Made famous by The Fast and the Furious franchise, the Nissan GT-R has secured its place in movie car history.
For a handful of lucky new owners they’re about to get the keys for one of these superb cars, courtesy of Specialist Cars Nissan, Aberdeen.
And just in time, too, as Nissan has now officially closed all orders for the 2022 GT-R R35, indicating that these fantastic beasts will be the last of their kind to roll off the production line.
Part of the John Clark group, the dealers will be delivering 10 of the high-powered, six, figure sum vehicles to the owners this week, who have been waiting nearly two years for the big day – with the first model leaving the showroom this week.
With its sporty styling, 3.8 litre V6 engine and astonishing acceleration of 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds, the Nissan GT-R sets hearts alight, and its appeal has lasted since its launch in Japan in 2009.
It arguably set the performance benchmark for its price point, coming in substantially lower than comparable models such as the Porsche 911 Turbo, for example.
At the end of last year the new GT-R was launched for the Japanese market. For our British owners, though, it has been a long wait as the car industry fought against the supply issues caused by the semi-conductor chip shortage.
At one point, it seemed as though the cars might never make it to UK shores as Nissan looked ready to pull the plug altogether.
But coming in at just shy of £200,000, the customers were determined to receive their dream machines.
Realistically, the last production we had on these cars wasn’t mean to happen. That’s what makes this so special
With some help from divisional sales manager David Barnes and sales controller Diogo Rodrigues, the R35 GT-Rs cars have finally arrived in Aberdeen, with another three Track editions en-route and due to arrive next week.
Unique customers
Diogo has been working with the customers for the last eighteenth anxious months and knows they’re relieved to finally take ownership of the long-awaited vehicles.
He said: “It’s been a long year-and-a-half. A lot of phone calls, a lot of emails and lots of hard work, and we’re all glad to see it come to fruition. It’s not been the easiest of times, that’s for sure.
It’s completely mind blowing in a straight line, and – when you’re brave enough – its handling is extremely good
“There was a lot of back and forth as to whether this was going to happen at all. There was Covid and the pandemic, and they (Nissan) stopped producing the cars.
“We worked with Nissan to secure the final production of these cars. Nissan’s future is electrification with the fully electric ARIYA making an appearance later this year. Hopefully we will see an electric performance car to rival the GT-R making an appearance in coming years but there is nothing confirmed from Nissan as of yet.”
Customer relations
The cars have become rare with only 30 Nismos currently on UK roads and 28 Track editions.
The branch, which has gained a UK wide reputation for its specialist service (gaining the title of top selling GTR dealership of 2020), is now about to add another seven Track editions to that tally.
Building relations through GT-R forums and Facebook, the dealership welcomes its customers from as far south as London.
And at an eye-watering price of £185,000 for the Nismo and £90,000 for the Recaro, customers know exactly what they want and are happy to travel the length of the UK to collect their vehicles.
“GT-R buyers are a very unique customer,” says Diogo. “The heritage of the car attracts a certain person.
“They are very specific about what they want and know that we are the GT-R specialists.”
Although we’re unlikley to see any of the stunning GT-Rs on local roads, the sales room staff have had the privilege of taking GT-Rs for a spin – and they know the value of what’s leaving the showroom.
Timeless design and performance
“I’ve had the pleasure of putting a GT-R through its paces a couple of times,” says Diogo.
“It’s completely mind blowing in a straight line, and – when you’re brave enough – its handling is extremely good.”
The all wheel drive comes with a 60/40 split with a bias towards the rear wheels.
Diogo adds: “It will allow you to have a bit of fun, while still being very very safe. From the driving perspective you can push it quite hard, and stick to the road.”
And having spent a few weeks with the GT-Rs, the showroom staff have become quite attached to them.
“You look at a GTR and you know it’s a GTR; they’ve not changed too much,” says Diogo. “Ultimately you don’t need to change something that’s not broken. It’s going to be very sad to see these cars go.”
Before the Nismo and Track editions head off to their new homes, they can be seen at Specialist Cars Nissan, Balmoral Business Park, Wellington Road, Altens.
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