The Last Petrol GT-R, Farewell to the R35 Legend

After 18 years of thunderous launches, Nürburgring lap times, and breaking the hearts of European supercars twice its price, the R35 Nissan GT-R has officially rolled off the production line for the last time. The final car? A Midnight Purple T-Spec with a Japanese owner already lined up.

Now before you panic, this isn’t the death of the GT-R name entirely. Nissan has promised that Godzilla will rise again… but next time, it’ll almost certainly be hybrid, maybe even fully electric. (Yes, the future might sound like whirrrrr instead of braaap, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves).

So, what does that mean? Well, it makes the petrol GT-Rs rarer, more collectible, and more desirable than ever. And if you’ve been dreaming of owning one, the window of opportunity is officially closing faster than launch control in “R mode.”

A Quick Look Back: The R35 Legacy

When the R35 launched in 2007, it wasn’t just a car, it was a statement. Here was a Japanese supercar that could keep up with Ferraris and Porsches for half the price. Powered by a hand-built 3.8L twin-turbo V6 and mated to a clever AWD system, it quickly earned its nickname: “Godzilla.”

Over its 18-year run, about 48,000 R35 GT-Rs were produced, making it the most common GT-R in history. To put that in perspective: the R32 Skyline GT-R, the car that started it all in 1989, saw just over 43,000 units worldwide, with only a handful making it to Australia in the early ’90s.

And while the R35 cemented the GT-R as a full-blown supercar, the earlier Skyline GT-Rs like the R32 remain the purest expression of Nissan’s racing DNA.

What’s Next: The R36 GT-R?

So, what comes after the R35? Nissan has teased us with the Hyper Force EV concept and plenty of talk about hybrid systems. Solid-state batteries, electric motors, and maybe even a “fire-breathing” petrol V6 paired with hybrid tech are all on the table.

But even Nissan admits the challenge: an all-electric GT-R just doesn’t feel authentic yet. One exec even joked an “EV prototype could manage a single Nürburgring lap before needing a recharge” which is fine if you live at the Nürburgring, but not so much for a Sunday cruise.

So while the R36 may arrive in the next few years, it won’t be the raw, petrol-powered beast that car fans grew up idolising.

Why the R32 GT-R Is Now More Iconic Than Ever

Here’s the kicker: with the R35 bowing out and future GT-Rs heading into hybrid or EV territory, petrol GT-Rs like the R32 have officially become automotive gold dust.

• The R32 GT-R is the car that brought the “Godzilla” nickname to life.

• It dominated Group A racing in the ’90s, winning everything in sight.

• Its 2.6L RB26DETT engine is still one of the most celebrated powerplants of all time.

And here’s where things get exciting for collectors (and dreamers): we’ve got a genuine R32 GT-R available right now at Davey Motor Group. With the R35’s curtain call, cars like this are only going to climb in value and desirability. Owning one isn’t just buying a car, it’s buying a slice of Japanese performance history before the era of petrol-powered Godzillas disappears completely.

Final Lap

The R35 may have said its goodbyes, but the GT-R badge isn’t dead, it’s evolving. Hybrid, electric, or something in between, Nissan will keep Godzilla alive. But the petrol-powered legends like the R32? They’ll never be built again.

So if you’ve ever had posters of Skylines on your bedroom wall, or you’ve whispered “RB26” in your sleep, now’s the time to make it real. Because when the next GT-R arrives silently humming down the road, you’ll be the one smiling in an R32; turbo whistles, petrol fumes, and all.