Coupe

The most electrified Porsche 911 yet has arrived.Yep, the 2026 Porsche 911 Turbo S breaks from tradition with the electric motor wedged into its eight-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission.And then there's the twin electric turbochargers fitted to its 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer engine.That is one more e-turbo than its 911 Carrera GTS sibling, which debuted Porsche’s new power-boosting T-Hybrid system two years ago, complete with a 1.9kWh battery.In the all-wheel-drive Turbo S it helps it produce an astounding 523kW of power (+45kW) from 6500-7000rpm, and 800Nm of torque from a far broader 2300-6000rpm.Sprinting from zero to 100km/h in the coupe on test here now takes just 2.5 seconds (-0.2s), while 200km/h can be reached in 8.5 seconds (-0.5s) on its way to a top speed of 322km/h (a nice even 200mph).Needless to say, in reality this level of acceleration is neck-snappingly immense in any of the three available drive modes (Normal, Sport and Sport Plus).The PDK whips through its eight gears in a seemingly uninterrupted blur, during which the engine feels like it is always on boost thanks to its newfound electrification.That said, the Turbo S increasingly offers too much straight-line performance for Australian public roads, which have speed limits of up to 130km/h in limited locations.But I suppose it is nice to know you can accelerate faster than almost any other car you come across on your drive.You also can probably decelerate sooner than most other cars thanks to the mammoth carbon-ceramic brakes fitted to the Turbo S.The 420mm front and 410mm (+20mm) rear discs are the largest to be fitted to a street-legal Porsche yet and offer equally immense stopping power.The T-Hybrid system contributes plenty to the Turbo S coupe’s 74kg weight gain, to 1725kg, but the reality is you won’t really notice the difference in a straight line, let alone around corners.Handling wise, the Turbo S does not match the prowess of its track-focused GT3 and GT2 siblings, but it is still a 911, which means it's still among the best when it comes to despatching corners with its high level of AWD grip.The T-Hybrid system also helps to power the new active anti-roll bars, which reduce body roll when cornering hard. They are simply phenomenal when it comes to delivering lateral balance.And if you want even more body control and road feel, the adaptive dampers can be firmed up via a dedicated physical switch at any time, or via the Sport Plus drive mode.At this point the ride comfort is firm enough that you seemingly feel every little road imperfection.I prefer the adaptive dampers in their Normal setting, which is still stiff but can easily be lived with day to day.The 911’s electric power steering is the one of the best available today, with the level of feedback provided almost as good as a traditional hydraulic system.In any of the drive modes it is as direct as you would expect a high-end sports car to be, partly thanks to its brilliant wheelbase-shortening rear-axle steering.The beauty of the Turbo S is its split personality: it can be relatively docile when you are navigating city traffic, or it can be an otherworldly performance machine when you are lucky enough to find an open road.It is this duality that its GT siblings simply cannot match.Now, do not make the mistake of thinking the Turbo S coupe’s T-Hybrid system significantly reduces its fuel consumption because it is performance-focused after all.In fact, claimed fuel consumption on the combined-cycle test is 11.8L/100km, up 0.3L/100km.But in the real world I averaged a reasonable 14.3L/100km over 366km of driving, all of which was very much worth the high fuel bill.Design wise, the Turbo S has had an obligatory nip and tuck as part of this midlife facelift, one that Porsche says makes it 10 per cent slipprier, partly thanks to active aerodynamics front and rear.Either way, the 911’s iconic design elements remain, making it arguably the most recognisable multi-generation sports car of all time.I mean, look at those deliciously wide rear haunches!The 911 is also still one of the most practical sports cars you can buy, with two rear seats, which, while very tight for adults, is still a lot better than not having them at all.You even get two cupholders in the front row, which is two more than you get in most supercars.There are also plenty of physical buttons and switches for nearly all of the key functions, including the all-important climate controls.And let us not forget the frunk and its 128 litres of storage capacity, which is again a lot more accommodating than what you get with the 911’s mid-engine rivals.The price? The new Turbo S coupe costs $577,300 plus on-road costs, which is ‘just’ $39,700 more than its predecessor but more than reasonable against its competitive set, including the Ferrari 296 GTB ($604,000) and Lamborghini Temerario ($534,169).Despite its high price, in typical Porsche fashion several features that should be standard in the Turbo S coupe are not, including its sunroof ($4720), cooled front seats ($2220), Porsche InnoDrive highway assist ($2190) and all-important front-axle lift ($4950).All the regular advanced driver-assist safety features are otherwise present and work well, meaning they will not annoy you day to day, which is increasingly rare in 2026.But you do get shortchanged with Porsche Australia’s three-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which while comparable with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren and Aston Martin, is off the five-year pace of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and other premium brands.

