Report: Next-Gen GT-R Borrowing Looks from 2020 Vision Concept

Nissan Concept 2020 (Credit: © Nissan)

When the Nissan Concept 2020 debuted, the automaker tried pawning it off as a concept built only for a video game. However, very few of us gearheads actually believed a word of it. We all knew we were likely looking at the inspiration for the next-generation GT-R, but Nissan remained mum on the topic.

According to Motoring, Nissan has let slip a little information regarding the next-gen GT-R, and it exactly what we expected. A Nissan designer said to Motoring “You can expect to see the next-gen GT-R get a toned-down version of the 2020 Vision GT car.” This statement essentially confirms what we all suspected; that Nissan would relax the design of the extreme 2020 concept for the future Godzilla.

The obvious reasoning behind this is to help boost sales, as Nissan is not a fan of building cars that do not sell well, and the GT-R is a very slow-moving model in terms of monthly volume. Between the U.S. and Japan, Nissan only moves about 150 GT-Rs per month, and this may be the result of a design that feels dated when looking at a $100k price tag. And this is where the stunning 2020 Vision Concept can step in to help.

Nissan Concept 2020 (Credit: © Nissan)

On top of the new look, reports point toward Nissan upping the ante under the next-gen GT-R’s hood by using a retuned version of the famed 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V-6 and adding some extra pop by way of an electric motor. Per Motoring’s inside sources, the retuned V-6 will pump out 641 horsepower — 41 horsepower more than the 2015 GT-R Nismo — and the electric motor will add an extra 134 ponies for a total of 775 horses. What’s more, the electric motor should also push the torque output to 737 pound-feet, which would account for a 256-pound-feet increase over the 2015 Nismo GT-R.

Additionally, to handle the extra power, Nissan will have to revamp the GT-R’s transmission completely. According to motoring, this unit will have eight speeds.

Take this report at with a grain of salt, as Motoring is citing unidentified sources, but it all seems rather legit and in line with other rumors going around. Only time will tell as we will likely see a concept version of the new GT-R within a year if these plans are indeed in the works.