Next-Gen Nissan GT-R Could Return By 2030

Godzilla could keep the V38 engine, but upgrade the internals and add on hybrid power to meet global emissions standards.

Nissan GT-R

Photo by: Nissan

Jeff Glucker

By: Jeff Glucker

Apr 2, at 1:00pm ET

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THE BREAKDOWN

Speaking to The Drive, Nissan's Chief Planning Officer states that R36 GT-R Production is in early stages.
The next-gen GT-R would likely keep some version of the V38 engine.
Hybridization is nearly a given to ensure the car meets various global emissions requirements.

Godzilla is never really gone, only sleeping. The next-generation of the Nissan GT-R is apparently in the very early stages of product development, according to The Drive.

Nissan North America's Chief Planning Officer, Ponz Pandikuthira, says we're likely to hear more news about the R36 GT-R around 2028. And we should see the actual car before 2030.

What Powertrain Will The R36 GT-R Use?

Pandikuthira says, in an interview with The Drive, that the next-gen GT-R would likely retain some form of its V38 engine. This makes some sense considering the twin-turbocharged V6 engine is capable of delivering prodigious power.

But the engine won't work on its own because the current V38 wouldn't meet various global emissions requirements. And Nissan wants it to be a global car.

This means hybridization will be a must. In an era of increasing use of electric motors and battery packs to deliver wild amounts of horsepower, it seems a no-brainer that the future GT-R will follow this path.

Going Hybrid Won't Hurt The GT-R

The R35 was never really a lightweight car by sports car standards, but when it first appeared, it was a bit of a technological wonder. You had a very cool center stack with various witches paired with a display designed by Polyphony Digital from Gran Turismo.

The AWD system enabled wicked launches, while the twin-turbo engine and dual-clutch gearbox delivered incredible on-track performance. A future R36 GT-R would only elevate the same basic concepts through enhanced torque vectoring, next-gen displays, and the potential for truly wild power output.

Nissan GT-R Hyper Force Concept

Photo by: Nissan

It's Time For The GT-R To Evolve

The GT-R punched well above its weight for a long time. As sports cars and supercars evolved, the Nissan GT-R stuck to its formula and somehow managed to remain wildly quick throughout.

Still, the pace of performance has eventually outgrown what the GT-R could offer. It's time for Godzilla to rest a bit and return in an evolved form in the future.

What do you think?

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Motor1's Take: The R35 GT-R has always been a legendary machine. But supercars and hypercars have pushed the boundaries of what's possible with on-road performance tech. It's time for the GT-R to morph into something matching that level of technological wizardry.

Nissan knows it can't screw this one up, so we trust that a long development process will ensure it doesn't.

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