Depending on how old you are, the name Testarossa either means something, or everything. In the mid-1980s, we're talking proper dog-eared-posters-stuck-to-bedroom-wall status here.There was also the small volume V12 Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa (250 TR) sports racer built from 1957 to 1961. But in the '80s it was a 4.9-litre, flat 12-cylinder engine producing the power, making an inconceivable 287kW and 490Nm, and earning the wedge-shaped icon a place among the most powerful supercars in existence at the time.I'm giving you this little history lesson because the Testarossa name is back, only this time it's attached to the plug-in hybrid Ferrari 849 Testarossa. And if you're one of those people who think electrification has no place in the supercar world, just relax for a second. Because the new Testarossa's outputs make the 1984 version seem every bit as exhilarating as a Segway.We're now talking 772kW and 842Nm, generated via the combination of a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 paired with three electric motors, all of which combine to produce an electrified powerhouse of genuinely epic proportions. The other thing that's gone skywards is the price. It's hard to believe, but that 1984 Testarossa listed for as low as US$85,000, or $121,000. This one starts at $932,648.The numbers only tell part of the 849 story, but we'll cover them off quickly anyway. The 100km/h benchmark arrives in 2.3 seconds, with 200km/h taking just 6.35 seconds from a standing start. Top speed is a claimed 330km/h. The turbo is the biggest ever fitted to a Ferrari production car, while the electric motors (responsible for around 160kW on their own) are arranged with one at the rear and two at the front. The 7.45kWh battery delivers an EV driving range of 25km.And yes, some of those are big and impressive numbers. But the bigger story here is the feel, the emotion, that the 849 Testarossa generates in great big bucketloads. The thrum (this time less orchestral and more mechanical) of the exhaust. The spectacularly direct steering. The sense of car and driver as one.But weirdly the thing that really got myself and my fellow testers the most excited wasn't the brutal acceleration (which was surprising, as this genuinely one of the fastest-feeling cars I've ever driven), but was instead the bull-whip crack of what might be the sweetest, sharpest gearshifts in existence.In this new Testarossa, it's an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission the brand says is derived from its F1 division, and the feel of a flat-footed shift upwards, or a hard-braking downshift into a corner, is genuinely visceral in its action. If you still long for manual gearboxes, the 849 will cure you of that ailment. You end up searching for extra reasons to reach for one of the paddle gearshifters, just to feel and hear the shifts.Driven at noise, this two-seat rocket is a vehicle that demands attention. And not just from the driver (seriously, this is a car that collects speed in such an other-worldly fashion that constant focus is required – blink too long and it feels like you're in a teleportation device as, when your eyes open, you're a long way away from where you were when you closed them), but from anyone in its vicinity, too, with the Ferrari seemingly sucking in bystanders like a vortex, especially in Italy, where even clapping eyes on the latest from Maranello is a near-religious experience.It's also, somehow, not terrifying. The fact that it's AWD and not a snap-happy rear-drive set-up probably helps to settle the nerves. But also the fact that it's something approaching comfortable as a commuter, helped by its adaptive damping, and even has a silent and front-wheel-drive EV mode for city motoring, helps to smooth some of the 849's more murderous edges. That and the fact that Ferrari has a whole heap of high-tech help on board – headlined by something called the Ferrari Integrated Vehicle Estimator, which adjusts its level of control to the quality of your driving – designed to keep you on the tarmac without ever feeling like it's babying you. Driven at noise, the Testarossa is a car that demands attention. And not just from the driver (seriously, this is a car that collects speed in such an other-worldly fashion that constant focus is required), but from anyone in its vicinity, too.The styling was controversial at its unveiling, mostly because of its two-level nose design and blocky rear end with its centralised and mid-mounted exhaust exits, but it grows on you fast. I can also attest that the nose feels every bit as low to the ground as it looks, and you will become quickly accustomed to the nose-lift function, which gives you an extra three centimeters of clearance.Downsides? As is pretty predictable with Ferrari, none turn up in the drive experience. But the interior tech takes some getting used to. With no traditional centre screen, almost all functions are controlled through the steering wheel – including some of the drive modes, like 'EV' – and you have to 'wake up' the digital panel before selecting one. Which I didn't know, and so instead just blindly stabbed at areas until the Ferrari did what I wanted.It also feels very, very big, at 4718mm in length and 2304mm in width. When you're driving at speed you don't notice it, as I'm sure you wouldn't on a racetrack, but I can assure you threading your way through tight Italian streets in a million-dollar supercar can feel like you're playing a very high stakes version of Operation.So, is the 849 Testarossa a worthy wearer of one of Ferrari's most iconic nameplates? You betcha.

