CHIBA, Japan — Nissan took the wraps off its all-new GT-R supercar Wednesday, betting that there’s still a market for muscle machines despite soaring petrol prices.
The high-performance sports car – the successor to Nissan’s iconic Skyline GT-R – will eventually go on sale worldwide, beginning with Japan in December. Prices start at ¥7.77 million ($68,200).
“GT-R is our act of passion,” Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn said at the official launch at the Tokyo Motor Show.
Nissan said the car is aimed at baby boomers and affluent professionals, and handles well even in wet conditions.
“We call it a multi-performance supercar,” said chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno.
“This is going to be a technology flagship for Nissan. What we nurtured in this project will be used in the future cars of Nissan.”
The muscular sports car, which has a 3.8-litre twin turbo V6 engine, will be sold under the Nissan brand but still has the Skyline’s distinctive round tail lights.
“The overall body shape combines solid and smooth surfaces to achieve the look of a well-trained athlete,” said chief designer Hiroshi Hasegawa.
Japanese automakers, which have cashed in on overseas demand, are stepping up efforts to try to boost sagging sales in their domestic market.
But industry watchers said high-performance cars are more about polishing automakers’ brand image than giving a direct boost to their bottom line.
“Obviously the size of the market is very, very small. But in order to improve your brand image, to improve your sales, it’s probably a good idea to have one or two sports cars,” said Credit Suisse auto analyst Koji Endo.
Meanwhile, Nissan also announced it is close to providing urban commuters with electric vehicles, a mode of transportation that will not cause pollution.
“We are closer than anyone can imagine,” Ghosn said.
According to Ghosn, the only way to achieve zero emission is to go electric. “There will be a radical shift,” he said.
Ghosn said Nissan would like to be at the forefront of this technology by creating lasting value and sustainable mobility.
Toyota was the first one to introduce hybrid cars in 1997. – With AFP