Nissan reveals 2020 GT-R at New York Auto Show with 565 horsepower
NEW YORK — The Nissan GT-R is turning 50, but Godzilla is not showing its age – at least if its handmade engine has anything to say about it.
The Japanese automaker revealed the 2020 Nissan GT-R on Tuesday night in an event tied to the New York Auto Show, touting a 50th-anniversary edition and showcasing the vehicle’s raw speed.
Nicknamed after the fictitious monster from film, the Nissan GT-R is what automotive experts call a “halo car,” which is typically designed to generate buzz for the brand, even though most people can’t afford one and sales are not expected to be high.
It's an "everday, everytime, super sports car," Nissan GT-R chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura told journalists at a glitzy event in Manhattan. "This GT-R brings the excitement and energy of the race track to the road."
While the price of the 2020 model hasn’t been released, the 2019 version carries a starting price of about $100,000.
The GT-R, originally made for Japanese customers as the Skyline GT-R, made its way to the U.S. about a decade ago and quickly gained a following. It has been featured in The Fast and the Furious film franchise, which has helped grow its legend.
“It became this very sought-after vehicle,” said Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader. “The nature of this car is people are going to go as fast as they can 0 to 60.”
The 2020 model gets 565 horsepower from its hand-made 3.8-liter, 6-cylinder, twin-turbocharged engine.
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The GT-R Track Edition, made specifically for racing purposes, gets 600 horsepower.
The 50th anniversary edition will be offered in three special two-tone exterior colors and a special gray interior. It also gets a special steering wheel, embossed seats and other interior features.
The GT-R is part of Nissan's DNA. Nissan's new North American chairman, José Luis Valls, said Tuesday that his job interview with the company included a drive of the GT-R.
Nissan also revealed a 50th anniversary edition of the Nissan 370Z on Tuesday. The 2020 model-year two-seat coupe gets 332 horsepower from its 3.7-liter, 6-cylinder engine. Pricing was not released, but the 2019 model started at about $30,000.
While the 50th anniversary editions of the Nissan GT-R and Nissan 370-Z are bound to generate buzz, the chassis and body styles of each car haven’t changed much. In fact, neither vehicle has gotten a total redesign since 2009.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nissan reveals 2020 GT-R at New York Auto Show with 565 horsepower
