In late 2007, Nissan revealed their supercar-thrashing GT-R sports coupe to the automotive world. Since then, it has received several minor facelifts and upgrades. Despite its success, there were questions about the status of a second generation model.
Now, thanks in part to the return of chief engineer and product specialist of the GT-R, Kazutoshi Mizuno, a report from Insideline indicates that the green light has been given for the production of a second generation GT-R for 2018; a long way off considering it comes nearly 11 years after its introduction.
Originally scheduled for an overhaul for the 2015 model year, Ghosn was unsure about the project for quite some time considering the aforementioned leave of absence by chief engineer Mizuno and his uncertainty overall as to how the model would sell in the future.
With development of the GT-R Mk2 confirmed, sources close to the company told Insideline that they will be watching with interest as new, hybrid supercars such as the Acura NSX and Porsche 918 Spyder head for production, as it was indicated a hybrid version of the next-gen GT-R “is a distinct possibility.”
As for the current model, the GT-R is said to receive significant updates to both the styling and mechanical hardware near the end of 2013, mimicking the six-year refresh common in European models.
By Jeff Perez
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