2012 Nissan GT R ~ Auto Car

If the rumours rising from Japan are correct, the next generation of Nissan�s shrieking beast could go hybrid when it is launched around 2012. Earlier this month Japan�s Best Car Magazine said the new model would be powered by a 328kW petrol engine and a 119kW electric motor, combining for a total max output of 447kW (or a nice round 600hp).

Despite the absolute commitment of Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn to electric vehicles as the future of his company, March�s Geneva Motor Show played host to the Infiniti Essence a 441kW 3.7-litre twin-turbo V6 hybrid. At the time, spokesman for Nissan�s luxury division, Shiro Nakamura, said that the coupe (built on the same platform as the GT-R) was �only a showpiece � for now�. But the latest reports suggest that a hybrid GT-R is a favoured project among Nissan engineers and could be within three years of a launch. Edmunds Inside Line says it expects the GT-R to maintain its 3.8-litre V6 but still aim for the 450kW combined output, raising power by close to 100kW over the current 357kW unit.