The Nissan GT-R is one of the fastest coupes on the planet. Boasting a 0-60 mph sprint time as low as 2.7 seconds that shreds far more expensive competition, it rivals the mighty Bugatti Veyron for pure off-the-line acceleration.

2015 Nissan GT R Nismo

Nissan GT R Nismo

Nissan product planners are under pressure to make the car, out since 2007, more desirable.
Why? Because Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who initially took a lead role in green-lighting the GT-R, now says he has no interest in cars that don’t sell in volume and make money. Makes sense. You see, the GT-R is not doing well. Godzilla, as we’ve come to know it, is only selling an average of 90 cars in the U.S. and 60 units in Japan each month.

That’s why Nissan planners are making last-ditch efforts to make the GT-R a more saleable car in showrooms from Los Angeles to London to Tokyo. And to do that, they are pulling out all the stops.
They’re taking a GT-R-branded hybrid LMP1 to the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans next year to highlight improved environmental credentials. That translated, yes, the next-generation road-going GT-R will get a hybrid powertrain.

2015 Nissan GT R Nismo

Nissan GT R Nismo
The LM-spec race-ready “Nissan GT-R LM Nismo” will employ gas-electric technology and join other hybrids on the grid including front-runners Audi, Porsche, and Toyota.
Just as critical as a powerful, fuel-efficient powertrain however, is the car’s exterior styling. With the next car, Nissan wants to make amends. After all, the current GT-R has looks that do nothing to imply its performance.

Never meant to have a sexy exterior, the GT-R is a purpose-built scud missile for the road. When other cars were shopping for designer suits, the GT-R was taking steroids and pumping iron.

Nissan Concept 2020 Vision GT

Nissan Concept 2020 Vision GT
Nissan wants to change that. A source close to the company says the new street-spec car will not only employ full LMP-spec carbon fibre cowling, but take on a form similar to the Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo (pictured above and below), revealed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June.
While one Nissan designer hinted that this concept points toward a future GT-R design, the styling seems too radical for a road-going car and not radical enough for a race car. “You can expect to see the next-gen GT-R get a toned-down version of the 2020 Vision GT car,” said our source. Our artist’s rendering at the top of the page takes the 2020 Vision concept and tones it down with a more road-going treatment. It still looks like it belongs in a Transformers movie, but at least it’s edgier and boasts better proportions all round.

To keep costs down, Nissan will carry over several strategic components from the R35 GT-R to the new R36 model. The twin turbo 3.8-liter V-6, transaxle layout and 4WD powertrain will remain. What’s different is the electric motor that will be just aft of the engine.

Nissan Concept 2020 Vision GT
Nissan Concept 2020 Vision GT
The latest revision of the R35 GT-R packs a 550-hp punch with the current Nismo model producing 600 hp. Our insider confirms also that the car’s mammoth 442 lb-ft is about as much torque as the current six-speed DCT gearbox can take.
Adding an electric motor will boost maximum torque to the neighborhood of 737 lb-ft, requiring the total redesign of the next-generation car’s transmission, which will be an eight-speed. This will give engineers a chance to attack the current gearbox’s noise level and clunkiness at low speeds.

Our source says that the R36 GT-R’s V-6 will develop around 650 hp, with 134 hp coming from its electric motor, elevating total power output to a very healthy 784 hp. However, one problem that appears to be plaguing engineers is the cooling of the batteries used in the new hybrid system.

This is where the Le Mans experiment next year will pay off as engineers find ways to deal with the huge amounts of regenerative brake energy created under heavy braking, and then the sizable energy expended under hard acceleration.

Nissan bosses will no doubt be paying attention to similar battery cooling issues with new hybrid systems on this year’s F1 cars and Japan’s Super GT championship.
As our source said, “that is why the styling of the new GT-R will have to be so radically different. It’ll have to be penned to enable much more efficient cooling for the hybrid system as well as gain more efficient aerodynamics.”

But unlike many other carmakers who rely on electronics companies for their Li-ion batteries, Nissan designs and builds its own while co-developing next-generation hybrid systems with the Williams F1 team.

Nissan Race Car Teaser

Nissan Race Car Teaser
So all the pieces appear to be falling into place for a hotter-than-ever GT-R. Right? Maybe not. One unexpected development that may throw a wrench in the works is the untimely departure of Executive Vice President Andy Palmer, who resigned in August to take up the top job at Aston Martin. Palmer had been in charge of the GT-R project and was one of its strongest proponents.
Questions are already being asked. “Who will take over?” “Will they be able to convince Ghosn to see the project through?” We think so, although it might be slightly delayed.

If the R36 GT-R does get the green light, and we expect it will, keep an eye out for a concept version at the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and a production model in 2018.

Via MOTORTREND & Peter Lyon

Rendering courtesy of Holiday Auto magazine.