Watch Italdesign Convert a Nissan GT-R into the GT-R50

Liked the GT-R50 unveiled earlier this year? Well, here’s how it was built.

Earlier this year, Nissan and Italdesign debuted a special edition GT-R called the GT-R50 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It was built to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Italian design house and the Nissan GT-R.

The job of designing and building the GT-R50 was of course left to Italdesign. Recently, Nissan released a short documentary of sorts to showcase how the craftsmen at the design firm converted a donor GT-R Nismo into the extraordinary looking GT-R50. The video is a delight to watch as you witness the craftsmen rip the Nismo apart piece by piece until what’s left is a bare metal frame.

The designers then get on to build the bodywork for the GT-R50 which is done entirely by hand. Even the sheet metal was shaped by hammers just like something you’d see in a traditional Italian workshop. 3D Printers were utilized for a number of complex components like the headlight and taillight assemblies and adjustable rear wing. Eventually, the stunning carbon fiber interior with gold accents is put into place.

The GT-R50 is a great way to send off the now aging R35 GT-R. We are happy that Nissan is building 50 handcrafted units of the GT-R5, each costing a little over $1 million.