Nissan’s next GT-RAN could be a hybrid powerhouse

Specifics about the next-generation Nissan GT-R are circulating in Japan, predicting a familiar formula with all the dials turned up to eleven, plus hybrid power. Nissan executive vice president Andy Palmer has already told us to expect a hybrid-electric powertrain for the next Godzilla, stating last November that “electric systems can fill in the gaps in the torque curve and offer genuine performance gains, as well as lowering emissions.

Hybrid cars are not for those simply wishing to sip gas and save polar bears. Recently, hybrid drivetrains have been also used to create absolute performance beasts.  An image from an unnamed Japanese magazine, which included a rendering of the GT-R R36 and a few important specs leaked to 7tune recently. The unnamed magazine guessed that the new R36 will have 580 horsepower and an extra 250 hp from a regenerative KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) drivetrain. Now that would be one gargantuan horsepower monster. 580 horsepower plus 250 might sound like magical numbers but they really aren’t so far off. McLaren, along with Porsche and Ferrari, has already proven such power possible. So it would only seem logical that Nissan will be the next to utilize electrons.