Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign is a 530kW monster

The bonkers new Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign has been teased – in a showcase of some of Japan and Italy’s most creative minds.

Partially revealed before its official launch in Europe next month, the GT-R50 prototype commemorates the 50-year anniversaries of both the GT-R and Italdesign.

The collaboration between the firms was said to involve Italdesign handling the development, engineering and build of the vehicle, while the exterior and interior designs were created by the teams at Nissan Design Europe in London, UK, and Nissan Design America.

The most absurd aspect of the GT-R50 is its surfeit of power. Employing the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6 as the 'garden-variety' car, the engine has been fettled by Nismo to produce an estimated 530kW of power and 780Nm of torque – 89kW and 128Nm more than the donor car, the GT-R Nismo.

The added grunt is enabled by new GT3-spec turbochargers, larger intercoolers, a heavy-duty crankshaft, pistons, high-flow piston oil, oil jets, revised camshaft profiles, higher-flow fuel injectors, along with optimised ignition, intake and exhaust systems.

The mechanical changes also extend to a reinforced dual-clutch six-speed rear transaxle gearbox, stronger differential and drive shafts and a revised suspension using Bilstein DampTronic adaptive dampers.

Stopping power is supplied by six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo brakes with red calipers.

The GT-R50 is the result of a significant cosmetic overhaul too. The added power is denoted by a larger bonnet bulged – called the ‘power bulge’, naturally.

Elsewhere, the front end is punctuated by LED headlights and the roofline has been lowered by 54mm.

Filling the car’s emboldened wheel arches are 21-inch alloys shod in Michelin Pilot Super Sport Rubber.

Inside, the Italdesign crew has imbued the car with a far more modern layout compared with the donor car. Carbon-fibre is employed throughout, used in concert with Alcantara.

"Although this is not the next-generation GT-R, it is an exciting celebration of two anniversaries in a provocative and creative way – wrapping one of Nissan’s best engineering platforms and Japanese design with Italian coachbuilding," said Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan's senior vice president for global design.

"This is a rare window in time when two big moments intersect: 50 years of Italdesign shaping the automotive world and 50 years of Nissan generating excitement through our iconic GT-R."