Generally, Japanese automakers have never been known to hold as many staples in their designs as some European companies have. If you look at a first-gen Toyota Camry, you likely wouldn’t be able to identify its present-day successor if they were debadged. But you’d have much less trouble matching a first-gen Mercedes SL to one of the present-day. Why is this? I have no clue, but if there is any Asian manufacturer that acknowledges and transfers characteristics of their own designs, it is Nissan.
While some may perceive the new R36 skyline as a ‘lazy’ attempt at maintaining relevance in the high-performance car market , I believe it stems from a place of security with themselves, the loyalty of their buyers, and the heritage that is carried throughout their signature nameplates. Take the 370z for instance; for 8 years (2012-2020), the 370z remained unchanged outside of a few minor attributes. And with Nissan’s ability to create a visual lineage to the ‘Z’ bloodline, it is easier for consumers to accept its unchanged existence. Well, because it is undeniably…itself.
The new Nissan GT-R R36, presented at the ‘23 New York Auto Show, upholds this design practice; and with a nameplate as prominent as GT-R, it is even less-challenging to do so than ever-otherwise. While the shape has remained relatively the same, the body of the 2024 model features changes that refine the GT-R into an even greater version of itself. It expanded upon what may have been overlooked, and perfected those areas. It is only through this exercise of design discipline, that consumers can relate closely to a designer’s decision-making; as they may have spent as much time looking at the vehicle as you.
Scroll through the photo slider below for an in-depth visual presentation of the changes Nissan’s implemented into the 2024 T-Spec model, seen at the 2023 NY Auto Show.
Read more articles from the ’23 New York International Auto Show here.