People gave Lexus a hard time for spending so many years developing the LF-A, the Honda for the endless parade of concepts leading to the current 2016 NSX just revealed in production form in Detroit.

But Nissan was part of this long-running tradition of slow perfectionism when it comes to a brand’s sports-car flagship.

The first look at what the R35 Nissan GT-R would become seven years later? The 2001 Tokyo auto show, with this static styling and aero buck.

The next concept in 2005, the GT-R Proto, was much closer to the eventual production model — but both were heavily refined, much wider, and a bit lower than these this first 2001 GT-R Prototype.

2001 Nissan GT-R Prototype