An unverified report suggests that the next-generation Nissan GT-R will offer something new for fans of the popular sports car – a hybrid powertrain.
Despite the potential inclusion of a hybrid engine option, the report hints that Nissan may want to challenge the likes of the McLaren P1, taking the supercar into hypercar territory if that will be the case. Speaking to AutoGuide , Nissan insider and North American GT-R Owners Club co-founder Matt McCulloh expressed his thoughts on the newly-refreshed GT-R, while teasing some information on the next-generation “R36” version, which may be coming in 2020.
“It looks very much like a car that exists in 2016 versus the original design in 2007,” said McCulloh, echoing what many people felt about the refreshed model’s “evolutionary” design. “It’s almost nine model years old now, and they did very specific things to make it more competitive with some of the other trends you’re seeing in the industry. Overall, it’s a sharper, more angular car in general.”
While defending Nissan’s approach in keeping the 2016 GT-R very similar to what we’ve seen from the car since 2007, McCulloh added some vital information on the next-gen version, saying that that car may be “revolutionary” this time around, with a strong likelihood that it will be a two-seater. But more importantly, he leaked out some information about the next-gen GT-R’s potential powertrain.
“The R36 will go upmarket and upscale,” he noted. “It will be a straight supercar and more along the lines of a Porsche 918. It’s obviously a forgone conclusion that it will probably be a hybrid.” McCulloh believes this shouldn’t be a cause for concern among supercar and GT-R fans, as the car has “always been about cutting-edge technology,” and Nissan may really need to start playing the hybrid game if it wants the GT-R to remain competitive.
With the Nissan GT-R now expected to be taking on the Porsche 918, McLaren P1, and other similar hybrid supercars with some flat-out performance, McCulloh said that the car will still be relatively inexpensive compared to the competition. Considering that the current GT-R costs around $100,000, he predicted a price point closer to $150,000 to $200,000 for the base model. “I don’t see it starting below $150,000,” he added.