RE: Nissan Confirms GT-R Replacement

RE: Nissan Confirms GT-R Replacement

Friday 2nd October 2009

Nissan Confirms GT-R Replacement

'Evolutionary' R36 should be with us by 2013


Nissan has reconfirmed its commitment to an ongoing GT-R development programme, with a model replacement cycle in place that should see an R36 hit the streets by 2013 at the latest.

Current R35 will be replaced around 2013
Current R35 will be replaced around 2013
PistonHeads was at Nissan’s Nurburgring Technical Centre earlier this week, when VP of global product planning Andy Palmer paid a flying visit to show his support for the GT-R programme lead by Kazutoshi Mizuno.

It was Andy’s first meeting with the Japanese GT-R ‘away team’ at the Nurburgring and, speaking informally to the assembled engineers and support staff, he spoke warmly of their achievements and reaffirmed Nissan’s commitment to the GT-R project.

“These are very hard times and, as you know, we have had to make cuts to many programmes,’ he told the team. ‘However, it is very important to Nissan that we remain able to offer a diverse range of vehicles from electric cars, to LCVs and the GT-R and we continue to fully support the work you are doing here.”

Existing platform and packaging will stay
Existing platform and packaging will stay
Speaking to PH later on – while waiting for a rapid ride around the Nurburgring circuit in a Spec-V development car – Andy confirmed that a model replacement programme was still in place in spite of the economic downturn, based on a roughly similar timescale to the Porsche replacement cycle.

With the 911 GT2 being the car Nissan likes to benchmark, that puts a lifespan of 5-6 years on the current R35 - according to our rudimentary maths.

Unsurprisingly, Andy also confirmed to us that the next-generation GT-R will be an evolution of the current platform, and will therefore retain the twin-turbocharged V6 and rear transaxle configuration.

“In that respect, it’s not going to be a massive one-off investment,” Palmer told PH. “It’s more a case of putting a bit of money into the programme every year, to make sure we keep the GT-R where it needs to be.”

Author
Discussion

Apache

Original Poster:

16 posts

176 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
Yup a steady investment each year of spuds is want we need

shuttlecars

1 posts

189 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
what!! the R36 will probably be an R35 with different colour alloys lol. I just splashed out £60K on a R35

Chris-R

756 posts

186 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
shuttlecars said:
what!! the R36 will probably be an R35 with different colour alloys lol. I just splashed out £60K on a R35
I'm pretty sure they're hoping you'll want a new one by 2013 smile

kpkpkp

115 posts

194 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
Bugger

I only got my R35 GTR in June - Now the sods are trying to tempt me with a new one.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

That said I took my Porsche owning pal out in it today, all he said is "how did they make it that fast"

Kp

j123

881 posts

191 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
Overall, as the complete lack of reply's to this topic show, this is a boring disappointment.

Basically Nissan have said the economy sucks but we will keep the GT-R but don't expect much change.

When if they were smart they would do like Audi and start making chassis out of aluminum to add strength, safety, fuel, and light-weight- that indeed would most likely shave 500lbs off the weight of this beast. j

CooperS

4,500 posts

218 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
j123 said:
Overall, as the complete lack of reply's to this topic show, this is a boring disappointment.

Basically Nissan have said the economy sucks but we will keep the GT-R but don't expect much change.

When if they were smart they would do like Audi and start making chassis out of aluminum to add strength, safety, fuel, and light-weight- that indeed would most likely shave 500lbs off the weight of this beast. j
but would that ensure repeat custom from those owning a R35 currently? probably not.


j123

881 posts

191 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
CooperS said:
j123 said:
Overall, as the complete lack of reply's to this topic show, this is a boring disappointment.

Basically Nissan have said the economy sucks but we will keep the GT-R but don't expect much change.

When if they were smart they would do like Audi and start making chassis out of aluminum to add strength, safety, fuel, and light-weight- that indeed would most likely shave 500lbs off the weight of this beast. j
but would that ensure repeat custom from those owning a R35 currently? probably not.
In 5-7 years the r35 or 36 or 37 is likely to be eclipsed in most every way. It a great big heavy car now, but thats for only now.

KB_S1

5,967 posts

228 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
j123 said:
CooperS said:
j123 said:
Overall, as the complete lack of reply's to this topic show, this is a boring disappointment.

Basically Nissan have said the economy sucks but we will keep the GT-R but don't expect much change.

When if they were smart they would do like Audi and start making chassis out of aluminum to add strength, safety, fuel, and light-weight- that indeed would most likely shave 500lbs off the weight of this beast. j
but would that ensure repeat custom from those owning a R35 currently? probably not.
In 5-7 years the r35 or 36 or 37 is likely to be eclipsed in most every way. It a great big heavy car now, but thats for only now.
They will make advances in all areas as time goes on.
Other manufacturers are not going to start bringing out cars that are significantly lighter in the next 4 years.

Ferrari's 458 is an example of this.

For the market position they sell this car in it would seem they are significantly ahead of all of their rivals.

j123

881 posts

191 months

Friday 2nd October 2009
quotequote all
Not that it matters-indeed posting on PH is usually like SHighting into the wind and about as helpful, but I'm bored as F8uc so,

http://www.autocar.co.uk/CarReviews/FirstDrives/Au...

Audi will be shifting to all Al chassis in the next 3 or so years.

Mr Whippy

28,944 posts

240 months

Saturday 3rd October 2009
quotequote all
kpkpkp said:
That said I took my Porsche owning pal out in it today, all he said is "how did they make it that fast"
They under-sold it on the specification, so people are amazed by what is actually just expected from it's real superior specification winkhehe

soapbox

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Saturday 3rd October 2009
quotequote all
What they need to do is make the car lighter, and let the tuners do their work.

Mr Whippy

28,944 posts

240 months

Sunday 4th October 2009
quotequote all
james_gt3rs said:
What they need to do is make the car lighter, and let the tuners do their work.
Smaller would be a better start. It's bloody HUGE!

steptoe11

7 posts

161 months

Saturday 22nd January 2011
quotequote all
j123 said:
Overall, as the complete lack of reply's to this topic show, this is a boring disappointment.

Basically Nissan have said the economy sucks but we will keep the GT-R but don't expect much change.

When if they were smart they would do like Audi and start making chassis out of aluminum to add strength, safety, fuel, and light-weight- that indeed would most likely shave 500lbs off the weight of this beast. j
If anyone had a real passion for these cars on here, they would know that the R35 was deliberately made heavy, due to the logic of the designer who understands that the weight can keep a car glued to the road. I'm sure that PH did a feature on this, but i imagine you've all read this!

You probably know this too, the original R32 GTR was banned from Australia's version of touring car\GT racing, and was accused of cheating as it was unbeatable when introduced. Now if that doesn't make a car a legend i dont know what does.

steptoe

sl55amg

107 posts

180 months

Thursday 27th January 2011
quotequote all
Hi, currently own a 2009 black edition, went to the launch of the new version recently........nice new blue colour, aero dynamic changes to front and rear spoilers, wing mirrors and a rear diffuser (drag co. of .26) apparently! carbon fibre engine bay braise to strengthen chasis and an unconfirmed 0-62 of 3.04!!!! but is all that worth an extra £10.000?? my opinion is yes but they need to tread carefully from now on or they may lose that "super car without the price tag" reputation that has made this car so popular.