Audi has revealed a surprise new model, called the Nuvolari, a limited edition supercar it claims will be the brand’s most powerful and fastest production vehicle in its history.Only 499 cars will be built, making the 2027 Audi Nuvolari one of the rarest in the brand’s recent history, running short of the 660 units built for the Audi RS6 Avant GT wagon.The Nuvolari isn't a new version of the Audi R8 per se, but it's hard to deny the close links and lineage of a mid-engine, two-seater model using a drivetrain borrowed from sibling brand Lamborghini, in this case a hybrid V8.Full details haven't been revealed, but the numbers already confirmed are impressive.With a hybrid system consisting of a mid-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 and three axial flux electric motors (as opposed to more common radial flux), the all-wheel drive Nuvolari boasts 736kW. The engine alone produces 588kW of that (as well as 730Nm), while each electric motor has a 110kW maximum output. Two of those motors are mounted at the front axle and can collectively deliver 2150Nm of torque. The other is mounted between the engine and transmission. The result of all this is a 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 2.6 seconds, on to 200km/h in just 6.8 seconds and an eventual top speed north of 350km/h.Oh, and the engine revs out to 10,000rpm, so it’ll sound rather intense while doing it.If it all sounds a bit familiar, the drivetrain is almost certainly a reapplication of the Lamborghini Temerario's, which is also a 4.0-litre hybrid V8 system featuring a 10,000rpm redline - though outputs there peak at just 676kW.The brand’s Chief Technical Officer, Rouven Mohr, said the Nuvolari is a display of “technical expertise, innovative strength, and dedication” that draws from Audi’s recent entry into F1.“This is reflected not only in the vehicle’s performance and its Formula 1-inspired technologies, but also in the ability to transfer innovations quickly and precisely into a production vehicle.”The Nuvolari features other high-end advancements from Audi like its ‘Quattro predictive ride’ which uses sensors to adjust suspension and damping before the car reaches a section of road. The car is also the first use of Audi’s space frame and carbon fibre exterior combination, drawn from the brand’s newfound F1 experience along with active aerodynamics.Similarly, energy recuperation to charge the 7.3kWh lithium-ion battery in coordination with the braking system is another area benefiting from F1 tech.Huge F1-derived 420mm discs at the front are clamped by 10-piston calipers under braking, while the rear features 410mm discs and four-piston calipers.“A motorsport-inspired brake-by-wire system enables variable distribution between recuperation and hydraulic braking,” Audi says.“The brake pedal is functionally decoupled from actual braking force at the wheels to ensure a consistent and precise pedal feel.”The Nuvolari name comes from Tazio Nuvolari, an Italian racing driver who made a comeback to Grand Prix motorsport with Auto Union, Audi’s predecessor, after having retired. He won the 1938 Italian GP, his home race, with the brand.Audi will start deliveries to Nuvolari customers in the first half of 2027.

