It is not unreasonable to assume that, given the GT-R’s absence from Nissan’s high-profile roundup of upcoming products, that it might be on the chopping block. So, we reached out to Nissan for comment on the twin-turbo, giant-killing GT-R sports car’s future, and whether it will survive to join the automaker’s gaggle of new products. Here’s what we got in response:
“Other than what appears in the video, we have no additional information to share at this time. GT-R is and remains an important part of our brand and DNA however nothing to share at this time beyond the 2020 Model Year.”
That video covers everything Nissan is going to update until the 2023 fiscal year, we’re told, which leaves two possibilities for the GT-R’s place in the automaker’s lineup by then. First, the GT-R may be unceremoniously killed off between now and 2023. Full stop. Goodbye. Say a few words and move on.
More likely, the sports car was left out of the new-product blitz hype video simply because it won’t be receiving a major update anytime soon (or, well, before 2023). This outcome is better in that the GT-R stays alive. It’s less so when you consider the now-11-year-old GT-R is growing a bit long in the tooth. Despite a steady stream of upgrades inherited over its long production run, the beastly coupe is not as potent or as capable against newer cars in its class.
We’ve speculated for a while about the future of the GT-R, and this simply seems to confirm the fact that, despite all our hopes and dreams, the next-gen (likely codenamed R36) GT-R is still quite some time away—but that Godzilla probably isn’t going extinct, either. Hey, whenever you’re ready to drop a new GT-R, Nissan, we’ll be waiting. In the meantime, we’re looking forward to seeing the new Z car fully uncovered.
