Fifty years ago, Nissan introduced the Skyline as a four-door sedan in its home market of Japan. Nobody knew it at that time, Nissan included, but in the course of the next half-century, The Skyline would give birth to what is arguably the most iconic Japanese supercar of all time, Godzilla itself, the Nissan GT-R. Nissan is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the GT-R’s roots with the debut of the Nissan 50th Anniversary GT-R at the 2019 New York Auto Show. The 50th Anniversary GT-R isn’t a special edition model in the traditional sense. Instead, Nissan is offering the anniversary treatment in the form of an appearance package for the 2020 GT-R. Nissan has yet to release pricing and availability options for the 50th Anniversary GT-R, but seeing as the model is making its debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show, it’s safe to say that we’re going to get our hands on the model, or at least the appearance package that turns the GT-R into the 50th Anniversary model.

The 2020 Nissan GT-R 50th Edition

If there’s a model that deserves to be celebrated for being around for 50 years, it’s the Nissan GT-R. The nameplate’s history is a bit complicated, but that’s only because the GT-R didn’t start out as a model of its own. Instead, it was used as a derivative of the Nissan Skyline, which debuted 12 years earlier than the GT-R name did. It was 1969 when the first GT-R Skyline appeared. Internally, it was called the PGC-10, though the coupé version, which debuted a year later, carried the codename KPGC-10. From the beginning, the GT-R name was associated with performance. It's a modest output for our standards today, but back then, it was enough to propel the GT-R Skyline to more than 50 racing victories in the first three years of its existence.

Since then, the GT-R name has become synonymous with power and performance, even if it wasn’t until 2007 when Nissan decided to separate the GT-R from the Skyline and turn the former into its own model. That’s when Godzilla was born.

It helped make Nissan relevant and, more importantly, a known commodity, in the world of high-priced exotics and go-faster performance cars. It helped break barriers by challenging the perception that Japanese performance cars couldn’t compete with their American and European counterparts. The Nissan GT-R changed the narrative on what a Japanese sports car should be, and it did so by punching the snooty Germans and the high-brow Italians in the mouth.

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So, here we are. Nissan is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the GT-R with an appearance package that pays homage to the nameplate’s history. On the surface, there’s nothing fancy about the package, and for you to even have the chance to get the package, you’ll have to buy the 2020 Nissan GT-R first. If you were keen on doing so anyway, then there shouldn’t be any problems. Anyway, the three color options include Pearl White with red stripes, Super Silver with white stripes, and Bayside Blue with white stripes. Remember the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 that Paul Walker drove in Fast and Furious 4? It wore the same Bayside Blue color. The significance of this specific color is bolstered by the complicated process from which it’s made. According to Nissan, achieving the vivid blue of this specific color can only be achieved through a “fur-coat, double-heat treatment process.” Sounds complicated, right? It probably is.

Outside of the return of the Bayside Blue color, the 50th Anniversary package also comes with upgrades for the 2020 GT-R’s interior. A unique steering wheel is also part of the package, as is a special shift knob trim that’s only available on the 50th Anniversary GT-R. Special embossed seats are also included, as well as an Alcantara headliner with its own unique stitching and Alcantara-wrapped sun visors.

The 50th Anniversary package does not come with any engine upgrades, but since it is available on the 2020 Nissan GT-R, performance improvements are on the table, though not from where you usually see them. Power still comes from a 3.8-liter V-6 engine that produces 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque. The good news is that the V-6 unit benefits from new turbochargers, which helps create better low-end torque response to go with a five-percent increase in engine efficiency. The improved low-end torque response from the V-6 engine means faster acceleration for the GT-R. Combine that with the expected weight savings from a bevy of carbon fiber parts — Nissan says the 2020 GT-R is higher by around 60 pounds compared to its predecessor — and the 2020 GT-R could make mincemeat of its predecessor’s 2.9-second, 0-to-60-mph acceleration time.

2020 Nissan GT-R drivetrain specifications

Engine

3.8-liter V-6

Horsepower

565 HP @ 6,800 RPM

Torque

467 LB-FT @ 3,300 –5,800 RPM

Bore & stroke (mm)

95.5 x 88.4 (Plasma sprayed bore)

Compression ratio (:1)

9.0

0 to 60 mph

2.9 seconds


The name fits and the tribute to its anniversary is well-deserved. But far too often, special edition models end up not living up to the stature they’re given. That’s not going to be a problem with the GT-R 50th Anniversary Edition. By sheer looks and expected performance upticks, this is one of the rare anniversary model that should have no problem selling out, at least once Nissan announces when it’ll be available.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Nissan GT-R Nismo.

Read our full review on the 2019 Nissan GT-R.