Wild Nissan Skyline GT-R R32 EV teased

Inviting fury, scorn or perhaps even a standing ovation from hardcore JDM fans, Nissan is believed to be preparing an all-electric version of its seminal Nissan Skyline GT-R R32.

The Japanese car-maker has released a teaser video on YouTube and other platforms with the caption ‘R32 EV’, and has also launched a new microsite to prepare for the launch of the car.

Confusingly, if you crank up the volume on the video, instead of silence or a whir of electric motors, you hear the original R32 GT-R’s legendary RB26DETT 2.6-litre twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder fire up.

In the Japanese description, the idea of the R32 EV is said to have come from an engineer who wanted to build a “more exciting car” by adding the latest electrification technology.

No more details have been revealed, but it’s almost certain that the GT-R will have its combustion engine junked for a dual-motor powertrain from the Nissan Ariya SUV.

Replacing the 206kW twin-turbo inline-six, that could mean the factory-backed retromod at the very least will produce 290kW – although we expect at least double that power for more mind-blowing acceleration in line with the tuned R32 GT-Rs that already exist and produce comfortably more than 750kW.

Nissan produced 43,937 examples of the GT-R R32 between 1989 and 1994, which became known as ‘Godzilla’ for its crushing motorsport performances.

Just 100 R32s were modified by Nissan to meet Australian homologation requirements, although many Japanese-spec R32 imports have been available here since the 1990s.

For everything you auto know about EVs, listen to carsales' Watts Under the Bonnet: the electric car podcast

Join the conversation at 

our Facebook page

Or email us at 

editor@carsales.com.au