2021/09/23

MISSISSAUGA, ONT – Nissan Canada unveiled today it is auctioning off a 1 of 1 non-fungible token (NFT), a digital asset hosted on the blockchain, inspired by the brand’s GT-R sports car. Canadian artist Alex McLeod was commissioned by Nissan to design a unique work of digital art featuring the iconic vehicle. The NFT will be auctioned off with a reserve price of $280,000 CAD and will come with a bonus—the keys to an accompanying 2021 GT-R NISMO Special Edition in an exclusive Stealth Grey exterior colour.  Collectors and car enthusiasts will have to bid on the NFT to get behind the wheel of this extremely limited vehicle. All profits received by Nissan Canada above the $280,000 reserve will be donated to charity following the auction.

"The Nissan GT-R is arguably one of our most iconic vehicles and has been a mainstay in the sports car market since its 2009 Model Year debut," said Ken Hearn, Director of Marketing for Nissan Canada Inc. "Recognizing NFT followers and car enthusiasts share the same passion for inspired design and a bold approach, Nissan wanted to create an NFT that would celebrate the GT-R’s legacy and mark the launch of its most exclusive edition to date – the 2021 GT-R NISMO Special Edition. It’s been great working with a talented, innovative artist like Alex to bring Nissan Canada’s first-ever NFT to market, and we’re thrilled to reveal the final piece of art today."

Nissan selected local artist McLeod to create the NFT due to his out-of-the-box approach and creative use of 3D rendered environments. Known for his focus on simulation and the transition of matter, McLeod’s digital work has been featured worldwide. The NFT showcases the GT-R in three familiar yet supernatural environments to highlight the boldness of the vehicle and its various features. When designing the NFT, McLeod leveraged digital technology to experiment with different worlds, colours and reflections.

"When designing the NFT, I wanted to create a piece that has a sense of familiarity, but which is also totally imagined and exciting," said Alex McLeod, visual artist. "The GT-R NISMO Special Edition is unlike any car I’ve seen before, as it looks like it comes from another world. I wanted to explore that idea and show people what it could look like, by bridging realities between our physical and imagined worlds. I really thought about how the GT-R NISMO Special Edition not only transports us physically, but emotionally and psychologically, and aimed to capture this feeling through my work."

The artwork will be hosted on RubiX NetworkOpens in a new tab. (RubiX), a premium NFT marketplace, starting September 23 in a pre-auction format. The live auction will follow on October 5 at 12:01 a.m. ET until October 7 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The NFT is backed by RubiX’s proprietary patented technology and is built on the most secure and sustainable blockchain in the market today. It utilizes RubiX’s Proof of Harvest (PoH) Consensus Mechanism, which unlike traditional blockchains, uses several innovative principles to reduce carbon emissions, including using already computer-produced energy that would otherwise go to waste.

"We’re honoured to work with Nissan Canada to bring this NFT and its real-life counterpart – the 2021 Nissan GT-R NISMO Special Edition – to the North American market," said Nithin Palavalli, CEO of Rubix. "As NFTs continue to grow in popularity and attract attention from around the world, everyone from car enthusiasts to tech-savvy influencers are getting involved in this emerging industry. It seems like a natural fit to create an NFT that leverages this iconic vehicle for inspiration, and we’re excited to play a role in helping Nissan Canada launch its first NFT."

The highest bidder will receive the digital rights to the NFT and the keys to the 2021 GT-R NISMO Special Edition once the car arrives in Canada later this fall. The auction is open internationally, and the winning bidder must be available to pick-up the physical 2021 GT-R NISMO Special Edition at a Canadian dealership upon its arrival.

For more information, please visit rubixmarket.com/GTR-NFTOpens in a new tab..

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About the 2021 Nissan GT-R NISMO Special Edition:

The 2021 Nissan GT-R NISMO Special Edition signals the continued evolution of the iconic sports car, known for its superior performance, eye-catching design and exclusivity. The GT-R NISMO Special Edition features a NISMO-exclusive Stealth Grey exterior color, new edition-exclusive 20-inch RAYS forged aluminum-alloy wheels with red accents, and a unique clear-coated carbon fiber hood that exposes the intricate carbon fiber weave. The GT-R NISMO features its legendary 3.8-litre V6 VR38DETT engine and is rated at 600 horsepower. With each engine hand-assembled by master technicians known as Takumi, a special aluminum takumi certification plate is placed on the front of each engine. For more information, visit canada.nissannews.com/en-CAOpens in a new tab..

About NFTs:

NFT stands for "non-fungible token" and is a digital asset that represents a real-world object, including a meme, a piece of art, a song, a word, etc. NFTs are 100 per cent unique and cannot be replaced by other assets of the same values; they are similar to tangible collectibles such as a trading card or coin collection. NFTs are a form of cryptocurrency and are bought and sold on the blockchain.