Nissan GT-R R36 Key Details Confirmed, Here’s Everything We Know So Far

Nearly two decades after its release, the legendary R35 Nissan GT-R has left the sports car market, with final global production ending in August 2025. However, as Godzilla entered a temporary slumber, the automotive world’s eyes were firmly fixed on the next generation, and recent developments from C-suite executives have sparked serious anticipation for the Nissan GT-R R36.

The good news is that Nissan isn’t letting its flagship die. On the day the final R35 rolled off the line, newly appointed Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa made a promise: “I want to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT-R forever. It’s our goal for the GT-R nameplate to one day make a return.” Behind closed doors in Yokohama, development has already begun, and the team is highly passionate.

But what exactly will the R36 GT-R look like, what will power it, and when will it actually hit the streets? Here is everything we know so far about the next generation of Nissan’s flagship supercar killer.

The Fast Facts (TL;DR):

• Engine: Upgraded VR38 Twin-Turbo V6 (Retained from the R35)
• Powertrain: Advanced Performance Hybrid (Not a full EV)
• Expected Horsepower: 800+ HP (Standard) / 1,000+ HP (Nismo)
• Release Date: Concrete timeline announcements expected in 2028; global launch likely by 2030
• Estimated Price: Upwards of AUD$280,000 before on-roads

Engine and Hybridisation Have Been Confirmed, Not an EV

Let’s start with the reality of how we got here in the first place: emissions. Sports car brands would continue to sell the same models and engines they have always had if it were not for European emissions regulations. It’s what killed the Audi RS 3’s 5-cylinder, the V8 in the Mercedes-AMG C63S, and the previous iteration of the twin-turbo V6 VR38 in the Nissan GT-R R35. It’s not the manufacturer that wants to downsize and hybridise their models, it’s the government.

“What I think is the biggest challenge with the current generation of GT-R is that it just didn’t meet emissions,” Nissan North America’s Senior VP, Ponz Pandikuthira, told The Drive. “There was too much stuff that had to be done to the car that would basically choke the powertrain. So it was definitely time to sunset that vehicle.”

The most significant revelation across the latest reports is Nissan’s dramatic shift in strategy regarding the R36’s powertrain. Initially, industry speculation heavily favoured a fully electric GT-R, especially following the debut of the 1,000kW solid-state battery Hyper Force concept. However, recent developments say that Nissan has ditched the full-EV plan for the R36.

“The next generation GT-R will need some level of electrification,” added Pandikuthira. But he noted, “So, does it need to be a full EV? Probably not, but it does need to have some level of electrification to meet, to future-proof emissions compatibility.”

Godzilla will instead use an advanced V6 hybrid setup, either with hybrid turbos or electric motors, to ensure it can meet stricter global emissions standards while retaining the mechanical soul that enthusiasts demand. It will use an upgraded version of the VR38 engine block.

“If there were a hybrid powertrain, the block of that VR38 engine… is so great,” he said. “Why would you throw that away? But maybe the way combustion matters needs to be very different. Maybe the heads are very different. Maybe the pistons are very different. So maybe we have to change the top end.”

“What we want to do is future-proof the next-generation GT-R so that it can have a really long life and keep evolving over its lifecycle,” Pandikuthira stated. “But the big unknown is which way are emissions regulations going to go? We currently have a reprieve with the current administration. They’ve backed off on a lot of the regulations… but we don’t know if we can do them, maybe post ’28 or post ’32. So that’s what’s actually slowing down the development of what we want this car to be.”

Expected Horsepower, Nismo Specs, and the Nürburgring Benchmark

When the R35 launched nearly two decades ago, it upset the establishment with a 7:38 Nürburgring lap time, famously beating the Porsche 911 Turbo on its home ground. That’s Nissan’s plan for the R36. To wear the GT-R badge, Nissan executives insist it repeats history.

“That’s what established the car’s cred… that it beat a Porsche 911 on its home turf – that needs to hold good,” Pandikuthira stated. “It needs to be authentic to its roots, and it needs to have a Nürburgring performance record.”

