Photo: esamust/instagram
It was 2007 when Nissan introduced the R35 incarnation of the GT-R. And here we are, nearly in 2020, with no serious clues on what the future brings for Godzilla.
Of course, the Japanese automotive producer would have to be insane to ignore the momentum built by the supercar badge and axe the machine.
Then again, there's no reason to fret about this. At least not according to Nissan, which has stated that there will be a future for the GT-R, while saying the same is true for the also-aging Z car.
Will the next iteration of the GT-R be a hybrid? On one hand, the trends of the market probably point to such a path. After all, after an era when Lamborghini remained the only big name on the supercar scene to stick to naturally aspirated motors, the Italians have announced their hybridization plans.
On the other hand, the whole idea of the R35 was to run with supercars for much less cash. And a gas-electric setup would threaten that for two reasons.
First of all, the GT-R has already entered the Italian exotic playground, as, for instance, the 2020 GT-R Nismo range-topper will set you back $212,000. And a hybrid setup would only make things more expensive.
Secondly, the hybrid setup brings extra weight, which is something you don't want when you're chasing velocity shenanigans. Of course, as the current generation of the toy has shown, Nissan engineers are skilled in terms of disguising that.
On a side note, the R35 has also become one of the most popular platforms of the drag racing world, where street car-based builds (read: not this Pro Mod) pack north of 3,000 hp and can deliver 6s quarter-mile runs.
Well, until Nissan figures it all out, I've brought along a rendering that portrays the next-gen GT-R, with this having been put together by car design student Esa Mustonen.
Then again, there's no reason to fret about this. At least not according to Nissan, which has stated that there will be a future for the GT-R, while saying the same is true for the also-aging Z car.
Will the next iteration of the GT-R be a hybrid? On one hand, the trends of the market probably point to such a path. After all, after an era when Lamborghini remained the only big name on the supercar scene to stick to naturally aspirated motors, the Italians have announced their hybridization plans.
On the other hand, the whole idea of the R35 was to run with supercars for much less cash. And a gas-electric setup would threaten that for two reasons.
First of all, the GT-R has already entered the Italian exotic playground, as, for instance, the 2020 GT-R Nismo range-topper will set you back $212,000. And a hybrid setup would only make things more expensive.
Secondly, the hybrid setup brings extra weight, which is something you don't want when you're chasing velocity shenanigans. Of course, as the current generation of the toy has shown, Nissan engineers are skilled in terms of disguising that.
On a side note, the R35 has also become one of the most popular platforms of the drag racing world, where street car-based builds (read: not this Pro Mod) pack north of 3,000 hp and can deliver 6s quarter-mile runs.
Well, until Nissan figures it all out, I've brought along a rendering that portrays the next-gen GT-R, with this having been put together by car design student Esa Mustonen.
Google News