Updated 2023 Nissan GT-R announced for the US market

It may be 16 years old, but the Nissan GT-R – fondly referred to by die-hard fans as ‘Godzilla’ – is far from dead. The Japanese automaker announced this week that a new 2023 model year of the GT-R and GT-R Nismo will be introduced, but only in the US market.

This comes as a huge surprise considering that GT-R sales in both Europe and Australia have ceased since late last year and early this year respectively. Speculations were rife following which as Nissan didn’t release an updated 2022 model year version for the American market, choosing instead to continue selling the 2021-spec model throughout said year.

This latest announcement sees Nissan offer its American buyers with the updated GT-R in either ‘Premium’ or ‘Nismo’ variations. Little has changed mechanically and visually. Underneath, the US-spec GT-R still packs the same 3.8-litre V6 twin-turbo heart that deliver 565 HP and 633 NM. The GT-R Nismo slotted above that delivers a punchier 600 HP and 652 NM instead.

Both variants get with six-speed dual-clutch transmissions (DCTs) and all-wheel-drive (AWD), with the up-specced Nismo variant gaining further with carbon ceramic brakes and lightweight carbon bodywork. The latter’s inclusion ought to explain the US$212,635 (approx. RM 1,005,551) price tag the Nismo variant commands, which is nearly double that of the Premium variant slotted below that’s tagged at US$115,435 (approx. RM 545,892).

Beyond the US market, Nissan has remained coy about either an update or replacement for its halo performance car. The brand’s top execs have also conveyed mixed messages in recent times, some saying that a replacement will not happen while others hint of a possible hybrid or fully-electric replacement being developed, but none of these have been confirmed thus far.