Children in Usain Bolt Foundation T-shirts unveil the gold-coloured Nissan GT-R which was handed over to Usain Bolt at the Mona Bowl, UWI, last Sunday.-Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
Usain Bolt and children in Usain Bolt Foundation T-Shirts strike the sprinter's signature pose in front of the gold-coloured Nissan GT-R last Sunday at the Usain Bolt Track, Mona Bowl, University of the West Indies.
Bolt specified the white interior.
Usain Bolt takes a look under the hood of the Nissan GT-R.
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Mel Cooke, Gleaner WriterThe gold-coloured Nissan GT-R handed over to sprinter Usain Bolt last Sunday is worth approximately $38 million, a representative of Fidelity Motors, Jamaica's Nissan dealer, has told Automotives.
Even with the Jamaican currency selling at over $99 to the US dollar and using the prices for the latest model of the car, the 'Boltmobile' is substantially more expensive than what is available to a purchaser in the US. The website autoblog.com gives a price range of US$99,590 (Premium edition) to US$115,710 (Track edition) for the 2014 Nissan GT-R. In between is the US$109,300 for the black edition. The gold car Bolt received is based on the 2013 model.
While import duties would naturally push up the sticker price, the vehicle's special features may have a lot to do with its high value. A press release from Nissan said the "uniquely gold-painted Nissan GT-R features a flamboyant white interior, BOSE audio system and 10-spoke RAYS aluminum-alloy forged wheels. These specially-fitted, hyper-titanium colour-coated wheels add extra flair to an already bold exterior that is highlighted by an exclusive 'Spec Bolt' emblem".
Last week's handover was held at the Usain Bolt Track, University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. Bolt arrived in a black Nissan GT-R and, in accepting the car, spoke about his affinity for the brand. "For me this is for special occasions. I have a black one, so I will use that one for moving about," Bolt said. Still, when the time came to move from the Bowl, Bolt was driving the gold GT-R, the black one third in the caravan of vehicles.
He noted that the gold GT-R was done to his dictates. "We sat down and decided what I would want, down to the white interior," Bolt said. And it has been customised in more than its appearance. The Nissan release said "it has been customised to suit Bolt's driving style, based on the data Nissan engineers recorded during his test drive of the GT-R line-up when he visited the company headquarters in October 2012".