The GT-R LM Nismo program was announced on 23 May 2014,[2] while the car was publicly shown for the first time in a Nissan commercial during Super Bowl XLIX on 1 February 2015.

"[6] The chassis was made from carbon fibre which helped engineers lower the weight of the car to the minimum limit of 870 kilograms (1,920 lb) as set by motorsport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

[9] Engineers interpreted the regulations set by the FIA and the organiser the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) differently, causing a minor chassis redesign, and could only be inserted through the front windshield.

[9] The developers prioritised efficiency over sheer thrust since the ACO established rules that limited fuel capacity for Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) hybrids to 68 litres (18 US gal).

[11] Michelin served as the team's tyre supplier and worked closely with Nissan to determine the correct compound and size for the car's front and back wheels.

[8] Cooling for the engine, gearbox and flywheel systems was located in the nose of the car, allowing the bodywork around the cockpit to be utilised as airflow tunnels.

[4][12] Cosworth supplied the car's engine control unit for the gearbox which provided power to the wheels via the hydraulic limited-slip differential.

[13] Six months later, drivers began testing the car for the first time in a two-day roll-out session at the Nissan Technology Centre in Stanfield, Arizona.

A weeks' worth of running at Sebring International Raceway in March ended prematurely after two days because of an engine mounting problem.

[21] Testing resumed in April with four days' worth of endurance running with 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) amassed at the NCM Motorsports Park race track in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Former Le Mans winner Marc Gené was the first driver announced for the program, moving to the team from rivals Audi.

[25] Jann Mardenborough and Lucas Ordóñez, former winners of Nissan's GT Academy were also announced alongside former FIA GT1 World Champion Michael Krumm.

A second-generation GT-R LM Nismo had been designed for 2016, adapted to run an electrical hybrid system, but was never completed before the project ended.