Ace of Race: Nissan Announces a Bargain-bin GT-R

Alright, at $99,990, the new Nissan GT-R Pure isn’t exactly a K-Mart blue light special. It does, however, halt Godzilla’s spiralling-into-the-stratosphere sticker price. Introduced all the way back in, uh, wow, 2008, the R35 stickered south of $70,000 at its introduction.

The GT-R did see several improvements last year to help justify the steady march of its MSRP, with refreshed styling and 20 additional horsepower. The new Pure trim cuts a few fripperies but retains the same level of performance. That sounds like a tasty recipe.

Separating the Pure from its more expensive brethren is a lack of 11-speaker Bose audio system, Active Noise Cancellation, Active Sound Enhancement, and a titanium exhaust. Reading that sentence, it would seem that the noise cancellation and sound enhancement systems would be at odds with each other, like a rebellious teen cranking Spotify as his parents unplug the router, no? I’d rather not hear the engine through the speakers, anyway.

The bargain-basement GT-R Pure retains the twin-turbo V6, rated at 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque, that appears in the Premium and Track Edition Godzillas. A dual-clutch sequential six-speed manual is on tap, mated with electronically controlled all-wheel-drive system. The GT-R NISMO is rated at 600 horsepower and 481 lb-ft of torque, also featuring unique exterior and interior treatments, along with special suspension tuning. I cannot fathom why the NISMO is priced $75,500 more than the Pure. Exclusivity has its price, I suppose.

Each 3.8-liter 24-valve twin-turbocharged V6 engine built to be fitted to a 2018 GT-R is still handcrafted by its own Takumi technician, delivering 565 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 467 lb-ft of torque. No matter the trim – even this admittedly proletariat-spec Pure model – the mill features an ignition-timing system controlled at each individual cylinder, which is the same technology utilized on the $175,490 GT-R NISMO. Each engine is hand-assembled from beginning to end in a special clean room. One cannot make that boast of their Z06, for example.

Nearly all of the visual changes made to the GT-R’s exterior twelve months ago for the 2017 model year were intended to improve aerodynamic performance, with Nissan engineers focusing their efforts to increase downforce, reduce drag, and improve cooling. The new-for-last-year visual tweaks do make for a sharper looking car, even if it takes a spotter’s guide to discern the changes unless an old and new model are parked side by each.

The GT-R was never meant to be a volume seller but sales in recent months have been in the toilet. Failing to crest 100 units a month since the middle of 2015, Nissan’s halo car found just 21 takers last month. Perhaps this new Pure model, priced about 10 percent below the next-step Premium trim, will entice a few buyers who are on the fence.

Sure, it might seem silly to think that someone who’s considering a car priced north of a hundred large gives a second thought to price, but even the one-percenters look for a deal from time to time.

[Image: Nissan]