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Nissan will build just 45 examples of this 45th Anniversary GT-R

It's been 45 years since the release of the original Nissan Skyline GT-R, so to celebrate, the Japanese automaker has announced this special commemorative edition. Based on the newly updated 2015 Nissan GT-R in Premium trim, the 45th Anniversary edition is done up in a unique shade called Silica Brass – the same color as the legendary R34-gen 2001 Skyline GT-R M-Spec. It also comes with the requisite special badging inside and under the hood, but unfortunately, that's about the extent of the special touches applied to this celebratory model. Nissan will only make 45 highly symbolic examples of this special edition, each to be sold on a strictly first-come, first-served basis. And unfortunately they'll be restricted to the Japanese market, where they'll each command a sticker price of 10,787,040 yen – equivalent to about $91,700 at today's rates, which is already a good ten grand less than what you'd pay for a standard GT-R in the US, anyway. Nissan Releases the Limited-Edition "45th Anniversary" GT-R – Production will be limited to 45 vehicles – YOKOHAMA, Japan (November 25, 2014) - Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that the Limited-Edition "45th Anniversary" Nissan GT-R will go on sale in early February throughout Japan, in conjunction with the release of the 2015 model year GT-R. Since its release in 2007, the Nissan GT-R has been recognized as the world's foremost high performance super sports car, which embodies Nissan's commitment to "innovation that excites" like no other. The GT-R's legacy continues as the ultimate "GT" (Grand Tourer), armed with a comfortable ride, a high level of refinement and benchmark fit and finish; while its world-class high performance embodies the "R" in its name (Racing technology). Thus, its "multi performance" character allows the driver to enjoy the full depths of the GT-R's capabilities, whether navigating corners of a winding mountain road, simply cruising on the open highway or even running errands on neighborhood streets. Based on the 2015 Nissan GT-R, which features ride quality that has been specially tuned to exhibit a more mature, better refined feel than its predecessors, the "45th Anniversary" will come with a special paint color, "Silica Brass" – the same trademark color as the Skyline GT-R M-Spec (R34 Type), which was touted as the "a GT-R that satisfies the mature driver" when it was released in 2001.

Nissan rowed the Note ashore [w/video]

Normally we wouldn't suggest trying to float your car on water, but Nissan has made some modifications to turn its new Versa Note hatchback into a makeshift rowing shell.
Nissan replaced the car's rear seats with a sliding rear rowing seat, modified the doors to open wider at 90 degrees and fitted a pair of oars. Most importantly, they put the whole thing on a floating platform to keep it from sinking into Eton Dorney Lake, the site of the 2012 Olympic rowing competitions in England (where the car is simply known as the Nissan Note).
Then they invited medal-winning competitive rowers Helen Glover, Sophie Hosking and Polly Swann to come along and row the thing, making use of the around-view monitor system to see where they were going. All in all it may not be quite as cool as the boats which Fiat made out of the 500 or Mini made out of its convertible, but it's still enough to float our boat. Check it out in the video clip and press release below and the image gallery above.

Mercedes considering Mexico for CLA production

Would you buy a Mercedes-Benz if it were made in Mexico? That's what the German outfit is wondering, as it considers localizing production of the its new budget model at a factory operated by Nissan, of which the automaker is a joint-venture partner.
According to a report from Automotive News, moving production of American-spec CLAs from Hungary to Mexico would protect Mercedes from currency fluctuations. "Mexico is the best location for the United States," Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche told AN. The CLA is also expected to become the brand's volume model in the US market, which makes North American production a logical move.
In the event that Mercedes approves the plan, Nissan would expand the capabilities at its Aguascalientes, Mexico plant, allowing production to begin in 2018.