2023 Nissan GT-R: Aging Godzilla Still Packs a Mighty Wallop

The Nissan GT-R and its penchant for physics-bending speed require no introduction. It’s been on the market since 2009 and has remained the same supercar-baiting sports car that gave exotic names from Germany and Italy quite a scare. We feel the end is near for the GT-R (especially when it made a non-appearance for the 2022 model year), and we can’t wait for Nissan to unravel its plans for Godzilla’s migration to the world of electrification.

2023 Nissan GT-R: What’s New?

The 2023 Nissan GT-R is the same car it was in 2021, which is good or bad, depending on where you look. It’s good that it returns with the standard twin-turbocharged V6 for both the Premium and GT-R NISMO. Not so good in the sense that it has an outdated cabin and an interior layout that appears overly glammed up with exotic materials to keep it looking fresh.

2023 Nissan GT-R Rundown

Happenstance or not, the Nissan GT-R is historically one of the best Japanese performance cars money can buy. Then again, you’ll have to be a dyed-in-the-wool Godzilla fan (with deep pockets) to choose the GT-R over newer competition like the Porsche 911, Maserati MC20, and the Chevy C8 Corvette.

Engine & Drivetrain

Nissan’s hand-built 3.8-liter 24-valve V6 with twin-turbocharging and double overhead camshafts is worthy of admiration. It pumps out 565 horsepower and 467 lb-ft. of torque in the GT-R Premium while scooting from zero to 60 mph in an astonishing 2.9 seconds.

The GT-R NISMO is more hardcore and has a 600-horsepower variant of the twin-turbo V6. Moreover, it pumps out 481 lb-ft. of torque through a standard six-speed transaxle feeding all four wheels using Nissan’s ATTESA ET-S all-wheel drivetrain. The NISMO gains new turbochargers inherited from the GT3 race car to give it world-class acceleration and performance.

GT-R Premium

Every bit of the Nissan GT-R is about maximizing performance. Standard for the base GT-R Premium are Bilstein DampTronic shock absorbers with three user-selectable damping modes, lightweight 20-inch Rays wheels wrapped in Dunlop summer performance tires, and Brembo six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.

Inside, GT-R Premium has active noise cancellation, a Bose audio system with 11 speakers, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats, a multi-function performance display, and an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen with navigation and Apple CarPlay. Other goodies include Nappa leather upholstery and parking sensors for the front and rear.

GT-R NISMO

The range-topping GT-R NISMO fits the bill if you want something that looks straight out of a video game. It has carbon-ceramic brake rotors, Recaro seats, red stitching, and an Alcantara steering wheel. It has NISMO-specific body appendages, a larger rear wing, and more carbon fiber components than you can count.

2023 Nissan GT-R: Pricing & Availability

The Nissan GT-R Premium starts at $115,345, while the GT-R NISMO has a whopping $212,635 base price, including the $1,895 destination charge. Nissan is now accepting orders for the 2023 GT-R.

Alvin Reyes is an Automoblog feature columnist and an expert in sports and performance cars. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.

Photos & Source: Nissan North America.