We’ve all heard the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. This phrase must have been the philosophy that the designers and engineers of the Nissan GT-R have lived by for the past 15 years. We say this because the legendary supercar hasn’t changed much since it hit the market in 2009.
Nissan didn’t completely redesign the GT-R in its lifetime. It has the same chassis, the same all-wheel-drive system and the same twin-turbo V6 engine that it always has. However, the Japanese automaker has finally delivered a much-needed update to the GT-R for the 2024 model year. But is it enough of a change to make enthusiasts want to buy it over an older model?
What updates have been made to the 2024 Nissan GT-R?
The biggest change to the 2024 Nissan GT-R is a much-needed facelift. However, Nissan didn’t give the GT-R the Joan Rivers treatment; instead, he mostly gave it a nose job for a sleeker appearance while maintaining the car’s proven overall look. Kelley Blue Book notes that the 2024 model has a smaller grille than the 2023 version, but airflow remains the same thanks to finer mesh material.
The side profile of the car is virtually unchanged, as is the trunk lid. However, Nissan gave the rear bumper new character lines and designed it to give the car more downforce. The rear wing also helps with 10% of that greater downforce, thanks to more surface area.
Under the hood, the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine remains virtually unchanged. Again, don’t mess with something that isn’t broken. As such, it produces the same 565 hp and 467 lb-ft of torque that it has since the 2020 model year. The car’s Brembo brakes and adaptive suspension are intact, and lightweight 20-inch RAYS wheels wrapped in high-performance Dunlop tires connect the car to the ground.
Nissan GT-R Premium trim level returns
Along with a few styling changes, the 2024 Nissan GT-R sees the return of the mid-level “T-Spec” trim. This trim level sits between the base Premium model and the top-spec NISMO version, which comes with a limited-slip differential and 600 hp.
The Nissan GT-R T-Spec builds on the entry-level trim by adding a set of NISMO carbon-ceramic brakes, a gold-painted version of NISMO’s 20-inch RAY wheels, Vehicle Dynamics Control tuned by NISMO, wider fenders and an exclusive green color.
Is it better to buy a used Nissan GT-R?
Unless you must own the 2024 Nissan GT-R for its revised looks or mid-level trim level, we think buying a used model might be a better bet. We don’t think there have been enough changes to warrant a place on a waiting list for one of these cars, but it might be worth it for a die-hard GT-R enthusiast.
That said, Nissan hasn’t released pricing for the 2024 GT-R as of this writing, but we suspect it will have a starting price of around $115,000, with the NISMO model costing around $210,000. $.
By contrast, you can currently pick up a 2017 model for around $100,000, which will have much of the same technology and power as the new model. If you want to spend under $100,000, we found plenty of 2016 and older models selling for between $70,000 and $90,000.
However, if you must have the latest Nissan GT-R on the block, this new 2024 version is the way to go. Don’t expect your neighbors or friends in the car to notice anything different.
