Nissan's next-gen Skyline GT-R concept

[airshaq20]

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...........At the same time, he made the welcome announcement that Nissan would no longer do the stupid thing it had been doing for a decade before his arrival in 1999: Building three generations of the mighty Skyline GT-R only in right-hand drive, and restricting “official” sales to Japan. The new version of the all-wheel-drive track star, the boss proclaimed, was being developed from the outset to include a left-hand drive edition for offer to export markets.

What we now know for sure is that those export markets will include America for the first time. Given the expected price point north of $70,000, the 2008 Skyline is likely to be badged as an Infiniti and the name is not set in stone. Thanks to video games and the import tuner craze the Skyline GT-R name has strong recognition and value in America, despite the lack of an official presence, so it should figure prominently in the strategy.

What will we get when it arrives? After a six-year buildup, it had better be good, and Nissan knows it. While still being coy in public about mechanical specification, the company will have to deliver on Ghosn’s earlier promises of “around 400 hp” and “top level driving performance.” Latest estimates move the power target north to 450 or even 500 hp, with speculation centering on either a twin-turbo variation of the current 3.5-liter V6 as found in the 350Z and Infiniti G35, or a version of the Infiniti 4.5 liter V8.