GT-R: One and Done?

[SVT666]

Godzilla has officially been placed on the endangered species list. The Nissan GT-R, which rightfully earned the nickname of Japan?s most powerful figure, has not yet been approved for a second-generation, with signs pointing to a one-and-done situation.

The GT-R?s combination of speed, handling and price took the world by storm when it launched in late 2008, but a shifting focus at Nissan means the modern version of the car might not get a crack at a second generation. According to Inside Line, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn, who was a driving force behind the current car, has not approved the next-generation GT-R ? internally known as the R36 ? for production.

The R36 was originally scheduled to arrive in 2014, but that date was reportedly pushed back to 2018. However, Inside Line claims Nissan hasn?t even begun development of the R36, indicating the entire project might be canned.

Since launching the GT-R Nissan?s focus has largely shifted to electric vehicles, which could be a reason for Ghosn?s decision to hold off on the R36′s approval. Rumors have suggested that Nissan was considering a hybrid drivetrain for the next GT-R, but it remains doubtful that the company would approve development of a low-volume, high-powered gas-electric drivetrain during such difficult financial times. Nissan has sold 5,914 units of the current car.

Adding more uncertainty to the program, Kazutoshi Mizuno, head engineer of the GT-R, recently retired.

Nissan is sticking to the corporate line of ?no comment? when it comes to the future of the GT-R, so we might just have to wait this one out.

[Eye of the Tiger]

So... just Juke GT-R?

[Vinsanity]

So... just Juke GT-R?

if we're "lucky", we'll also get a Leaf GT-R

[Raza]

Leaf GT-R...now with more batteries!

[Eye of the Tiger]

[SVT666]

Leaf GT-R...now with more batteries!

Hey, at least it will weigh as much as the GT-R then.  That would be a good sign.

[GoCougs]

Shame - electric cars are such epic risk (er, fail) - they'll only see the light of day with ginormous government intervention (lol, even more than we have now).

GT-R development yen would've probably been better spent on the 3rd generation G to market quicker + revising the Q.

[SVT666]

Shame - electric cars are such epic risk (er, fail) - they'll only see the light of day with ginormous government intervention (lol, even more than we have now).

GT-R development yen would've probably been better spent on the 3rd generation G to market quicker + revising the Q.

3rd gen G is coming to market for 2013.  That's a 5 year model run with continual improvements.

[GoCougs]

3rd gen G is coming to market for 2013.  That's a 5 year model run with continual improvements.

Actually, the 3rd gen G will debut as a MY2014, making the 2nd gen G a seven year run model (MY2007 - MY2013).

[SVT666]

Actually, the 3rd gen G will debut as a MY2014, making the 2nd gen G a seven year run model (MY2007 - MY2013).

I thought the 2nd gen G debuted in 2008, but I just looked and it was 2007.  The 2014 G37 comes out in the Spring of 2013, so it's not really a 7 year run, but it is about a year too long.  Not bad though.

[MrH]

Everyone goes by model years when considering life cycle.  Any idea on what part of the year the 2nd gen came out?

[GoCougs]

IIRC, the 2nd gen G debuted in ~June 2006; so, a legit 7 years on the market. Not bad, other cars have had much longer cycles. Even in its age it's still a class contender. I'm hoping for 350 - 375 hp and DSG for the 3rd gen G (unfortunately indicators are pointing to the 3rd gen G being Accord/Camry/Civic "new" (i.e., effectively a refresh).

[SVT666]

IIRC, the 2nd gen G debuted in ~June 2006; so, a legit 7 years on the market. Not bad, other cars have had much longer cycles. Even in its age it's still a class contender. I'm hoping for 350 - 375 hp and DSG for the 3rd gen G (unfortunately indicators are pointing to the 3rd gen G being Accord/Camry/Civic "new" (i.e., effectively a refresh).

If they don't ruin the styling and they put a good DSG in it, then in a few years I would definitely replace mine with the new one, if not just for the transmission.

