Nissan’s iconic sports activities vehicles will stay to see one other technology.

On the 2024 New York auto present, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, advised Motor Authority the GT-R and Z nameplates gained’t die, although they could take time to be reinvented.

Senior Vice President of Nissan Alfonso Albaisa went additional by laying out a imaginative and prescient for Motor Authority of what the subsequent GT-R and Z would possibly appear like.

Nissan Hyper Drive idea

GT-R seems to System E, retains 4 seats

After 16 years, the R35 GT-R is nearing the tip of its lifecycle with a pair of particular editions. Pandikuthira confirmed it would finish manufacturing quickly. 

“The subsequent technology of the GT-R needs to be an genuine GT-R,” Pandikuthira mentioned. To that finish, the GT-R is born, bred, and examined on the racetrack, in response to the manager. If the GT-R had been to go all-electric, it couldn’t be able to only one lap on the Nürburgring after which must cease, cost, and funky down. Efficiency in near-race circumstances won’t be compromised in a GT-R, in response to Pandikuthira.

The engineering crew at Nissan is ready on expertise to advance. Pandikuthira famous a powertrain for the next-generation GT-R has not been locked in or outlined but, however he did verify System E is a test-bed for next-gen GT-R growth.

The manager acknowledged as we speak’s batteries in EVs are heavy. Weight is the enemy of a sports activities automotive. Pandikuthira pointed to Nissan’s success in System E racing, noting that McLaren’s crew simply gained in Sao Paulo. That race automotive was constructed and designed by Nissan, Pandikuthira famous.

In 2021 Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida confirmed the next-generation GT-R will experience on a brand new platform 

Nissan Hyper Drive idea

Albasia famous the Hyper Drive idea that debuted on the 2023 Tokyo auto present didn’t sport a GT-R badge. However in the identical breadth he famous that the Idea 2020 Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo from 2014 wears a design language from a earlier timeline.

Hallmarks of the GT-R nameplate will stay on. Like previous fashions, the subsequent GT-R will be capable of be pushed to the observe, on the observe, and used as a every day driver with seating for 4. Godzilla must be an “ugly automotive, menacing automotive,” in response to Albasia. 

Nissan Hyper Drive idea

The Nissan design studio at the moment has competing types for the R36 GT-R on the drafting board. The design has not been locked in but. Albasia indicated that the R36 will possible carry over its signature quad-taillight design however famous it doesn’t must be completed within the conventional sense. The Hyper Drive idea had 4 taillights that weren’t truly spherical, however appeared spherical due to the definition of the clear slits sliced into the lighting components and bodywork.

1990 Nissan 300ZX and 2023 Nissan Z I Pictures by Allex Bellus Pictures

Subsequent Z would possibly break the mildew, once more

The newest Z, which debuted in 2021, is just two mannequin years into its present lifespan. It has a protracted runway, in response to Pandikuthira. The powertrain will cross emissions rules for the newest mannequin’s shelf life, Pandikuthira mentioned. Then Nissan will handle a brand new Z, Pandikuthira mentioned.

The present Z wasn’t even presupposed to exist. It was a skunkworks venture. 

Whereas early within the design part with random sketches floating about, Albaisa famous that the 350Z, launched for the 2003 mannequin yr, broke from the previous and featured a progressive design that the 370Z, which arrived in 2009, developed upon. In the present day’s Z seems to the previous with retro styling cues from each the 240Z and the Z32 300ZX. 

Albaisa mentioned a brand new Z must both be a full-on new iteration of the 240Z or as soon as once more break from custom fully and have a progressive design. There will probably be no in between, he promised.