Nissan’s Gran Turismo Concept hints at future GT-R

NISSAN has provided a tantalising indication of the design its next-generation GT-R supercar might brandish with the release this week of the stunning Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo.

Although officially created for a virtual world – the Gran Turismo 6 PlayStation 3 game – the Japanese car-maker has made it clear that the concept is “a vision of what a high-performance Nissan could look like in the future”.

The company has drawn heavily on the resources of its European design centre based in London, and emphasised that its advanced engineering team in Atsugi, Japan, were involved in the development of the vehicle.

In a statement released overnight, the company also said: “As a specialist in automotive design in three dimensions, Nissan believes that the real world is ready for the Nissan 2020 Vision Gran Turismo. Watch this space…” The unveiling, which took place across Nissan’s various social media outlets and the official Gran Turismo website, included a 44-second video clip of the computer-generated car in action.

While the design team was reportedly given a blank slate to “create the sportscar of their dreams”, the Concept 2020 has some design cues from the current-generation GT-R R35.

The familiar ‘stepped-up’ circular GT-R tail-lights and the low, flat roof with wraparound-style greenhouse, wheel guard vents and nose treatment all give a nod to the R35.

The rest of the vehicle’s design verges into the hypercar realm, with a stance and proportions not dissimilar to the McLaren P1 and even Peugeot’s striking Onyx supercar concept from the 2012 Paris motor show.

The clear family resemblance could mean the design of the next GT-R takes on a more traditional supercar shape instead of the two-door sedan/coupe-based look of the existing model, affectionately known in Australia as ‘Godzilla’.

While Nissan is yet to confirm timing, the next-generation GT-R R36 is widely believed to debut at some point next year ahead of a global launch in 2016-17.

The drivetrain for the current R35 is a 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 producing 402kW and 628Nm, but what will sit under the bonnet of the next GT-R remains a mystery.

What is known is that Nissan has announced it will be campaigning a LMP1 category car in the 2015 World Endurance Championship (including the 24 Hours of Le Mans) – the GT-R LM Nismo – and the car-maker says it intends the drivetrain technology to have road-based relevance.

It is likely the GT-R LM Nismo will have a petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain and this technology could find its way into the R36 GT-R.

The past month has seen a number of car-makers unveil vehicles for the Gran Turismo 6 game, including Mitsubishi with its Concept XR-PHEV Evolution Vision Gran Turismo, and Volkswagen with its GTI Roadster.