The Nissan R35 GT-R arrived in 2007 carrying a VR38DETT 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 and ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive — a package that earned it the enduring nickname Godzilla. Liberty Walk's LB-Works wide-body conversion adds aggressively flared over-fenders bolted directly to the R35 bodywork, transforming the production silhouette without cutting the underlying panels. Solido's 1:18 die-cast translates both the GT-R's engineering heritage and Liberty Walk's visual drama into a cabinet-ready scale model.
Launched at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the R35 GT-R represented a complete break from its predecessors, moving to a front-mid-mounted VR38DETT V6, paired with a rear-mounted transaxle for near-ideal weight distribution. The ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system manages torque distribution between axles in milliseconds, a capability that made the R35 immediately competitive at the Nürburgring on its debut.
Liberty Walk Meets Martini: Two Icons, One Build
Wataru Kato founded Liberty Walk in Japan, and the LB-Works programme became globally recognised for bolt-on over-fender kits applied to everything from the R35 GT-R to Italian supercars. The kits are reversible — no body cutting required — yet the visual transformation is total. Pairing the LB-Works GT-R with a Martini Racing tribute livery, the white base broken by the brand's characteristic diagonal blue and red stripes, places the build firmly in the show-car tradition seen at events such as the Tokyo Auto Salon and SEMA. Martini Racing's livery history stretches across Porsche, Lancia and beyond, making it one of the most recognisable stripe patterns in motorsport.
The 1:18 Scale Model: Solido Die-Cast
Solido produced this 1:18 die-cast as a 2024 release, replicating the LB-Works wide-body kit in metal with the Martini Racing livery applied across the white bodywork. Die-cast construction gives the model the weight and solidity expected at this scale, while the over-fender geometry of the LB-Works conversion — the detail that defines the entire build — is reproduced in the bodywork. The Martini stripe graphic runs across the flanks in white, blue and red, consistent with the livery's historical proportions.
In the Display Cabinet
At 1:18, the R35 GT-R is a substantial die-cast that stands out on the shelf; the LB-Works over-fenders add visual width beyond a stock GT-R model. It pairs naturally with other LB-Works die-casts or Martini-liveried models — a Lancia Stratos or a Porsche in Martini colours sits well alongside it. For Nissan collectors, it offers a modified R35 variant distinct from stock or GT3 racing versions, filling a specific gap in a Japanese performance car collection.
