2018 Nissan GT-R Gets More Affordable "Pure" Entry Version

Khodrocar - Ever since it arrived on American shores, the Nissan GT-R has continually become more powerful and more capable, which is good for enthusiasts. It has also become more expensive year by year, which is less good for enthusiasts. This year, however, Nissan is introducing a new "Pure” trim level that once again slips the price of admission to the GT-R world below the $100,000 mark.

Well, just about. The 2018 Nissan GT-R Pure lists for $99,990, or $101,685 with its mandatory destination charge. But that’s still a pretty big discount; last year, the cheapest GT-R was the $111,685 Premium trim level. This year, the 2018 Premium model costs $112,185.

In other words, the Pure represents a $10,000 discount over last year’s car and a $10,500 savings over this year’s Premium trim. That’s a lot of money that could instead be used for, say, fresh tires or track days.  

As you might expect, however, the GT-R Pure comes with fewer features than the Premium. Notably, you won’t get the Premium’s 11-speaker Bose sound system, active noise cancellation, the weight-saving titanium exhaust, or hand-stitched leather trim (though the seats are still leather). Otherwise, though, the GT-R Pure and Premium models are mechanically identical, with 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque from a biturbocharged 3.8-liter V6 engine.

Prices for other versions of the GT-R have also risen slightly for the 2018 model year. The Track Edition now costs $130,185, an increase of just $500. The 600-hp GT-R Nismo is also now $500 pricier, at $177,185.

There are only mild tweaks to the rest of the GT-R range for 2018. Models with navigation now add Apple CarPlay connectivity, and there’s a new "Kuro Night” interior trim color available. The 2017 GT-R had already received a refresh that consisted of freshened styling, that aforementioned titanium exhaust system, and a 20-hp boost in output for the engine.