As the majority of automakers continue their aggressive sprint to inject EV technology into as much of their line up as possible, we’ve seen some reaching for the past in an attempt to intertwine with the future. A classic restomod recipe if you will, taken to a new, more modern level. The iconic R32 Nissan GT-R will be next.
This isn’t the first time a major brand like Nissan has taken to combining a classic chassis that continues to turn heads and fetch top dollar, with a touch of modern power. Take Toyota, for example, who revealed their Gazoo Racing-built AE86 Corolla duo at Tokyo Auto Salon back in January. One featured a complete Tundra HEV electric motor swap while the other used a Murai hydrogen assist on a rebuilt 4AGE engine. Both were restored to showroom condition and peppered with choice aftermarket goods. Could this be the same direction Nissan is headed with their R32?
A mysterious teaser posted to Nissan’s Twitter this week features the unmistakable rear end of the iconic R32 Skyline, in GT-R trim no less, starting and idling in standard I.C.E. fashion, followed by “R32 EV” splashed across the screen. A Nissan engineer who works within the group’s EV sector and who, like most enthusiasts around the world, is enamored with Nissan’s eighth generation Skyline chassis (third gen. GT-R), voiced his opinion on incorporating EV tech into the early ’90s hero and apparently Nissan’s ears perked up and this is happening.
With so little info provided, plenty of speculation comes into play. There’s the hybrid approach which might keep the venerable RB26DETT under its hood and rely on electric motors to assist an already stout chassis and engine combo, even by today’s standards. Or perhaps it’s the complete removal of anything combustion-related and an entire revamp that converts the GT-R to purely electric status. Most importantly, will the eager, celebrated original AWD system remain intact or will it be substituted for a pair of electric motors?
Like you, we’ve got plenty of questions and very little to decipher at this point, but expect an update as more info eventually becomes available and we find out the fate of one of the most legendary Japanese chassis to ever emerge from the glorious ’90-era.
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