Nismo, the motorsport division, participated with the GT-R Nismo GT500 in the Super GT series for the first time in 2008.The GT500 version of the car featured a completely different drivetrain compared to the production car. It featured the VK45DE 4.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, replacing the VR38DETT engine. It used a 6-speed sequential manual gearbox and a rear-wheel-drive layout derived from its predecessor