But this doesn't mean the GT-R will be some warmed-over G35 or that Nissan is building its next supercar on the cheap. Quite the opposite in fact. Case in point, Lotus has been brought in to help fine-tune the suspension. What Lotus engineers don't know about suspensions, you could write on a pinhead, and you'd better believe that kind of expertise doesn't come cheap.
Like its predecessor, the GT-R will be all-wheel drive -- most likely an updated version of Nissan's Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All - Electronic Torque Split (ATTESA-ETS) system. At its peak, the R34 Nur Spec GT-R's ATTESA-ETS Pro system could send 100 percent of the torque to the rear wheels in mere milliseconds, allowing up to a 50:50 front/rear split when required. The rear axle even had an active limited-slip differential that allowed for a bit of tail-out action. But that was 2002, and since then, there have been great strides in all-wheel-drive technology, most notably Honda's Super Handling-All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) and Mitsubishi's Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) systems. Expect the next generation GT-R to feature an updated ATTESA system that pushes state-of-the-art even further; probably with upgraded torque split flexibility, including the ability to send torque side-to-side as well.
The R34 featured Super-High Capacity Actively Controlled Suspension (Super-HICAS), a four-wheel steering system that turned the front and rear wheels in the opposite direction at low speeds for added maneuverability. At high speeds, the rear wheels move in the same direction as the fronts, for instantaneous reaction and agility. No doubt the next gen GT-R will carry an upgraded version of Super-HICAS, but there's no word on just how it will be improved.
The biggest question has been the engine. Many have wondered whether the GT-R will up the ante and move upmarket into V-8 territory. But our sources indicate the GT-R's engine will be a reworked, twin-turbocharged version of the 3.5-liter VQ35 V-6, potentially destroked for higher piston speeds. In addition to turbo heritage, business concerns weigh significantly upon the minds of the higher-ups at Nissan, and the VQ35 is an engine Nissan uses in almost every model -- from the Altima to the Quest minivan.
But lest you think your next favorite supercar will be powered by the same engine in Mom's minivan, you should know that the GT-R's VQ will be almost completely unrecognizable. How do we know? Because at the New York Auto Show, Nissan unveiled the next generation Infiniti G35 sedan. Although the makeover of their best selling luxury sedan was more evolutionary than revolutionary, the VQ35 engine was heavily revised, with 80-percent new content, a redline increased to 7500 rpm, and power boosted over the 300-bhp mark. Clearly, Nissan is investing heavily in the VQ35 development.
Credible sources also indicate that Cosworth, England's legendary race engine specialist, has been working extensively on the VQ under Nissan's direction. Whether it's bored out to 3.8 liters as some suggest, or destroked to 3.2, once it's paired with twin, ball-bearing turbos, we should see a power output somewhere between 450 and 500 hp and torque approaching 500 lb-ft. The large contact patch of the tires and stratospheric performance targets support these kinds of numbers.
Whereas the R34 was equipped with a Getrag six-speed manual transmission, we're expecting something more cutting-edge this time around. The new G35 features a six-speed manual or a five-speed autobox with magnesium paddle shifters, but that probably won't be high-tech enough for Nissan's ne plus ultra. Could the next generation GT-R be an automatic? A semi-manual arrangement requiring just throttle and brake pedals with steering-wheel-mounted gearshift paddles flicking through seven or eight (like Toyota's new Lexus gearbox) forward ratios could be in the cards. We know for sure there will be some form of launch control mode like that found in the Magneti Marelli transmission systems used by Ferrari and Aston Martin. While purists may howl, such a system would fit the GT crowd, if not the R lovers.
Whatever the specs, come fall 2007, Japan's streets will rumble to the new GT-R, followed by the U.S. and Canada in the spring of 2008. So that gives you about two years to save up the estimated $70,000 required to buy what might well be one of the greatest driver's cars of the 21st century.
For more on the new GT-R, along with a history of the Skyline nameplate, pick up the August 2008 issue of Sport Compact Car.