The Nissan GT-R culled in Europe for being too loud

17 March 2022 - 16:58
By Thomas Falkiner
The Nissan GT-R has been culled in Europe for being too loud.
Image: Waldo Swiegers The Nissan GT-R has been culled in Europe for being too loud.

What comes to mind when you close your eyes and think of sonically rambunctious sports cars? Porsche 911 GT3? Sure. Audi R8 V10? Certainly. Jaguar F-Type R Coupé? Right you are. How about the Nissan GT-R? Nope, didn't think so. Didn't ping on our radar either.

And yet this aurally innocuous Japanese sportster has just been culled in Europe for being too loud. According to a statement issued by Nissan UK to automotive website Carscoops, "13 years after its European introduction as the icon of accessible automotive high performance we can confirm that European GT-R production will end in March 2022 due to the new EU and UK drive by noise regulations".

Bearing in mind it harks back to 2007, the car's 3.8l twin-turbocharged V6 engine isn't on good terms with Europe's emissions regulations department either. 

Already banned in Australia (what isn't?), this leaves the not long for this world GT-R to live out its final days in Asia, the Americas and SA. Considering that it runs mostly on filthy diesel fuel these days, Mzansi could prove to be Godzilla's final stomping ground before Nissan is eventually forced by the world nanny state order to render her extinct.