Ponz Pandikuthira, the senior vice prez of Nissan North America, confirmed that the R35 Nissan GT-R will get a successor. He also made it clear that the R35 is getting close to the end of its production lifecycle, but Pandikuthira didn't go into specifics.
The official further mentioned that Nissan has yet to decide on a powertrain for the R36. He did mention Formula E serving as a test bed, indicating some degree of electrification. If the Japanese automaker decides on zero emissions rather than a plug-in hybrid, the newcomer should be capable of more than a single lap of the Nurburgring Nordschleife without overheating or requiring a recharge.
Nissan's biggest problem with an electric powertrain for the R36 is the sheer weight of the battery. The company is probably waiting for solid-state batteries to become commercially viable, with SSBs having many advantages over Li-Ion packs. Think weight, size, increased energy density, and faster charging. We also have to remember that a solid-state electrolyte makes SSBs safer than Li-Ion batteries.
In November 2021, Nissan chief executive officer Makoto Uchida said that hybrid oomph is under consideration for the R36. He also confirmed a new platform, although it's not clear if said platform is derived from the Premium Midship or something developed from a clean sheet of paper.
Alfonso Albaisa, the senior vice prez for global design at Nissan Motor Corporation, told Motor Authority that multiple designs for the R36 are on the drawing board. He alluded to the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo from 2014 and the Hyper Force Concept from the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, with the latter packing 1,314 hp.
Photo: Nissan
Speaking to the cited publication, Albaisa noted that the R36 needs to be an "ugly car" and a "menacing car" at the same time. Whatever he may be referring to, Albaisa said that four seats are on the menu. He also confirmed two potential outcomes for the next-gen Z, split between a 240Z-inspired sports car or something completely different. Think 350Z compared to the 300ZX, 280ZX, and earlier Zs.
Available with either a manual or a torque-converter automatic, the rear-drive sports car starts at $42,310 (sans destination charge) for the 2024 model year. Born as a skunkworks project, the RZ34 uses a 3.0L twin-turbocharged V6 with either 400 or 420 horsepower on tap. If the displacement and number of cylinders are familiar, that's because said engine is also used by the Infiniti Q50 (a.k.a. Nissan Skyline) and Q60.
The R35 is all-wheel-drive and a dual-clutcher by default. Developed during Carlos Ghosn's era, the first GT-R not based on the Skyline features a hand-assembled V6 with a displacement of 3.8 liters.
Over in Japan, where the R35 has entered the 2025 model year, the GT-R starts at 14,443,000 yen or approximately $95,430 at current exchange rates. By comparison, the most affordable 2024 for the US market retails at $121,090 (excluding freight).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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