Yahoo Autos Nissan's Next GT-R Could Be an Electric Supercar
Nissan's R35-generation GT-R was once the reigning champion of semi-affordable speed, offering 473 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque for the cost of $69,850 in 2008. Times have since changed since then, as horsepower figures and prices ballooning in the decade and a half since the GT-R first launched. Suffice it to say, Nissan's flagship sports car is getting a bit tired now.
That's why the Japanese brand's fans are eager to see it relaunch its former supercar-beater with modern technology. Rumors have long abounded about the impending launch of the next GT-R, but no production plans have yet to be confirmed by Nissan. However, in a recent interview with the Australian publication Drive, Nissan's Senior Vice-President and Chief Planning Officer for Africa, the Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania regions, Francois Bailly, suggested that EV sports cars may incoming — but that the brand remains committed to doing right by the GT-R
"The short answer is yes [we will continue to build sports cars]," Bailly said in an interview with Drive. "The question is when can those cars move to EV? And that goes back to the technology."
Noting that his first car was a Nissan Z, Bailly said that he didn't join Nissan to build minivans, but he also acknowledged that creating a proper electric sports car won't happen overnight. In line with Nissan's All-Solid-State Batteries (ASSB) development plan, which is set to begin early pilot production phases this year, Bailly explained that the proper building blocks and technology advancements will need to be in place before Nissan explores an electrified GT-R.
"We will not do a half-baked GT-R, that’s not the intention," Bailly explained in an interview with Drive. "So, the when is the difficult question."
Notably, Nissan has already teased an EV GT-R at last year's Tokyo Auto Saloon, known as the Hyper Force concept. Featuring a 1000-kW all-electric powertrain and "e-4ORCE" all-wheel-drive, the Hyper Force concept was made for gaming enthusiasts just as much as GT-R fanatics, seeing as it combines real-world driving and virtual gaming inside.
It remains unclear when or even whether Nissan will actually launch a new GT-R, but it seems no longer like a question of whether the storied brand will revive its Godzilla. In the meantime, Nissan will focus on continuing to develop its solid-state battery program and, for us sports car enthusiasts, the Nissan Z will carry the analog sports car torch.
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