Electric Power Likely for Next-Gen Nissan GT-R

Nissan Motor Co. has begun working on an all-new version of its GT-R supercar.

In addition to a design makeover, the vehicle will get a more fuel-efficient powertrain that likely will include some sort of electrified variant, Shiro Nakamura, Nissan's chief creative officer, tells Automotive News.

Electrification is “almost inevitable” for any car, Nakamura notes. He adds that the redesigned GT-R will be reproportioned to enhance driving dynamics and aerodynamics.

Nakamura didn’t provide a timeline for the next-generation GT-R. Nissan introduced the current model in 2007 and will launch a substantially freshened GT-R later this year as a 2017 model. Updates include restyled body panels and hood, a reworked front grille and a slightly lowered dashboard to improve driver visibility.

The 2017 car's 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 will get ignition-timing control of individual cylinders and extra turbo boost. This increases the engine’s output to 565 hp and 467 lb-ft of torque, which is up 20 ponies and 4 lb-ft from the outgoing model.

The engine is mated to a revised 6-speed dual-clutch transmission that is quieter and provides smother shifts, according to the carmaker.