This week marked the end of the R35 Nissan GT-R’s 18-year run because there was no instant replacement. The car company’s Chief Planning Officer for North America gave a full description of the proposed “R36” earlier this year. It would be turbocharged, electric, and have over 600 horsepower. However, they also said that the next version would be available between 2028 and 2031. Not quite nearby. Nissan still has a long way to go to reach that goal, but that hasn’t stopped Hiroshi Tamura, who is in charge of the R35 and is known as the “Godfather of the GT-R,” from sharing his own thoughts on what he wants to see next. That’s right, it would keep its internal combustion engine. Tamura recently talked about Nissan and said, “It’s just my personal preference, but I’d still like to have some hint of a combustion chamber note for any future generation of GT-R.” “Once more, this is just my personal preference and not a covert sign of the company’s intentions or a hint as to any possible course Nissan might take.” Please take note that Tamura has quit his job working on the GT-R and is now a spokesperson for Nissan’s fast cars. He is a good fit for the job because he regularly drove a 240ZG in the 1970s and watched Hakosuka Skylines speed around Fuji Speedway. It goes without saying that Tamura’s tastes seem to be similar to ours. However, he says something else important about the future of the GT-R that should alleviate fans’ concerns about what’s to come. “The primary objective should always be to make the customer smile in order to provide genuine driving enjoyment,” Tamura said. “We had a seventeen-year gap between the [second generation] and R32, but Nissan never gave up on the GT-R,” I’d add. The GT-R’s best years were in the decade following the R32’s release, as the badge hadn’t been used since the R32. Nissan still views the GT-R as its guiding principle, despite recent issues and internal instability. It still recognizes the importance it holds for the company and wants to uphold that tradition. After that, read the rest of Tamura’s conversation. He said things that not only shocked us, but also made us think that the GT-R’s story is far from over.
