Nissan’s Le Mans racer could influence the next-gen GT-R

By Stephen Edelstein June 6, 2014

next nissan gt r could be influenced by le mans racing program 2015 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

We know that a new Nissan GT-R is on the way, and we know that Nissan plans to assault the 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans with a purpose-built race car called the GT-R LM NISMO, but there’s no way the two could be related, right?

It’s been awhile since a car competing for the overall win at Le Mans has shared any DNA with a road car, but Nissan’s upcoming entry might reverse that trend, Autocar reports.

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How that linkage will be accomplished is unclear. To compete with top contenders from Audi, Porsche, and Toyota, the GT-R LM NISMO racer will almost certainly feature a hybrid powertrain, which would align with persistent rumors that the next GT-R will adopt some form of electrification as well.

Nissan vice president Andy Palmer pointed Autocar toward a patent filing named “R Hybrid”, indicating the company is moving ahead with a performance hybrid program.

Just as the racer will need hybrid technology to comply with rules and stand on the same level as its competitors, a hybrid GT-R road car would help Nissan comply with emissions regulations, and compete more directly with the hybrid Acura NSX, and a possible hybrid sports car from Toyota.

However, given the strict regulations that govern both race cars and street cars, it’s unlikely the two GT-Rs will share much physical hardware. Lessons learned from building a competitive hybrid racer could be applied to the GT-R street car, though.

Either way, expect Nissan’s rivals to fear the roar of “Godzilla,” both on and off the track.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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