After discontinuing the Skyline GT-R in the early seventies, Nissan would revive the nameplate in 1989. The third-generation GT-R would be given the chassis designation E-BNR32 (more commonly known as the R32) and it would quickly go on to make a name for itself on both the road and the racetrack.
The R32 GT-R was widely regarded as one of the most technologically advanced cars at the time of its launch. It combined an incredible 276 horsepower 2.6-litre twin-turbocharged RB26DETT I6 power unit with a sophisticated ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system.
Production of the R32 GT-R began in August 1989 with further special edition models such as the Skyline GT-R Nismo being launched later in the car’s lifecycle.
The performance of the R32 GT-R was so great that it could compete with many more expensive vehicles from the period, but just how much did it cost and what is that in today’s money?
The launch price in Japan of the R32 GT-R ¥4,450,000 yen, making the GT-R significantly more expensive than the standard R32 model, but much cheaper than much of its competition. Below we have put together a guide for the major price changes of the R32 GT-R during production and what those prices are in today’s money.
Nissan GT-R R32 Original Price in Japan
1989 Nissan GT-R (from August 1989)
Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 142.25 (taken from August 1989).
| Model | Chassis | Engine | Trans | Price in Yen (¥) | Price in USD ($) | 2020 Price ($) |
| GT-R | E-BNR32 | RB26DETT 276 hp | 5MT | 4,450,000 | 31,283 | 65,293 |
1990 Nissan GT-R (from February 1990)
Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 145.82 (taken from February 1990).
| Model | Chassis | Engine | Trans | Price in Yen (¥) | Price in USD ($) | 2020 Price ($) |
| GT-R NISMO | E-BNR32 | RB26DETT 276 hp | 5MT | 4,410,000 | 30,243 | 59,886 |
1993 Nissan GT-R (from February 1993)
Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 120.93 (taken from February 1993).
| Model | Chassis | Engine | Trans | Price in Yen (¥) | Price in USD ($) | 2020 Price ($) |
| GT-R | E-BNR32 | RB26DETT 276 hp | 5MT | 4,545,000 | 37,584 | 67,315 |
| GT-R V-SPEC | E-BNR32 | RB26DETT 276 hp | 5MT | 5,260,000 | 43,496 | 77,905 |
1994 Nissan GT-R (from February 1994)
Exchange rate of 1 United States dollar to Japanese yen is 105.28 (taken from February 1994).
| Model | Chassis | Engine | Trans | Price in Yen (¥) | Price in USD ($) | 2020 Price ($) |
| GT-R V-SPEC II | E-BNR32 | RB26DETT 276 hp | 5MT | 5,290,000 | 50,247 | 87,749 |
How Much Does a Nissan GT-R R32 Cost Today?
Like the other generations of the Nissan GT-R, the R32 has become a serious classic. It is arguably one of the greatest Japanese cars ever produced and prices have been appreciating for a number of years.
According to data found on bringatrailer.com, prices for R32 GT-Rs tend to range from around US$20,000 to upwards of nearly $90,000. Average prices seem to be in the $30,000 to $50,000 mark for good condition models, with special edition models such as the NISMO fetching higher prices. These prices aren’t as high as something like the R34 GT-R, so if you are looking for an appreciating nineties Japanese classic one of these cars may be a good option.
If you want to know how much the R34 GT-R cost new and what those prices translate to in today’s money, read our article here.
