Americans have missed out on the most iconic generations of the GT-R, but in a roundabout sort of way, that could be a good thing. Not only would several compromises have been necessary, but the current R35 generation sold in America has been an icon in its own right, thanks to performance (almost) as legendary as the GT-Rs that bore the Skyline nameplate. The current Nissan GT-R was introduced to its patient fanbase in 2007, and if Nissan’s Global Vice President of Product Planning had his way, it’d double its current 17-year lifecycle.
Speaking with Top Gear, Pierre Loing says, “It’s still on sale – for the moment. It’s been on sale for 17 years and we’d love to make it another 17 years, but the regulator gives us some trouble.” Essentially, it sounds like Nissan would be happy to continue evolving the current R35 platform if cybersecurity and emissions regulations could allow it, but it’s just not possible. Unfortunately for those of us who want to know what comes next, the GT-R future will follow tradition in the most frustrating manner.
GT-R Fans May Have A Long Wait Ahead
Nissan has confirmed that production of US-spec GT-Rs comes to an end next month, and as a final farewell, Nissan has created a pair of special editions with some expensive paint and minor technical upgrades. This time, it seems that the GT-R really will be going away, and when it will return is anyone’s guess. When asked if he wants to fill the gap that the GT-R has already left in Europe, is about to leave in the US, and will likely leave in Japan next year, Loing’s response is non-committal, but with good reason.
“It’s a good question. Of course, I’d love to have something to fill the gap. But if you look at the history of the GT-R badge, we’ve had gaps before. We showed the GT-R concept in 2001, ended R34 Skyline GT-R production in 2002, then the R35 didn’t launch until 2007. The gap between the ‘Kenmeri’ Skyline GT-R ending in 1975 and the R32 starting in 1989 was even larger. The GT-R is strong enough to live with these gaps in its production. And we need to have a gap, because going into the electrified world, there is a lot of debate about ‘what is a GT-R in an era of electrification?’ We don’t have all the answers yet. We are in the middle of all those debates.”
– Pierre Loing, Vice President of Product Strategy & Planning, Nissan International SA
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The Nissan Hyper Force concept is a potential future design direction for the GT-R nameplate, but neither the styling nor the powertrain have been decided on. Nissan knows that certain elements must form part of the final package, but whether that package is fully or only partially electrified appears to still be under debate. Either way, solid-state batteries could make Nissan’s performance targets much easier to achieve.
More Testing, Development, And Time Are Required
“Every step [with solid-state batteries] is a breakthrough over what we can currently do with lithium-ion batteries,” said Loing. “We’re on par to do our first prototype solid-state battery by spring 2025. We’ll have a prototype vehicle two years later using real batteries then eventually by 2028 we want a vehicle which we will sell; probably in small numbers and in Japan to begin with.”
This aligns with what other executives have suggested, and Loing reiterates that Nissan is “currently on time for this.” He also highlights that the need for “big wheels and tires” thanks to today’s batteries is “nonsense,” with compromises in both weight and costs. Solid-state batteries can help to break that cycle, says the executive.
The Hyper Force concept was said to produce 1,341 horsepower, and that’s the same figure that BMW quotes for its electric quad-motor prototype M car, which may yet underpin an electrified supercar of its own. Perhaps Godzilla’s fight is no longer with Ferrari and Lamborghini, whose lower volumes and higher prices provide greater freedoms. Perhaps it’s with BMW’s mysterious M1-inspired EV. We’ll know in a few years.
Source:
Top Gear
#Nissan #Wanted #R35 #GTR #Years
