Penang, 4 October 2024 – Penang became the center of the automotive world this weekend as Nissan GT-R owners from across the country gathered for the inaugural GT-R Festival, held from October 4-6. The event welcomed not only passionate GT-R owners but also Hiroshi Tamura, the iconic figure often called the “father of the modern GT-R,” who serves as Nissan’s Brand Ambassador.
The three-day festival is a prelude to the much-anticipated Tokyo Auto Salon Kuala Lumpur, set to take place in early November. It kicked off on October 4 with a GT-R owners’ gathering and dinner with Tamura at the Crowne Plaza Penang Straits City. The event aims to foster the community of GT-R enthusiasts and create an opportunity for fans to connect with the legendary Tamura, who played a crucial role in shaping the GT-R series.
The highlight of the festival will be a convoy breakfast drive on Saturday, October 5, with GT-Rs cruising to the SPICE Convention Centre in Penang. This convoy, featuring a scenic drive across the Penang Bridge Second Link, offers enthusiasts a thrilling experience, as well as time for exploring Penang before regrouping at Crowne Plaza for an exclusive meet and greet with Tamura.
For the public, the festival is also accessible at specific times. On October 4, visitors can enjoy the excitement at Crowne Plaza from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, while on October 5, the festivities will take place from 8:30 to 11:00 am at the SPICE Convention Centre carpark.
Hiroshi Tamura, now 62, is well-known for his pivotal role in the development of the GT-R. He joined Nissan in 1984, eventually becoming Chief Product Specialist, where he led the design and innovation behind several iconic models, including the R34 Skyline GT-R and the groundbreaking R35 GT-R. His expertise also contributed to the new generation of Nissan Z sports cars.
Jason Yap, Director and CEO of Element X Strategies, the organizer behind the event, highlighted the festival’s significance in building excitement for the Tokyo Auto Salon. “This is the second year of organizing the Tokyo Auto Salon Kuala Lumpur, and it’s going to be bigger and more exciting. The GT-R Festival has already proven its potential to become a standalone program, and we are looking forward to growing it in the future,” Yap said.
He also expressed gratitude to the Penang State Government for their hospitality, adding, “We are deeply honored to host the inaugural GT-R Festival here in Penang.”
With passionate GT-R owners and fans flocking to the island, this festival marks the beginning of what many hope will become an annual celebration for Nissan enthusiasts, combining a love of high-performance engineering with the beauty and culture of Penang.
