Automobile Love in Tokyo: Part 2

Hello everyone and welcome back to another one of my tangents on Tiro Finale! Earlier in the week, I wrote about the various interesting and rare cars I found in my recent trip to Japan. Today, we will bringing the second part of this side-interest of mine where we take a look at my favorite Japanese auto-manufacturer of all time, Nissan.

My love for Nissan cars spreads across the entire range from the popular yet affordable S-chassis Silvia and sports-coupe Z-chassis Fairlady all the way to the older models such as the Datsun 510. But, if there was one model which stood above all the rest, it would be undeniably the GT-R.

Even among Nissan and GT-R fans, there exists a divide in which GT-R is the best. Some prefer the original recipe to the modern GT-R, the R32. Then, there are others who prefer the pinnacle of RB26 engineering in the R34. But, for me, it had always been the R35. Yes, and I do realize that strikes me as being one of the odd ones here. No matter the scenario, I often found myself gravitating towards the big, bulky R35 chassis that is the latest iteration of Nissan's high performance supercar.

That was until, I laid eyes on the Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo. While it does not state it anywhere in the game, for all intents and purposes, this is essentially the concept car for the upcoming 2020 Nissan GT-R. 

With the 2017 manufacturing year GT-R being the final iteration of the R35 chassis GT-R, all eyes are on Nissan in making the next successor to Godzilla. Already there are whispers of a hybrid-petrol power plant whilst maintaining the GT-R's 2+2 midship platform primed for a 2020 release. But, as for the final product, it is anybody's guess at this moment.

If you need further proof that this is indeed a GT-R concept, look no further than the GT-R's signature twin ring "afterburner" tail-lights. 

A massive carbon fiber wing is also something you cannot go wrong with. In all previous iterations of the GT-R (since the R32), they have all been equipped with a large adjustable rear wing. Good to see that things have not changed.

One thing which has changed though, is the entire rear end which now channels air around the entirety of the rear forming one large diffuser with a large center-exit exhaust to round it all off. Part of the GT-R's design philosophy was to always maintain a degree of practicality. As such, I do expect the radical rear end to be greatly redesigned to accommodate a functioning rear storage compartment (boot, trunk, call it whatever you want). 

 

Taking a closer look at the wheels, these are perhaps the most production-ready component of the vehicle. The rims themselves appear to be an evolution in design over the original 2007 GT-R's rims. While, on closer inspection the tires and brakes are likely that of the existing R35 GT-R with its amazing Brembo brakes and Dunlop tires. 

The front end certainly exudes the GT-R's design language with headlights similar to the R35's that taper towards the rear of the car. With modern LED illumination technology, smaller, sleeker headlights like these are certainly production-ready. 

But, if there was one thing about the Vision 2020 that stood out the most, it would be the overall profile of the car. A complain the R35 often gets is that it looks too large and does not strike an imposing figure. For the most part, those are very valid points.

The Vision 2020 on the other hand is incredibly sleek with sharp lines coupled with a low roofline and sweeping canopy make for an incredibly good looking car. It was no wonder Nissan put it front and center of their Nissan Crossing showroom in Ginza and, the fact, that the general populace were crowding to take photos of it. 

Looking at the Vision 2020's design, it clearly shows that Nissan has big plans in mind. Gone are the days of cutting back and creating economical boxes on wheels. If anything, the Vision 2020 is almost a statement of intent that Nissan wants to get back to making exciting, great and fun cars once more just like they did in the golden years. 

Now that Nissan has recovered, it once again holds a great deal of the car market and are in a good position to produce yet another world-beating supercar. That being said, the competition now is stiffer than ever. The R35 GT-R may have been ground breaking back when it was released in 2007 but, fast forward ten years and the once high-tech android now seemingly looks like an outdated analog machine. 

Yes, the earlier statement may have been a little bit of an overstatement. But, the point is clear, others have caught up and will only continue to keep moving forward. If Nissan truly wants to retain, not just the name but, the reputation of Godzilla, it will have to do a lot more than to just equal the competition. It will have to go above and beyond the competition. 

To produce another GT-R that can outperform any Ferrari, Porsche or McLaren. Even by Nissan's standards, this will be tall order. But, if anyone can do it, it will be them. 

The Nissan Crossing is located exactly adjacent to the popular Seiko Clock Tower in Ginza's crossing.

With that, we come to this little rant about my love for all things GT-R. Until the next time, thank you so much for reading and have yourself a wonderful day ahead!