IT’S both fitting and ironic that the last current-spec Nissan GT-R to be able to be sold in Australia due to changes in design regulations, will also be the last Nissan vehicle to carry a compliance plate/sticker.
Having already carved its own place in automotive legend, it’s only fitting that the last example of Nissan’s current-generation performance icon should also pen the final chapter for a piece of Australian automotive history.
Nissan’s new GT-R has now arrived in Australia, with the last-of-its kind roaring to life in Victoria in the shape of the special-edition GT-R T-Spec. It’s more than just the last of the current-generation GT-Rs, though.
This T-Spec is also the last Nissan vehicle in Australia to ever be fitted with a compliance plate or label, marking the end to a practice that has been in place for more than 30 years.
“It’s often said that it’s best to save your best until last, and that’s certainly the case here,” Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson said.
“The GT-R is Nissan’s most celebrated vehicle, and while this isn’t goodbye forever, the T-Spec and NISMO SV models do act as the closing of this chapter of the GT-R story in Australia,” he added.
“The fact that the last version of this generation of Nissan’s performance icon will also be the last to wear a label that’s been part of the fabric of Australian automotive history for more than 30 years is entirely fitting.”
Car manufacturers have been fitting compliance plates or labels in Australia since 1989, but a recent change has seen the process digitised, with a full change-over to occur from December 2021.
As such, the final Australian Compliance Label applied to a Nissan vehicle occurred on October 29, at PrixCar in Altona, Victoria, ahead of the vehicle’s delivery to its new owner.
The GT-R T-Spec is one of two new special editions added to an expanded Nissan GT-R range for 2022, along with the NISMO SV.
The five-model range also acts as a farewell to this performance icon, with the two special-edition GT-R models marking the last time the current-generation vehicle will be offered in Australia.
The new GT-R T-Spec edition sits above the Premium and Premium Luxury grades, and has been designed to close the gap between the regular GT-R range and the NISMO vehicles.
Its high-performance equipment list includes Brembo carbon-ceramic rotors, Dunlop SP Sport Maxx high-performance tyres with model-exclusive forged gold alloy wheels, a carbon-fibre rear spoiler and a model-exclusive dark green interior treatment.
At its heart is Nissan’s 24-valve, twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V6 engine, producing an incredible 419kW at 6800rpm and 632Nm at 3300rpm. Further details and pricing can be found here.
