Ultra Rare Italdesign GT-R50 Heads to Auction in Tokyo, May Fetch Up to $1-Million

Japanese engineering and Italian coachbuilding meet in a single car that carries the GT-R name into new territory. Only nineteen examples of the GT-R50 by Italdesign left the workshop. One of them, finished with blue accents and carrying serial number seventeen on its engine plate, sits ready for bids this weekend at the Bingo Auction in Tokyo.

The project began as a celebration of the GT-R and Italdesign’s 50th anniversary. Nissan offered the base GT-R NISMO platform, while Italdesign seized the reins and handled the lot, development, engineering as well as final assembly in Italy. Nissan’s design teams in London and the United States collaborated to create a look. The ultimate result retains the NISMO’s layout and powertrain while incorporating an entirely new body.

Every exterior panel was updated, including a roofline that is 54 millimeters lower than a regular GT-R and a tiny small dip in the middle of the roof that gives the profile a bit more bite. The power bulges thrust out the hood. A big blue inner panel spans the front end. Sharp LED headlights are installed in housings that have been fine-tuned for optimal airflow and shape. A big moveable wing stands atop circular taillights that look to be floating. On this model, exposed carbon fiber with a blue tint covers a large portion of the body.

The interior configuration is identical to that of the GT-R NISMO, but significantly more luxurious. Carbon fiber is used on the console, dashboard, and door panels. The seats are upholstered in Alcantara and Italian leather, with a few blue strands of stitching and ornaments to tie the inside in with the external motif. A flat-bottomed carbon steering wheel provides a sporty feel in the driver’s hands.

The engine remains a 3.8 liter twin turbo V6, but NISMO overhauled it extensively using GT3 racing components and technology. They increased the output to 720 horsepower by adding larger turbos, larger intercoolers, updated camshafts, beefed up internals, and higher flow injectors. To transfer that power to the back wheels, the dual clutch transmission and driveline components were strengthened slightly. Bilstein DampTronic dampers handle the suspension duties. Brembo brakes with red calipers lie behind the 21-inch wheels.

This car left the factory unregistered, as evidenced by its low mileage of 221 kilometers (137 miles). The pre-inspection documentation prove that it is still in brand-new condition. The chassis number assigned at the Nissan plant was swapped with a new one during the Italdesign build programme, which is a small detail that demonstrates how unique this car is. Nissan and Italdesign had planned to make fifty of these, but due to world circumstances and the over $1 million price tag, they only made nineteen. Each one was hand-assembled at the Italdesign plant in Italy. Those who purchased early examples paid a premium for the Japanese performance components and Italian design flair. So far, only a few have reached the general market.

This one will be offered as Lot 59 at Bingo Auction’s event at City Circuit Tokyo Bay on June 20 and 21, with a final selling price expected to be between 145 million ($899,000) and 155 million ($961,000) yen. With a right-hand drive layout, this supercar is ready to hit Japanese roads or sell to any collector looking for a unique steering configuration.
[Source]