Inno64’s R35 Nissan GT-R: How Did It Take This Long?

I think it’s fair to call the Nissan GT-R the dominant car of the diecast world for the last decade.  We’ve seen seemingly every possible permutation of model, special edition, and color from each and every one of the major diecast brands for the R32, R33, and especially R34 generations.  So why are premium 1/64 models of stock R35 GT-R’s so hard to come by?  

The R35 is my favorite GT-R generation, so I was stoked when Inno64 announced they would be releasing a factory-fresh R35 casting.  It made its debut in a gold year of the dragon livery that was too gaudy for me but definitely showed the potential of this excellent casting.  When it made its next appearance in a clean deco – with the GT-R’s famous Millenium Jade paint, no less – I knew I was going to have to add one to my collection. 

Being the first Inno64 model in my collection, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  The model came housed in an acrylic case with some GT-R branding on the base and green cardboard sleeve.  I appreciate the premium presentation, though I immediately removed it from the case to have a closer look.  

This model’s perfect stance is immediately impressive, with wheels that roll smoothly despite that small wheel gap.  The Millenium Jade paint is among the better paint jobs I’ve seen on a 1/64 model, with a smooth finish and zero orange peel.  Inno64 did an excellent job of replicating the R35’s distinctive sloping roofline, and the detailing on the fender badge is sharp and perfectly placed.  Even the bottom of the side mirror is appropriately colored black! 

The rear of the R35 GT-R is where Inno64 is clearly showing off their detailing prowess, though.  Check out the blue tint on those exhaust tips!  In a world where diecast companies so rarely bother to detail the exhaust tips at all, these blue quad-tips immediately caught my eye.  There’s also carbon detailing on the spoiler and diffuser that looks good, though I think it falls a little short of the world class carbon fiber detailing from BBR.  I’m glad to see the center brake light on the bottom of the spoiler to complement the GT-R’s trademark quad brake lights.  The rear badges are silver and slightly raised, which gives them a more realistic look than traditional printed detailing.  I just wish this model had an actual license plate! 

I love the amount of depth to the grille of this model, with the silver intercooler visible behind the black mesh and a license plate that hangs down in front of the grille!  The side vents have the daytime running lights detailed and the headlights have their Z-shaped styling element, though I would have liked to be able to make out the actual bulbs within the housing. 

Where Inno64 seems to really differentiate itself from brands like MiniGT is in its wheels, as these have to be among the best 1/64 wheels I’ve ever seen.  The color is perfect, the spokes are thin, and you can even make out the individual lug nuts!  Add in the fact that they roll smoothly while having visible brakes behind them (with calipers that remain correctly stationary while the wheels roll) and you have a world-class set of diecast wheels.  Bravo! 

These rear defroster lines also blow MiniGT’s models out of the water.  They’re so thin that they feel like they might actually be 1/64 scale, and they’re as subtle as real defroster lines would be.  

Luckily, it seems we will be seeing a lot more of this casting in the future, as Inno64 has already announced a midnight purple version and a pair of 50th anniversary versions.  Plus, if history is any indication, we’ll soon see a deluge of R35’s from all the other diecast manufacturers, as it feels like all the brands are chasing each other’s trends lately.  Unfortunately for all those other brands, Inno64 already produced the perfect R35 casting.