It looks as if the Internet has done it again. Once more, car lovers of the digital age take to forums and website comment sections to provide their unadulterated opinion on the latest rumours to arise from the automotive industry. In that sense, it could be said that nothing’s changed, only that’s not the case here; for if this rumour is to be proven true, it will surely change everything.
Nissan GT-R 2016
The car in question of the latest automotive hearsay is Nissan’s 2016 GT-R. Emerging information regarding the R36-generation’s power output has understandably sent car fanatics into an episode of keyboard battery. That being due to the fact that the next GT-R’s performance stats are bloomin’ ridiculous, for lack of a better word.
R36 The Hybrid Generation
An article in a Japanese car magazine claims that the next GT-R, which has already been confirmed to be powered by a hybrid powertrain, mating an electric motor to the twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre VR38DETT V6 engine, will boast a power output somewhere in the region of 800 bhp. For reference, the Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar makes 887 bhp. It seems as if Godzilla’s been lifting, bro.
The magazine went on to claim that due to this increase in power, the R36 GT-R will take just 2.7 seconds to sprint from rest to 60 mph (believable considering Hennessey Performance’s 813 bhp HPE800 GT-R takes 2.6 seconds), and from there will ascend to a maximum speed of 211 mph. Rather quick, indeed. So quick, in fact, that David Moyes may want to consider one if he ever finds the need to make a speedy getaway.
If the year was 1992, petrol heads would likely be doing one of two things: either rioting in the streets, or ordering the repentance of sins. Instead, this era of immensely powerful performance figures leaves many enthusiasts unfazed at the mentioning of an 800bhp GT-R, causing journalists such as myself searching for alternative methods to furrow your impeccably stiff brow. Hopefully the possibility of a price tag between £72,132 ($120,000) and £90,165 ($150,000) will do the trick.
Again utilising the Porsche 918 Spyder for reference, the Carrera GT-successor sells for £507,934 ($845,000).
Hybrid Performance Cars Are the Future
There is, however, further importance to this rumour than just the numbers. Some may recall that during the buildup to the unveilings of the Ferrari LaFerrari, the McLaren P1, and the Porsche 918 Spyder, many spoke of the significance those cars would have in marking the beginning of an impending trend for performance cars. While hybrid technology is nothing new, coupling potent electric power with an already high-powered petrol engine was something mainly seen in racing rather than street cars. The belief was the ‘trickle-down’ theory would once more come into effect, eventually culminating in affordable performance cars providing big power numbers, and small emissions digits.
Affordable High Performance
The significance of the R36 GT-R, then, is that, if the rumours are to be believed, it brings million-pound performance to a wider audience. Since hitting the pavement in 2009, the GT-R has gained the pseudonym of the ‘bargain supercar’ because of its low price and high performance capabilities.
If the pricing and performance numbers suggested by these reports are the real deal, the R36 will continue the trend while at the same time bringing performance-focused hybrid technology to future sports cars. Perhaps an appropriate time to say ‘the future is here’, but that seems rather corny.