Audi’s global boss has hinted that the iconic R8 mid-engined supercar might be making a return, and this next-generation model could be powered by the Lamborghini Temerario's astonishing hybrid V8The brand’s CEO Gernot Dollner revealed that despite tightening emissions laws, he still had the V8s on his mind."I'm a big fan of the V8," he said, according to Motor1. Audi is in the process of replacing the revered 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in its high-performance saloons and SUVs with more efficient V6 hybrids.We’ve seen the Audi RS5 move from using a V8 10 years ago to a V6 plug-in hybrid in the just-launched new generation, Future versions of RS6, and others, are expected to also follow suit.But it appears there will still be a place for the V8, which Dollner admires. The new Lamborghini Temerario plug-in hybrid uses the same V8 paired with three electric motors. "There's no restriction to an engine like that," Dollner said.He’s not joking. The V8 in the Temerario can rev to 10,000 rpm, which is higher than any V8 production supercar has been able to hit. The output of the PHEV system is outrageous. The combined output of the V8 and motors in the Temerario is 676kW and the 0-100km/h sprint is over in 2.7 seconds.The same platform could easily be used for a new-gen R8 - Lamborghinis and Audi R8s have shared the same platform in the past.Production of the Audi R8 ended in 2024 after an 18-year run and during that time was powered by the V8 and a V10, also used by Lamborghini in its supercars.Whether a new Audi R8 actually happens will be down to demand, and of course Dollner.Emissions laws may not be the barrier some might think.Last year Audi Australian boss Jeff Mannering told CarsGuide the existence of more and more hybrids and EVs such as the Q4 and Q6 electric SUVs in the range means a couple of V8 models can be included without exceeding the overall fleet emissions limits.“A BEV, a PHEV, an ICE car - if you look at the market this is why the Q4 and Q6 are so important because it adds volume to BEVs, but we need plug-in hybrids as well because of those C02 targets,” he said. 

The Toyota-owned Lexus brand has given the motoring world some truly desirable sports cars, and even a legendary supercar.Yamaha-tuned naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 engines have graced the engine bays of sedans, coupes and tourers, and a similarly developed 4.8-litre V10 found under the long bonnet of the Lexus LFA supercar is often cited as one of the world's best-sounding.More accessible, the still-available (for now) Lexus LC500 sounds like a NASCAR on the limiter, and the back-to-basics dynamics of cars like the relatively recent RC F were a far cry from the ‘retirement-spec’ Lexus SUVs that make up the bulk of the brand’s sales (and, at times, image).At the Australian launch of the updated 2026 Lexus RZ electric SUV, CarsGuide asked the brand’s local top brass where the next desirable halo model is coming from.Lexus Australia Chief Executive Jack Hobbs said, for now, the F Sport models available in the line-up and cars like the LBX Morizo have enough pep to fill customer demand for performance.“Certainly you know we'd love to have those sorts of products in our suite,” he told CarsGuide.“At the same time I think we've got enough offerings through the F Sport grades across the model range, and offerings like the LBX Morizo to, I guess, extend the range enough at this point in time.”While Lexus doesn’t quite have a high-performance aspirational model like the LFA - not even the limited-run RZ 600e F Sport Performance seems to fit the bill - the Lexus LFA Concept unveiled in stages as the Lexus Sport Concept in 2025 is starting to become more concrete.It’s just that it’s a battery electric vehicle.Strategic Communications Manager Nam Luong added some context around what the brand sees as its future direction, focussing on mobility and luxury rather than outright performance.“Yes, I think what you saw at the Japan Mobility Show in the Discover concepts, what we're looking at is broadening the expansion of the model range to encompass multiple forms of mobility, in terms of land, sea and air.”Other concepts that joined the LFA under the ‘Discover’ banner included a high-end people mover, the LS Concept, and a high-riding LS Coupe Concept sedan. Autonomous personal pods and even water-faring luxury yachts are part of the vision.“From a land perspective, the LFA concept has a role to play from that performance point of view, but what we're trying to identify is, well, how do we create a Lexus experience ecosystem beyond just the land element, seeing where and what Lexus Australia can continue to deliver on is also ‘what is that lifestyle experience’ that we can provide to our customers as well.”

