Nissan is well known for its popular SUVs and its comfortable, practical everyday cars. But the Japanese automaker has also built a solid reputation in the sports car segment with vehicles like the GT-R. Unfortunately, the GT-R was recently retired, leaving behind only rumors and speculation about its future.
That is, until very recently—according to The Drive magazine, Nissan has just revealed new information about the next-generation GT-R.
A New Heart
Much to the delight of fans, the upcoming GT-R will not be a fully electric vehicle, but rather a hybrid—and that’s all we know for now. Needless to say, that was more than enough to set the internet ablaze over the past few days.
The most plausible rumors suggest a combination of the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 found under the hood of the Armada, paired with one or more electric motors.
Better Late Than Never
As of now, we’re looking at a timeline of 3 to 5 years before the arrival of this new GT-R. That’s a long wait, I admit, but it’s already a more optimistic outlook than what had been reported previously. What’s more, the fact that we’re now talking about a hybrid rather than a fully electric replacement is very encouraging.
One thing is certain: expectations are sky-high for the next generation of the GT-R. When the R35 model launched back in 2007, its performance was mind-blowing for the time. In my opinion, the Japanese automaker will push the envelope even further and deliver an R36 GT-R that will truly live up to its legendary predecessor.
And as if that weren’t enough of a surprise, it seems Nissan may be collaborating with Honda. In fact, both the upcoming GT-R and the next-generation NSX might be developed under the same roof—which makes the whole project even more intriguing.
Jean-Sébastien Poudrier
