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Though the Tokyo Motor Show is still a few weeks away and the buzz of the Frankfurt auto show isn’t over, Nissan is whetting the appetite for their main announcement this year, the production GT-R. Announced today were some minimal facts and one photo, while at the same time GT-R’s own website (www.gtrnissan.com) went live. The website, though not chock full of data on the new car just yet, does give a good history lesson for those not necessarily up to speed on the various Skyline GT-R gems that led up to this generation. A longtime favorite of gamers in Gran Turismo and enthusiasts in right-hand-drive countries like Japan and the U.K., for the first time the GT-R will be found on U.S. shores.

With this generation, Nissan drops “Skyline” from the hot coupe’s traditional name, keeping only GT-R. Though Nissan considered selling this race-ready rocket through Infiniti dealers, in the end they opted for keeping its historic Nissan badge. The price for the Japanese market was among the few details announced today. Starting from “around 7.8 million yen” at home, using xe.com‘s conversion tool today, means a base price in the $67,500 neighborhood. On the expensive side for any Nissan, this price point may ensure exclusivity as much as its expected low volumes will. The GT-R (expected to offer a twin-turbo engine with 380-420HP) will compete with everything from the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ($71,000), Audi RS4 ($70,000), BMW M Coupe ($51,875) or upcoming fourth-generation M3, and even personal-use toys like boats.
Keep reading for Nissan’s official press release, and a couple photos of the 2005 concept.

Nissan Announces First Details on New GT-R
Global Website Goes Live September 26
TOKYO, Japan, (September 26, 2007) – Nissan today started the pre-launch activities in support of the all-new GT-R, the high performance sports car to be revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show on October 24th. Central to the launch of GT-R, which will ultimately go on sale around the world, is a dedicated website that will provide all information on the car, including latest news, specifications and where to buy. The address for the website is www.gtrnissan.com and will be available in six languages: Japanese, English, Spanish, German, French and Italian.
With sales due to start in Japan in December, Nissan is today also confirming the final name of the car. Previous generations of this car were known as the Skyline GT-R; the new name for this car is simply “Nissan GT-R” in all global markets. Supporting substantial early customer interest in the Nissan GT-R, the company is today making available for customers in Japan some initial details including basic specifications, colors and practical information on placing pre-orders. Prices in Japan for the Nissan GT-R will start from around 7.8 million yen.
In support of the sale of the Nissan GT-R, the company also announced today the establishment of 160 Nissan High Performance Centers in Japan. These centers have been established to provide specialist sales and servicing support for customers of the Nissan GT-R.

Nissan’s 2005 GT-R Proto Concept Previewed the Real GT-R