[hotrodalex]

IIRC, the 2nd gen G debuted in ~June 2006; so, a legit 7 years on the market. Not bad, other cars have had much longer cycles. Even in its age it's still a class contender. I'm hoping for 350 - 375 hp and DSG for the 3rd gen G (unfortunately indicators are pointing to the 3rd gen G being Accord/Camry/Civic "new" (i.e., effectively a refresh).

350-375 hp out of a V6?

I remember when V8s came with 300 hp....

[Eye of the Tiger]

350-375 hp out of a V6?

I remember when V8s came with 300 hp....

I remember when V8's came with 180 HP (in the "High Output" version)....

[hotrodalex]

I remember when V8's came with 180 HP (in the "High Output" version)....

I try to forget those.

I think the 305 boat anchor that was in my El Camino had like 145 HP. Pitiful little POS.

[MX793]

I try to forget those.

I think the 305 boat anchor that was in my El Camino had like 145 HP. Pitiful little POS.

That wasn't even the weakest year.  In '79, the 305 was only rated at 130 hp (125 if it had California emissions tuning).

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

That wasn't even the weakest year.  In '79, the 305 was only rated at 130 hp (125 if it had California emissions tuning).

LOL! We laugh at the BRZ for only having 200hp but I remember when My '89 5.0 was the king of the hill with 225hp! (actually 215)

[Lebowski]

I don't see very many GT-Rs around here

[SVT_Power]

LOL! We laugh at the BRZ for only having 200hp but I remember when My '89 5.0 was the king of the hill with 225hp! (actually 215)

Well the Camry has been pushing almost 270hp since the mid-late 2000's...

[nickdrinkwater]

this was always a niche car and designed to stimulate interest in the brand, i doubt anyone saw them bringing out new GT-R models every 6 years

[Madman]

Actually, the 3rd gen G will debut as a MY2014, making the 2nd gen G a seven year run model (MY2007 - MY2013).

I thought the 2nd gen G debuted in 2008, but I just looked and it was 2007.  The 2014 G37 comes out in the Spring of 2013, so it's not really a 7 year run, but it is about a year too long.  Not bad though.

Not to be pedantic but the 2014 Infiniti G will be the FIFTH generation G model.


First generation.  1991-96





Second generation.  1999-2002





Third generation.  2003-06






Fourth generation.  2007-Present

[MX793]

this was always a niche car and designed to stimulate interest in the brand, i doubt anyone saw them bringing out new GT-R models every 6 years

Whomever wrote this piece is apparently completely unaware of the GT-R's history (I'm guessing a member of the North American press with little knowledge of automobiledom outside of the US).  The GT-R has been in production on and off since the late 60s.  It's longest continuous run covered 3 generations produced from '89-'02 (which translates in a new GT-R every 4-5 years).  To say that the GT-R is a "one and done" is plainly false in that the current GT-R is actually the 6th iteration of Nissan performance car to wear that moniker.  For that matter, the "Godzilla" nickname was not earned by this car, it was a nickname earned by the R32 generation in the late 80s that has followed the car through each subsequent iteration.

Nissan may not immediately follow up this GT-R with a new generation car, but I wouldn't say that the marque is dead.  They killed it once in the 70s, only to revive it again roughly 15 years later.  Then they killed it in the early noughties only to revive it yet again.  It may take some years, but we may see another GT-R yet.

[MX793]

Not to be pedantic but the 2014 Infiniti G will be the FIFTH generation G model.


First generation.  1991-96





Second generation.  1999-2002





Third generation.  2003-06






Fourth generation.  2007-Present

Technically, the current G is not at all an evolution of the early G20.  Bearing in mind that Infiniti is an American market construct and that all Infinitis to date are actually rebadged, premium market segment Nissans elsewhere, the first two generations of Infiniti G were actually Nissan Primeras, which had originally been developed for the European market.  The two generations of G20 were the first two generations of the Primera.  The most recent Infiniti Gs are actually rebadged Nissan Skylines, a completely different family of car now in its 12th generation.

