The 2024 Nissan GT

Dec 25, 2023

Nissan introduced its updated GT-R supercar at the Tokyo Auto Salon on Thursday. The legendary nameplate returned to the U.S. in 2009 and has been continuously updated over just one generation. For the 2024 model year the GT-R gets a visual redesign, heritage colors, and some new mechanicals--and the T-spec trim returns.

The 2024 Nissan GT-R is offered in three grades. The GT-R Premium and T-spec come with 565 horsepower while the new GT-R NISMO delivers an even 600 hp. The two base GT-Rs arrive at select U.S. Nissan dealers this spring; the NISMO lands in the summer.

"Finding new ways to slice and dice this GT-R makes absolute sense for Nissan. For one, it gins up heaps of press and attention that helps burnish Nissan's performance credentials. The hope is that the GT-R serves as a halo for other models in the lineup, particularly the current Nissan Z, which itself is expected to release a NISMO version in the near future," David Undercoffler, editor-in-chief at Autolist told Newsweek.

The changes to the GT-R are meant to increase downforce for stability at speed. Changes include the redesigned front and rear fascias, new bumper sides, updated grille shapes, and reshaped rear wings. The Nissan engineers even thinned the mesh grille to help with wind, leading to the same coefficient of drag as the previous model at 0.26 Cd, despite that increase in downforce.

The NISMO's rear wing gets swan-neck supports, meaning they are attached to the top of the wing, and the surface area has been increased by 10 percent. The NISMO also comes with a new front lip, rear diffuser, and canards, those little wings on the side of the front bumper.

The T-spec model adds carbon-ceramic brakes, a gold-painted version of the NISMO's Rays 20-inch forged wheels, NISMO-tuned vehicle dynamic controls, and wider front fenders. It wears special badging using a dark green color.

Two classic GT-R colors, Millennium Jade and Midnight Purple will both be available. The Jade pays homage to one of the rarest GT-Rs ever, the R34 GT-RV-Spec II Nür. The new Midnight Purple is a modern interpretation of the Midnight Purple III color from R34 GT-R V-Spec.

Inside, Nappa leather and a horizontally spread dashboard greets drivers. The T-spec is swathed in Mori Green with semi-aniline and suede coverings. Nissan Connect is standard with an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, navigation, and satellite radio.

The display continues with GT-R-specific gauges, g-meters, and lap timers. Dual-zone climate control, a Bose sound system, heated front seats, and parking sensors are also standard.

The 2024 Nissan GT-R continues with a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6. It makes 467 pound-feet of torque to go along with its 565 horsepower in the standard versions. All come with all-wheel drive and a six-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters. A lightweight titanium exhaust is also standard.

The GT-R has independent suspension front and back with adjustable shock absorbers from Bilstein. They have three settings--normal, comfort, and R--controlled by the central toggle switches along with the engine characteristics. Brembo provides the brake calipers, six-piston in front, four-piston in rear. The T-spec and NISMO come with carbon ceramic brake discs.

Mechanically, the NISMO GT-R comes with extra aerodynamic enhancements, stronger turbochargers and lighter components from its GT3 race car including carbon fiber. The NISMO comes with 16.1-inch carbon ceramic brake rotors in front and 15.3-inch rotors in back, saving 36 pounds at the corners. The NISMO's engine brings 481 pound-feet of torque with its 600 hp.

"It makes sense that Nissan would continue to tweak the GT-R to keep it fresh in the minds of buyers, something Porsche excels at with the countless iterations of its 911, and something Acura never did enough of with its underrated NSX," said Undercoffler.

"Sports cars are a tricky business case these days since the sales volumes are so low, so automakers must continually reinvent their existing models rather than start from scratch, as they would with better-selling types of vehicles. Fortunately for Nissan, this GT-R was ahead of its time when it was first released, so it's been able to stay relevant over all these years with updates like the ones we're seeing today."

Pricing hasn't been announced but the 2023 Nissan GT-R started at $115,435 including destination and handling. The GT-R NISMO costs $210,740.