Cover The highly anticipated GT-R50 made its public debut this week. (Photo: Courtesy of ItalDesign)

The highly anticipated GT-R50 made its public debut this week.

The Nissan GT-R50 by ItalDesign has finally been unveiled to the public after months of anticipation. Originally a concept car and computer rendering, the limited-edition vehicle was set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the US$1.1 million supercar was first announced as a prototype in 2018, it was born out of celebration for the 50th anniversary of the GT-R nameplate (2019) as well as Italdesign (2018) and according to a Top Gear report, the “fine Italian design” with “beefier brakes and an uprated gearbox” was well-worth the production delay.

Though the GT-R50 looks pretty much identical to the concept that was first unveiled nearly two years ago, the aesthetics and engineering are even more elegant than the prototype, with distinct Italian craftsmanship and flare.

“The Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign starts with our latest GT-R NISMO and reinterprets it with a European-style sensibility, combining Japanese performance and Italian craftsmanship,” Nissan said in a statement. “After a strong global tour with the GT-R50 prototype making appearances at Goodwood, Spa-Francorchamps, Nissan Crossing and more, a customer version inspired by the prototype will be produced, with each car tailored for each customer.”

Powered by a hand-built 3.8 litre twin-turbo V6 engine with 710 horsepower, the GT-R50 was fully engineered and constructed by Italdesign and sports a distinct crisp design both inside and out—including a pronounced power bulge on the hood, stretched LED headlights, and prominent “samurai blade” cooling outlets.

The version showcased earlier this week is the first in the production line and deliveries are set to begin later this year. Italdesign will build no more than 50 examples but the company has yet to sell out of the limited edition vehicle.

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