Believe it or don’t we’re almost halfway through the year and that calls for a round up of the cars that have stood out to us in 2026.So, we’ve asked our fellow test pilots around the CarsGuide office which new car has impressed them the most so far. Here’s our half-year top 5, in no particular order.Honda PreludeHonda’s reborn Prelude sports car is a reminder of the magic this iconic Japanese company can perform at a time when new Chinese brands are drawing our eyes away.A rival to the Toyota GR 86, Nissan Z and Mazda MX-5 the Prelude arrived in May with a hybrid powertrain and a drive-away price of $65,000.Based on the Honda Civic, the Prelude has a 2.0-litre four cylinder engine and an electric motor. Combined output is 149kW.CarsGuide contributor Byron Mathioudakis attended the Australian launch.“Firstly, the performance on offer goes far beyond the sum of its published numbers," he said."Secondly, the fluency of the chassis to communicate with the road and driver makes this a true enthusiast’s car. And thirdly, this leaves us wanting more."Long after the sensual lines are out of sight, your mind’s eye keeps looking back, yearning to return to the driver’s seat. All for $65K drive-away, folks."BMW M2 CSBMW’s new M2 CS arrived in May this year loudly announcing that angry performance petrol cars were still well and truly a thing - and a beautiful thing, too.The Competition Sport version of the mighty little M2 takes that little beast's straight-six turbo and squeezes out more grunt - 390kW and 650Nm.The M2 CS has been one of Senior Journalist Chris Thompson’s favourite finds of 2026 so far.“Small enough to still feel like a nimble sports car but it won't bite your hand too hard," Thompson said."Plenty of power and a healthy torque band, but enough compliance in the chassis/suspension that it doesn't feel entirely like driving a race car. Looks fully siq in Velvet Blue Metallic with Gold Bronze wheels."Denza B5BYD’s luxury brand Denza brought its Toyota Prado rival to Australia this year starting at a list price of just less than $75K.Production Editor Jack Quick drove this large super hybrid SUV at its Aussie launch and had this to say:“It rights the BYD Shark 6’s wrongs in terms of off-road capability and has undeniable value with the amount of high-end touches it has. Plus it’s ridiculously fast. However, it’s not perfect as it’s very heavy and has a busy ride.” Kia EV4 GT-LineKia’s fully electric EV4 sedan arrived in Australia in January looking slipperier than an eel.There’s a single motor making 150kW and 283Nm driving the front wheels and you can have it in three grades with the starting list price being $49,990.Deputy Editor James Cleary drove the EV4 and nominated it as one of the cars that impressed him this year."Polarising contemporary Kia exterior design... but I like it,” he said.  “Snappy, user-friendly interior. Strong performance and useful range. A $65K price tag for this flagship is in line with BYD Seal but $10K steeper than comparable Mazda 6e.” BYD Shark 6The BYD Shark 6 was awarded CarsGuide's Best Ute of 2026 and now it has returned with a more powerful engine (a 2.0-litre turbo petrol four cylinder) in the Performance grade.The new and improved plug-in hybrid ute addressed what was lacking in an otherwise outstanding vehicle - towing ability. Braked towing capacity has increased from 2500kg to 3500kg in the Performance.Dual motors (one at the front and one at the rear) combined with the petrol e engine make an impressive 350kW and 700Nm. Carsguide contributor Stephen Ottley was at the launch and said:“For grey nomads and others who have previously ruled it out, the BYD Shark 6 might suddenly be back on more shortlists.”

Sports coupes are rare nowadays, but Honda returns to old pastures with the Prelude. Yet the reborn 2+2 seater is anything but retro, with crisp styling, Civic Type R components and a performance-tuned hybrid system promising excitement with economy. An odd combo perhaps, but even a brief drive reveals engineering refinement and dynamic athleticism that transcend the sum of its parts.

The Blue Oval's hero Pony car is back... again.Ford announced the return of the Mustang Dark Horse to Australia this year with a limited run of 500 units.This year’s version of the range-topping V8-powered beast can also be had with a 'T8-Spec Pack', which is a collaboration with V8 Supercars’ Triple Eight Race Engineering. This is limited to just 250 units.Ford’s marketing boss Ambrose Henderson said the T8-Spec brings a new level of track-focused ability to the Mustang.At the Dark Horse’s core is the 5.0-litre V8 engine making 350kW and 550Nm.The Dark Horse T8-Spec is manual-only and is priced at $138,888, before on-road costs, which is a big chunk more than the $104,990 regular Dark Horse. The standard version can be had with a manual or automatic transmission.For the extra spend T8-Spec Pack buyers get a range of performance and cosmetic upgrades.This includes 19-inch alloys wheels, which are fatter at the rear and shod with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tyres.There is a large rear spoiler with blue accents and an “enhanced” front splitter that Ford said is supplied separately and not fitted to the vehicle as it can only be used on track and not on public roads.A beefed up suspension features stiffer springs and roll bars and adjustable top mounts, which Ford claims provides sharper steering response and increased stability,It comes with numerous exterior highlights including Triple Eight branding, black roof, blue Brembo brakes and bonnet decals.Inside, there are Recaro sports seats with indigo-coloured bolsters, Triple Eight branded scuff plates, a new gear shift knob and a build plate.The T8-Spec Pack is installed in Melbourne.Buyers of the T8-Spec Pack will also be invited to an exclusive track experience at Queensland Raceway in 2027.Triple Eight Race Engineering Managing Director Jamie Whincup said the T8-Spec allows the team to apply its race winning expertise and apply it to the road.“We are looking forward to meeting these 250 passionate customers at Queensland Raceway and showing them exactly what this vehicle is capable of in a track environment," he said.

