As the first-ever Japanese featured marque in the 44-year history of the annual Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Nissan is bringing a starting grid of some of the most significant race cars in company and motorsports history. Along with legendary championship machines, such as the BRE Datsun 510 and GTP ZX-Turbo, will be one of Nissan’s newest ultra-supercars – the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign.
Nissan collaborated with Italdesign to design and create the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign, the ultimate expression of the current GT-R supercar. With a projected 720 horsepower, it delivers extraordinary dynamic performance, while its exterior and interior styling reflect the very best bespoke Italian craftsmanship.
Laguna Seca is the latest stop in the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign world tour, following the world debut at2018Goodwood Festival of Speed, UK, and a parade lap at the Spa 24 Hours race in Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. Following its North American debut, the GT-R50 by Italdesign will return to the home of Nissan in Japan.
Among the special events planned for the GT-R50 by Italdesign will be demonstration laps on the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit throughout the weekend and participation in a planned race car caravan from the track through the streets of Monterey and Carmel, California to a gathering at the Quail Lodge on Friday, August 24. Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s global design chief, will be riding in the GT-R50 by Italdesign during the drive, providing commentary on its design and performance.
The first-ever collaboration between Nissan and Italdesign, the Nissan GT-R by Italdesign prototype could become the blueprint for an extremely limited run of hand-built production vehicles. The vehicle commemorates the 50th anniversaries of both the GT-R, in 2019, and Italdesign, in 2018.
If sufficient concrete customer interest is registered, a customer version inspired by the prototype may be created. No more than 50 units would be produced by Italdesign – with each car tailored for each customer – with a price estimated to start at around $1.2 million.
