The quiet invitation circulated at the LA Auto Show floor just moments after Nissan unveiled the long awaited R35 Nissan GT-R. The buzz as it floated around was an effort by people at Chiat Day, Nissan's marketing agency, and spread like the latest gossip amongst the people in the know. It was about time, because the unveiling was routine. Carlos Ghosn drove out the new Nissan GT-R and shared information that has been circulating around the internet for months, a typical press debut formality. Everyone focused solely on the car slowly rotating on the turntable. Even without camouflage the new GT-R was as mysterious as ever, but if the buzz was true we would soon get to see it in much more intimate settings thanks to Chiat Day.
At first glance the scene at the parking lot was just another Southern California informal car meet, a stark contrast to the showroom floor. However, it was much more than that. It was a reunion of local GT-R owners anxiously waiting to welcome the newest addition to the GT-R family. Each came with stories of how they grenaded their engines, or exploded their transmissions. Each one had tales of kills or experiences with impromptu paparazzi on Los Angeles freeways. Each was a celebrity in his own right for being able to own a car that has literally been surrounded by legend.
Although an announcement of the new GT-R’s special street appearance had quietly circulated through internet sites and by word of mouth, it was almost too good to be true and some of us deemed it as one of those internet myths. Then, as the wait was becoming almost unbearable, a rolling murmur of distinct exhaust baritone broke the silence. The sight of R35 made us feel like innocent children again – it was absolutely new to us and yet somehow immediately dear and familiar. It may seem extraordinary, but in the eyes of Chiat Day and Nissan, our small group of enthusiasts was to serve as a crucial barometer to predict the future success of GT-R in North America.
Since R32’s debut in late eighties, GT-R sported specific features that defined its overall character. The body had characteristic bulging rear fenders, four round tail lights, and dual beam headlights. Each generation of GT-Rs with their RB26DETT was developed by a team of passionate true enthusiasts who invested an immense amount of character in each model all the way down to distinctive exterior colors, such as Bayside Blue and Midnight Purple, to mention a few. Beneath the skin, it has always been a four-seater twin turbocharged inline six with a manual gearbox and a traditional clutch pedal. Each one had a version of the ATTESA four wheel drive system with more advanced units in the V-SPEC models. Finally, with no adjustable driver controls that could change how the car drove or handled the GT-R was a raw muscle car.
In contrast, the R35 Nissan GT-R idling in front of us for the very first time was a whole new animal. Building on recent advancements in automotive technology, R35 engineers have incorporated just about every high-tech device into their latest contraption. The car’s driving characteristics can now be altered with a push of a button, and with computers to monitor other computers and drive-by-wire technology, this car was thought out akin to a new space program. While in good spirit, the new sophistication of electronic controls poses an awkward challenge for many of us interested in raw performance. The exterior of R35 conforms to other new cars coming out these days. That is, the GT-R designers have finally conceded that all that is needed to form a vehicle’s exterior shape is a simple ruler.
If I sound negative at times, it is because to us car enthusiasts new vehicles are never perfect when they come off the assembly line. Deep down inside we all know how engineers and designers compromise to deliver a vehicle suitable for the masses. They appreciate that each one of us envisions a unique destiny for our vehicles. Some of us seek comfort and prestige, others are customizers who will look at a car and develop styling and performance modifications. Yet few others are already envisioning the dismantling process to convert their ride into an all out racing machine. R35 too will undergo its trials. But more importantly, Nissan’s flagship is finally here. After decades of serving as the benchmark of automotive performance and triumph in Japan and elsewhere, a manufacturer's legacy has finally arrived on US soil. Along with the GT-R comes the heritage and spirit that Nissan continues to share with enthusiasts all over the world. Yet simply knowing GT-R’s past is not enough to predict its future. People will come out of the woodwork and announce their findings and developments. It is they, not the factory developers, who will define the appropriate place for this latest addition to the GT-R family that now spans a whole new world.
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