Nissan: The New GT-R in the Works

One of the most legendary sports cars in the industry has recently bowed out. Nicknamed Godzilla, it built a solid reputation in the market thanks to its performance and immense potential. The Japanese automaker even managed to keep the same platform for 18 years—an uncommon feat in the automotive industry.

Now that the GT-R is no longer in production, everyone is wondering what comes next. Until recently, Nissan left us in the dark about a potential fully electric replacement, a possibility that didn’t exactly thrill fans of the iconic model. However, new information circulating within the industry suggests that the next GT-R is more likely to be a hybrid. In fact, it's believed that the automaker is currently working on developing this next-generation high-performance sports car.

A Promising Future

With such a successful legacy, it’s hard to believe that Nissan wouldn’t want to bring back the GT-R in a form as close as possible to the original. Expectations are high for a car that’s even more aggressive and radical, but mechanically, it must remain as faithful as possible to what the R35 generation offered.

In my opinion, we can already rule out the idea of a fully electric car. Automakers that have rushed into that transition are likely regretting it now, with noticeably less enthusiasm from buyers.

The real challenge for Nissan is to deliver a car with exceptional performance while complying with emissions regulations—and keeping it competitively priced. That’s where hybrid powertrains become an attractive solution. It wouldn’t be surprising if the next GT-R featured a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine paired with some form of electrification, allowing it to reach new heights while reducing its environmental impact.

One thing is certain: we’ll need to be patient before we can get behind the wheel of the next-generation GT-R. For now, it’s expected to hit the market toward the end of the decade. However, if that’s the only way Nissan can bring us a new gas-powered GT-R that’s fast, accessible, and just as capable as the competition, then I’m willing to wait as long as it takes.

Jean-Sébastien Poudrier