The Next GT-R is Coming Soon and it’s Going to be a Hybrid

This is going to be a touchy subject.

As a machine that is widely regarded as just about perfect, the Nissan GT-R has kept that same energy for quite some time. In fact, for those who have been paying close attention, they’ve likely noticed that the car has been devoid of any major changes since about 2007. Over the years, we’ve seen tweaks and upgrades here and there but nothing substantial as the current generation has graced us all for quite a long run.

However, it would appear as if that long run is ending rather soon and it’s probably going to be accompanied by some new changes that are going to really stir the pot. Long story short, the upcoming model is slated to be a hybrid, if multiple sources are correct.

The Drive says “the new GT-R will most likely combine the current model’s 3.8L twin-turbocharged V6 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system featuring an integrated starter-generator unit, a compact lithium-ion battery, and a small electric motor. Not only will this improve the fuel economy, but also the performance.”

Now, we know what a lot of people are probably thinking.

How could the pinnacle of performance become a hybrid? Well, the answer to that question is actually kind of simple. While hybrids might have the reputation of residing closer to the Toyota Prius end of the spectrum, there are actually a lot of high-end exotic performance cars that are hybrids as well.

Long story short, having the benefits of both a combustion engine and an electric motor really gives us the best of both worlds. Whether or not a lot of combustion enthusiasts, myself included, want to admit it, electric really does a lot of things that combustion could never do. While electric power still does have its shortcomings, we would venture to think that the engineers at Nissan are going to do their best to negate these shortcomings with this hybrid setup that they have planned.

The reports of the hybrid GT-R seem to trace back to Japan’s Best Car Web which has relayed information that Japan is implementing stricter fuel economy and noise restriction guidelines. As the current GTR likely doesn’t abide by these guidelines, this would appear to be part of the reason pushing the model to hybrid territory. Surely, Nissan had to have been planning the next step in the timeline anyway. Perhaps these regulations just brought those changes about much more quickly.