"Nissan CEO Confirms That Work on the GT-R is Already Underway"

      Nissan

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      Godzilla is gearing up to make its comeback. On Tuesday in Yokohama, Japan, Nissan President and CEO Ivan Espinosa informed The Drive, “Yes, we are indeed working on the GT-R.”

      While Espinosa mentioned there were not many details to disclose, the enthusiastic leader of Nissan is the only one who can approve a new R36. He stated that the new GT-R “will come, and it will come with the credibility and credentials that it has always had because it is an icon of our company, and more importantly, an icon of the industry.”

      Espinosa remarked that the GT-R is “proof of what Akashi-san’s team can accomplish technically.” Eiichi Akashi is Nissan’s chief technical officer and oversees the company’s vehicle innovation sector.

      Earlier in April at the 2026 New York International Auto Show, Nissan North America Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer Ponz Pandikuthira told The Drive, “I’d say we’ll have some concrete announcements by 2028, and hopefully before the decade ends, we’ll see an R36 GT-R.”

      In Yokohama on Tuesday, Pandikuthira provided further insight into that timeline and the rationale behind it while speaking with The Drive. “The reason I mentioned 2028 is that’s when we’ll actually know if there’s going to be a change in administration, which will clarify our emission trajectory, and then that will solidify our plans,” he explained. “That being said, you can’t start in 2028. Clearly, much of the work will be completed beforehand, but with someone like Ivan now as CEO, I think it will receive greater priority, and we should be able to make definitive announcements by 2028 regarding when exactly a new GT-R will appear in dealerships.”

      Pandikuthira has already confirmed that the next GT-R will be a hybrid and is likely to utilize the R35’s VR38 engine, keeping Godzilla with six gasoline-fed cylinders under the hood. According to the SVP, much of the powertrain will be “mostly new.” He also mentioned that the R36 GT-R “must be” built on a new chassis and will be “an all-new car.”

      The R35 Nissan GT-R was discontinued in August 2025, but Nissan’s head has already confirmed that the R36 is in development and we are getting a glimpse of what it will entail. It seems we won’t have to wait long for Godzilla’s return. Start preparing your calendars and saving your money.

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