Godzilla returns? Next-gen Nissan GT-R on the cards with hybrid V6 muscle

As rumours would have it, Godzilla is coming back to life, and this time, with an electric heart. Nissan is working on the next-generation GT-R, and early details confirm the iconic sports car will return with a hybridised setup instead of going fully electric.

Speaking to US-based auto-news outlet The Drive, Nissan North America's Chief Planning Officer, Ponz Pandikuthira, stated that more concrete details about the R36 GT-R are expected to emerge in 2028, with the production model to follow before the end of the decade. The car is reportedly in the early stages of development, with a dedicated team working out of Japan.

The upcoming Nissan GT-R is being developed as a completely new car. It will sit on a new platform and feature a significantly reworked powertrain. However, Nissan is not likely to abandon the V38 engine entirely. The twin-turbo V6 powerplant is capable of churning out copious levels of performance, and it is expected to be retained in some form.

If it returns, it will have to meet varying emissions standards across several markets as the Japanese carmaker aims to position it as a global offering. As a result, the engine will have to be electrified to some extent.

A hybridised V6 powertrain based on the fan-favourite V38DETT would be just what the Godzilla needs to break its slumber. With the era of increasingly stringent norms to cut emissions, more and more sports cars are adding electric motors and batteries to remain as compliant as possible while pushing out more power than ever before. It is only natural for Nissan to follow the same route to bring a successor to the long-running R35.

The philosophy at the core will remain unchanged; the GT-R will continue to be a performance-focused model, with development likely to hinge on benchmarking circuits such as the Nürburgring, as seen with previous generations.

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