Nissan confirms GT‑R will be hybrid

Nissan’s next GT-R is being developed as a hybrid, not a fully electric car, with Nissan targeting announcements around 2028 and launch before 2030. (thedrive.com) Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan North America’s chief planning officer, told *The Drive* the new car will be “all-new” on a new chassis, but said the powertrain will be “mostly new” rather than a clean-sheet break from the past. He said Nissan would likely keep the basic block of the R35’s VR38 engine and rework major components around it. (thedrive.com) That points to a familiar setup in new form: a gasoline engine paired with electric assistance, rather than a battery-only drivetrain. Hagerty reported the package is being developed around an evolved 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6, with redesigned heads and pistons. (hagerty.com) Nissan had spent years leaving the door open to several paths for the GT-R’s return, including a full electric version. In November 2025, Motor1 reported the company still had “no clear plan” for whether the next GT-R would be combustion-powered, hybrid, or fully electric. (motor1.com) The timing matters because the R35 is already gone. Nissan stopped taking GT-R orders in Japan in March 2025, and on August 26, 2025, the company said the final R35 had rolled off the line at Tochigi after an 18-year production run of about 48,000 cars. (nissan.co.jp) (global.nissannews.com) A hybrid route also gives Nissan a way to keep the GT-R’s core formula intact while meeting newer emissions and market demands. The company’s own U.S. newsroom is now heavily emphasizing hybrid technology, including the April 1, 2026 explainer for the 2027 Rogue Hybrid e-Power. (usa.nissannews.com) Nissan executives have also kept saying the badge will return, but only if the replacement clears a high bar. In April 2025, a Nissan USA executive told Motor1 the GT-R would come back “without a doubt,” and said the target was still a car that could benchmark against a Porsche 911 at the Nürburgring. (motor1.com) While the car itself remains years away, Nissan is using the gap to keep the name visible. Yahoo Autos, citing an Autoblog report, said Nissan is releasing 115 new Spring/Summer 2026 merchandise items across its Nissan and NISMO collections, including GT-R-branded gear, with a Japanese retail launch set for April 23. (autos.yahoo.com) (motor-fan.jp) So the picture is clearer than it was a year ago: Nissan is not shelving the GT-R, and it is not sending it into the next decade as a pure electric reboot. The company is betting the badge returns with six cylinders, two turbos, and a battery doing part of the work. (thedrive.com)