Nissan's new GT-R slated for 2017

The Nissan GT-R sold in the overseas markets will get a new generation model earliest by 2017 or by 2018. Before the new-gen GT-R is here, the current model will get a facelift ahead of the end of its ten-year lifespan. "We've been improving it all the time," said Shiro Nakamura, Nissan's chief creative officer "and there's still room to improve."

According to Nakamura, Nissan has yet to start on the new car's design, although chassis and drivetrain development are underway. It will retain the essential characteristics of the current model, with a nominally rear-wheel drive set up, four-wheel drive on demand, and a front-engined configuration. A hybrid powertrain is also on the cards, and it will remain as a stand-alone model with little similarity to other Nissan products.

The next GT-R will also retain the current car's aggressive look, and Nakamura said it could be more aggressive and distinctive. He is keen to maintain what he described as the GT-R's "boxy, functional appearance. It shouldn't be too elegant, and it should be brutal, with a rawness".

The Vision 2020 concept, revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year, will influence the car's look - but don't expect a production version of that car. "It contributes to the overall feeling," said Nakamura. A much-improved interior, more in keeping with the GT-R's performance status, is a crucial part of the new car's make up.