GT-R Premium was the sole regular-production US trim across the facelifted DBA generation, sold every year from 2012 through 2016. Nissan revised the car substantially for MY2013: a reworked intake, an enlarged intercooler duct, and freer-flowing exhaust raised output from the MY2012 car's 530 hp to 545 hp (torque from 448 to 463 lb-ft), alongside a strengthened transmission shift-fork arm, motorsports-sourced differential oil made standard, and a retuned suspension. Those MY2013 cars reached dealers in January 2012 as an early release, the same early-release pattern Nissan used when the R35 first launched.

Nissan also sold a GT-R Black Edition alongside Premium throughout this generation -- forged wheels, Recaro seats, and a dry-carbon rear spoiler over Premium's equipment -- but it was a cosmetic package on the same mechanical car, not a separate model line.