The Japanese sports car revival is almost complete.Honda has confirmed the price of its new Prelude ahead of its arrival in Australia in the coming months where it will take on the Toyota GR86, Subaru BRZ, Nissan Z and Mazda MX-5 in a suddenly jam-packed affordable sports car category.Available in a single grade, the Prelude is priced at $65,000, drive-away, which is cheaper than Nissan’s twin-turbo V6 Z but more expensive than the other trio.The Prelude is based on the current Honda Civic and gets the same hybrid set-up as its more family-friendly sibling.Honda Australia boss Robert Thorp said the Prelude stays true to the original.“The 2026 Prelude is a bold reinterpretation of an iconic driver’s car for the hybrid era, developed from the same dreams with the same spirit and ambition as the first Prelude back in 1978,” said Thorp.The Prelude is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 104kW/182Nm, paired with an electric motor that is good for 135kW and 315N and helps drive the front wheels. Combined power is a claimed 149kW, which is more grunt than the Civic’s identical set-up pumps out.One of the new Prelude's headline features is the 'S+ Shift', which simulates the sound and feel of an eight speed transmission via a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).Honda claims the tech delivers the power kick during real gear changes and can mimic engine braking.There are also features borrowed from the red hot Civic Type R such as dual-axis strut front suspension, and it has Brembo brakes and a wider track for increased stability.Honda backs its vehicles with a five year/unlimited km warranty and five years' roadside assistance. A capped price servicing plan costs just $199 per visit for the first five intervals.Full Australian details will be revealed soon.

Nissan’s R36 GT-R supercar is coming and will be an all-new beast, well mostly, according to the company’s senior executive. We think you’ll like what hasn’t changed in this next generation. Hint, it will have pistons - six of them!The good news for fans of the iconic ‘Godzilla’ is that not only will the Nissan GT-R be returning soon as the R36, but it will seemingly retain the revered petrol V6 from the R35 - although most likely as part of a hybrid powertrain. That’s according to Nissan North America Vice President and Chief Planning Officer Ponz Pandikuthira in an interview with motoring publication The Drive recently.   “I’d say by 2028 you’ll see some concrete announcements, and hopefully before the decade turns you’ll see an R36 GT-R,” Pandikuthira told The Drive.Pandikuthira said the R36 needed to be on a different chassis to the R35 and that while it was going to be "an all new car” the “powertrain’s going to be mostly new”.And this is where the news gets really good. Pandikuthira suggests that the heart of the R35 — the much loved high output twin-turbo V6 petrol engine — would be transplanted into the R36 but given the hybrid treatment.“If there was a hybrid powertrain, the block of that VR38 engine (which was the engine in the R35 GT-R) would be so great. Why would you throw that away? But maybe the way combustion matter needs to be very different. 
Maybe the heads are very different. Maybe the pistons are very different. So maybe we have to change the top end,” Pandikuthira said.This news puts to rest any rumours that the R36 would be fully electric, but that a compromise might be needed in the form of  hybridisation to meet emissions standards.“The next generation GTR will need some level of electrification,” Pandikuthira said.“So, does it need to be a full EV? Probably not, but it does need to have some level of electrification to meet, to future proof emissions, compatibility.”According to Pandikuthira the R36 GT-R should be with us by 2030, marking five years since production of the R35 ended in August, 2025.The R35 GT-R’s VR38 twin-turbo V6 started off with 353kW when it was first launched in 2007, but power output rose to 419kW by the end of its lifetime in 2025 with the NISMO high performance division version extracting even more. That power was sent to all four wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.On the day the final R35 rolled off the production line Nissan’s global CEO Ivan Espinosa promised the GT-R would return.“To the many fans of the GT‑R worldwide,’ Espinsosa said. “I want to tell you this isn’t a goodbye to the GT‑R forever, it’s our goal for the GT‑R nameplate to one day make a return.”