Just when fans thought the GT-R story might be wrapping up with the R35’s grand finale, Nissan has flipped the script. Earlier this year, the brand officially closed the order books on the iconic GT-R R35, and for a hot minute, it looked like the end of the road. But hold your horses — the R36 is very much alive, and it’s bringing some electrified spice to the mix.
Here’s the scoop: Nissan’s next-gen Godzilla will be a hybrid, not a fully electric beast. This nugget of gold comes straight from Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan’s Chief Planning Officer for North America, who dropped the news during a chat with The Drive at the New York Auto Show.
So, Why Not Go Full EV?
With the auto world sprinting towards all-electric everything, the obvious question is — why isn’t the R36 following suit? Turns out, Nissan did toy with the idea. They built prototypes, tested the waters… but the results? Not quite GT-R material.
“Basically it’s like it would complete one lap at the Nürburgring, and then you have to recharge the car,” he said. “And then that charging is going to take you a while, and it’s just not authentic.”
He doubled down, saying building an EV GT-R would be like ticking a marketing box — not delivering a true high-performance legend.
Even with next-gen tech like solid-state batteries, Nissan isn’t convinced they can hit the kind of performance benchmark a GT-R demands. At least, not yet.
Hybrid It Is — But What Kind?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Nissan knows the R36 will be a hybrid, but they’re still debating which flavour to go with: plug-in hybrid or a good old-fashioned conventional hybrid. The issue? Heat management and energy density — two things that can make or break performance on track.
Right now, the smart money is on a conventional hybrid setup. According to Pandikuthira, that option fits better with the GT-R’s raw, track-bred DNA.
Let’s Talk Powertrain
Under the bonnet of the R36, expect to see a familiar face — the 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 from the Nissan Armada. But don’t be fooled. This engine’s been reworked to burn clean and meet emissions standards that stretch all the way to 2032. Efficient, powerful, and still a little bit mental — just the way we like it.
Here’s a juicy one for the rumour mill: there’s a chance the R36 could ride on the same platform as the Honda/Acura NSX. Why? Well, even though the Nissan-Honda merger didn’t pan out, Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa is apparently still keen on working with Honda — and that opens up some seriously exciting possibilities.
When Can We See It?
The official timeline is a little fuzzy, but Nissan’s aiming to get the R36 on the road sometime within the next three to five years. So yes — it’s coming, just not tomorrow. But hey, good things come to those who wait (especially when it’s packing twin turbos and hybrid wizardry).
(Source: The Drive)
Other posts by Keran
