Nissan GT-R to return and live-on alongside Z
All-paw Japanese supercar-killer will supposedly return and have a bright futureFreshly appointed Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa has confirmed the iconic GT-R supercar-slayer will in fact get a second-generation – under his leadership – as part of his ambitious plan to keep the brand’s halo models in the public eye and showrooms.
Speaking with Autocar late last week, Espinosa said the GT-R, Z and Patrol all had bright futures ahead of them and could one day be joined by another flagship model (Silvia?) or two as Nissan looks to bounce back from arguably the most tumultuous period in its history.
“Driving excitement will always be at the heart of Nissan. This is what we do,” he said.
“There are many, many ways of explaining and showing to the world what this means, starting from the Z, which is affordable and fun to drive, to the GT-R, or even the Patrol.
“These will remain, for sure. I want to have four or five cars at the top of our portfolio that are really brand-oriented, cars that really represent what Nissan is about and show what the heartbeat of Nissan is.
“And these cars should go everywhere in the world.”
It’s unclear exactly what form the next-generation GT-R will take – ICE, HEV, PHEV or BEV – or what timeline a reinvigorated Nissan is working to, but odds are electrification will feature prominently in some fashion.
The R35 GT-R was offered Down Under between 2009 and 2021, its local axing coming at the hands of the ADR 85 side-impact crash test regulations and marked by the release of the limited-run GT-R T-Spec.
Espinosa slides into the big chair as Nissan’s intended savior in the fall-out from its high-profile bust-up with Honda at the hands of former CEO Makota Uchida who was also blamed for the brand’s declining sales and financial hardship.
The new boss hasn’t confirmed whether merger talks will resume with Honda but has been talking a big game for the upper reaches of Nissan’s portfolio.
“We keep the dream alive of what driving excitement is for. We will invest in signature Nissan models to deliver strong nameplates,” he told Autocar.
“Vehicles are the heartbeat of Nissan – and that includes sports cars, where we have very exciting plans.”
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