3 Minutes
Infiniti steals the show, but designers keep dreaming of a new GT-R
Nissan's public image may be in a transitional phase, but the brand — and its luxury sibling Infiniti — have been busy pushing new ideas at major events this year. At the 2025 Japan Mobility Show and SEMA in Las Vegas, Nissan brought a handful of concept builds. Yet it was Infiniti's wild QX80 R-Spec, a 1,000-horsepower, body-on-frame luxury SUV with a GT-R-derived 3.5-liter V6, that captured headlines and reminded enthusiasts why the GT-R legend still excites the market.
From SEMA buzz to CGI daydreams: the R36 lives online
With the R35 officially retired earlier in 2025, speculation about a successor — the rumored R36 — has only grown louder. The rumor mill points to a 2027–2028 launch window, likely featuring hybridization and, in optimistic scenarios, advanced battery tech such as solid-state cells. While Nissan engineers hold the keys to the real car, digital artists and concept houses are already sketching the future.
Modena renders put the GT-R in "full razor mode"
One standout interpretation comes from Luca Serafini, a CGI designer from Modena who posts under the handle lsdesignsrl. His unofficial R36 vision strips the GT-R of any soft nostalgia and pushes a time-attack-inspired aesthetic: angular surfaces, aggressive aero, and a stance that looks ready to attack an apex. Serafini says the concept is "about precision — every surface feels like it's chasing air and winning."
Design cues and performance hints
Although purely speculative, the render leans into several trends that make sense for a next-gen Godzilla:
- Sharper, aerodynamic bodywork focused on downforce and cooling.
- A compact, lowered silhouette that prioritizes track performance.
- Modern lighting and carbon-fiber elements to reduce weight.
On the powertrain front, industry chatter favors a hybrid system — combining a high-output combustion engine with electric motors for improved acceleration, torque vectoring, and better emissions compliance. Solid-state batteries remain an aspirational upgrade; if Nissan times adoption right, they could reduce weight and improve recharge times compared with today's lithium-ion packs.
Why the GT-R brand still matters
The GT-R is more than a sports car; it’s an icon. Even as Nissan navigates financial and strategic shifts, the GT-R badge carries enormous brand equity that appeals to enthusiasts and performance buyers globally. Infiniti's QX80 swap — dropping a GT-R-derived engine into a luxury SUV and dialing it to 1,000 hp — underscores the versatility and emphasis on power that continues to define the Nissan-Infiniti engineering DNA.
Quick highlights
- Designer: Luca Serafini (lsdesignsrl), Modena-based CGI artist
- Style: Razor-sharp, Time Attack-focused GT-R concept
- Rumored R36 arrival: 2027–2028, likely hybrid
- Notable tech possibility: solid-state batteries
Whether Nissan will adopt a similarly brutal, aerodynamic direction for the real R36 remains to be seen. For now, these renders feed fan debate: do you want a GT-R that looks and behaves like a dedicated track weapon, or a more rounded road-and-track supercar? The discussion is part of what keeps the GT-R legend alive.
Source: autoevolution
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