Hunting down the current Porsche 911 (992) GT3 RS’s 6:49.32 Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time will require serious firepower. The R35 started with 353kW in 2007 and maxed out at 441kW (600hp) in its final Nismo guise. By adding high-performance electric motors for torque filling, electric turbochargers, and advanced four-wheel torque vectoring, experts expect the standard R36 to easily push past 800 horsepower. It’s what it will need to beat the likes of the Ford Mustang GTD and Corvette ZR1 before it even looks at the ZR1X’s lap record.

If Nissan unveils an R36 Nismo variant, outputs could easily eclipse 1,000 horsepower, pushing 0-100km/h sprint times down into the low-2.0-second range.

R36 GT-R Release Date Has Been Held Up By Politics

With the Nissan GT-R R35 officially discontinued in 2025, fans will have to endure a noticeable hiatus before the R36 GT-R arrives.

While CEO Ivan Espinosa bluntly stated, “We are actually working already on the GT-R,” the timeline will be dictated by US political regulations. Pandikuthira noted that the “big unknown is which way emissions regulations are going to go.” While Nissan has a chance to create the GT-R under current policies, the post-2028 landscape remains murky, which slows development. Concrete announcements are targeted for 2028.

“That’s when we’ll actually know if there’s going to be a change in the administration,” explained Pandikuthira. “Hopefully by 2028, with somebody like Ivan as the CEO now, I think it’ll get a higher priority, and we should be able to make some concrete announcements by ’28 of a timeline of when exactly you’d be able to see a new GTR in showrooms.” Most outlets predict the global launch will take place in 2030.

Design Direction, Platform Architecture, and Ethos

The Nissan GT-R R36 will be a radical departure from the R35 to accommodate the battery packs and other hybrid elements. Sadly, the bosses haven’t spoken publicly about the exact design of the new model, but we do understand that it’s expected to draw heavily from the aggressive, aero-focused Nissan Hyper Force concept.

However, Nissan executives are adamant about preserving the car’s legacy. “Sports cars are the core of what we are as a company,” stated CEO Ivan Espinosa, echoing a sentiment shared across the C-suite. Richard Candler, Nissan’s global corporate product strategy lead, added, “We are really deeply looking at the sports (car) lineup again. We all want to do some cool cars.” Behind closed doors, development is highly passionate. Pandikuthira says, “There is a core group of enthusiasts based right here in Japan working on bringing the GT-R back. And they’re completely nuts about this car.”

How Much Will the R36 Cost?

Porsche 911 prices went up with the launch of T-Hybrid GTS models, the same can be said for the Lamborghini Temerario (from $613,885 before on-road costs) and the Ferrari 296 GTB (from AUD$568,300 before on-road costs). Expect Nissan’s shift from a traditional sports car to a highly complex, bespoke performance hybrid to come with a significant price increase.

When the R35 went on sale back in 2008, it famously undercut the Porsche 911 with a starting price of just AUD$148,800 before on-roads, and the top-of-the-range GT-R Premium was AUD$152,800 before on-roads. By the end of its run in 2025, the price increased substantially, to AUD$256,700 before on-road costs for the sought-after T-Spec edition.

Given the immense R&D required for the new hybrid architecture, it’s likely the entry-level Nissan GT-R R36 will feature a starting price around AUD$280,000 before on-roads. That’s if and when it is announced globally, and then locally for our market.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is the R36 GT-R officially confirmed?

Yes. Nissan CEO Ivan Espinosa and Senior VP Ponz Pandikuthira have both publicly confirmed that a dedicated team in Japan is actively developing the next-generation GT-R.

Will the Nissan GT-R R36 be electric?

No. While early rumours suggested the R36 would be a full EV, Nissan has confirmed it will instead be a performance hybrid, utilising the legendary VR38 twin-turbo V6 engine combined with an electrified system.

Is the Nissan R35 discontinued?

Yes. Nissan officially sunset the R35 generation in 2025 due to aging architecture and an inability to meet strict modern emissions standards without choking the engine.

When does the R36 GT-R come out?

Nissan plans to announce a concrete timeline for the R36 in 2028, once global emissions regulations become clearer. The car is widely expected to hit dealership showrooms around 2030.