[Madman]

Technically, the current G is not at all an evolution of the early G20.  Bearing in mind that Infiniti is an American market construct and that all Infinitis to date are actually rebadged, premium market segment Nissans elsewhere, the first two generations of Infiniti G were actually Nissan Primeras, which had originally been developed for the European market.  The two generations of G20 were the first two generations of the Primera.  The most recent Infiniti Gs are actually rebadged Nissan Skylines, a completely different family of car now in its 12th generation.

Sure, the current Skyline-based G may have nothing to do with the older Primera-based G model, but they were all still marketed as Gs in North America.  Using your argument, you'd have to call the 1994 Honda Accord a first generation model since it was the first Accord designed exclusively for North America and ignore the four generations of Accord which preceded it.

In a way, you could say today's G series is really the spiritual successor to the mostly forgotten Nissan Leopard J Ferie-based 1992-97 Infiniti J30.  Like the current G, the J30 was also V6 powered and rear driven.  It makes me wonder why Nissan chose to stick with G (especially since the G20 was a sales dud) and not go with J when they started rebadging Skylines for North America in 2003?

[MX793]

Sure, the current Skyline-based G may have nothing to do with the older Primera-based G model, but they were all still marketed as Gs in North America.  Using your argument, you'd have to call the 1994 Honda Accord a first generation model since it was the first Accord designed exclusively for North America and ignore the four generations of Accord which preceded it.

In a way, you could say today's G series is really the spiritual successor to the mostly forgotten Nissan Leopard-based 1992-97 Infiniti J30.  Like the current G, the J30 was also V6 powered and rear driven.  It makes me wonder why Nissan chose to stick with G (especially since the G20 was a sales dud) and not go with J when they started rebadging Skylines for North America in 2003?

I've seen a lot more G20s than I ever saw J30s.  The J was also discontinued in '97, while the G20 remained in production up until '02.  In the interest of brand recognition as the entry level Infiniti model, it made more sense to continue the G.  In truth, based on position in the model range, the M might have been a more fitting bearer of the "J" nomenclature, as the original M (discontinued in the early 90s) was a coupe/convertible.  And like the J, first M45 was a derivative of the Cedric/Gloria (with the current M being a rebadge of the Fuga which replaced the Cedric/Gloria line).

[r0tor]

Whomever wrote this piece is apparently completely unaware of the GT-R's history (I'm guessing a member of the North American press with little knowledge of automobiledom outside of the US).  The GT-R has been in production on and off since the late 60s.  It's longest continuous run covered 3 generations produced from '89-'02 (which translates in a new GT-R every 4-5 years).  To say that the GT-R is a "one and done" is plainly false in that the current GT-R is actually the 6th iteration of Nissan performance car to wear that moniker.  For that matter, the "Godzilla" nickname was not earned by this car, it was a nickname earned by the R32 generation in the late 80s that has followed the car through each subsequent iteration.

Nissan may not immediately follow up this GT-R with a new generation car, but I wouldn't say that the marque is dead.  They killed it once in the 70s, only to revive it again roughly 15 years later.  Then they killed it in the early noughties only to revive it yet again.  It may take some years, but we may see another GT-R yet.

Agreed

[Atomic]

So... just Juke GT-R?

Which is more profitable? The GT-R or Juke? Not talking sales figures but the dollars generated by each model. Never heard of an accounting of the GT-R in regards to sales meeting expectations, how its sales stick up against the competition and whether or not is it a big enough draw?

I know that the Dodge Viper (SRT branded for 2013 and beyond) attracted many admirers to Dodge dealerships -- many alledgedly to the point these younger and hipper (and poorer, I assume) customers driving off in other Chrysler products. Cars that lure such people into showroom doors have dual, if not multi purposes.

I think for Nissan, the Z has been what some call a rain getter -- yet another way of terming vehicles that help establish an image for a company that produce sales of other products better suited to each customer's need.

[Char]

Besides the GT-R, Nissan hasn't built anything I wanted for years, including the G and the Z. Too heavy and too expensive relative to other cars that offer better performance.

[SVT666]

Besides the GT-R, Nissan hasn't built anything I wanted for years, including the G and the Z. Too heavy and too expensive relative to other cars that offer better performance.