- Nissan planned 50 GT-R50s but only 19 were produced, and one is up for auction.
- This right-hand drive example has covered just 137 miles and remains unregistered.
- Auction estimate approaches $1 million territory despite ordinary GT-R bits underneath.
Back when Nissan and Italdesign unveiled the GT-R50, it looked like the kind of concept destined to spend its life rotating on motor show turntables. Somehow, it briefly made production and one of the rare few that actually got built is now heading to auction in Japan.
The GT-R50 was a limited-run special created in 2018 to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of both the GT-R and Italdesign. The original plan called for 50 examples worldwide, but reality had other ideas. By the time production ended prematurely, only 19 cars were reportedly completed.
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A combination of pandemic disruptions and a price tag hovering around the $1 million mark made it difficult to find enough buyers. That’s hardly shocking when you consider the standard R35 GT-R Nismo delivered supercar-rivaling performance for less than a quarter of the price, and the brilliant base GT-R only cost $115,000.
To be fair, the production GT-R50 was much more than a body kit and a fancy plaque. While it retained the basic chassis, body structure and powertrain of the GT-R NISMO, the styling was completely transformed. The roofline was lowered, the proportions were reworked, and nearly every panel was redesigned. Just check out the finish of the blue-tinted exposed carbon. It’s exquisite.
The mechanical upgrades were equally serious. Nismo engineers massaged the familiar 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 to produce 710 hp (720 PS), thanks in part to GT3-derived turbochargers, a larger intercooler, and supporting upgrades throughout the drivetrain. Reinforced transmission components, bespoke Bilstein suspension, and 21-inch carbon wheels completed the package.
Unregistered And Barely Used
Bingo
As collector cars go, this one checks plenty of boxes. It has covered just 137 miles (221 km) from new, remains unregistered, and still looks factory fresh. The auction house, Bingo, expects it to sell for between ¥145 million and ¥155 million, which equates to $902,000 to $965,000.
That’s serious money for any modern Nissan, even one as exotic as this. But rarity matters to collectors. There are countless Ferrari special editions with production numbers larger than the GT-R50’s actual build total. Whether that alone justifies spending nearly a million dollars is another question entirely.
Bingo
It’s also worth mentioning that these GT-R50s weren’t great investments from a financial point of view, even if they still look pricey today. If in 2020 you’d spent the same circa-$1 million that this car cost new on a sweet Ferrari F40, you’d now be sitting on a $3-4 million asset. But maybe these guys are so rich they already have one of those.
What do you think? Is the GT-R50 by Italdesign a future blue-chip collectible worth every cent, or would you rather pocket the change and buy a standard GT-R plus something else? You can see the auction listing here.
