. The ultimate expression of what a GT-R can be when cost constraints evaporate.
Engineers didn't build this car to win bench-racing arguments. They built it because sometimes, creating the extraordinary is justification enough.
