A source close to Nissan says that development of Nissan's GT-R supercar has shifted overseas. And it will offer two or four doors for the next model cycle!
Rumours had been doing the rounds over the past few months that Nissan had frozen development of its next-generation GT-R. That's categorically wrong, according to the source.
"R&D for the next GT-R has moved to North America and Europe," he explained.
Both regions are perceived to be far more active than Japan in the fields of motor sport and motoring culture. To prove a point our source explained recent developments and suggested we pay closer attention to concept cars.
For example, the electrically-powered Infiniti Emerge concept launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012 was designed and built in Europe. This year's radical new Le Mans machine, the GT-R LM Nismo, was conceived and created in the US, as was the wacky three-wheel electrically-assisted ZEOD RC race car of 2014.
Our insider continued, saying that, "obviously some development work is being done in Japan, inside the country's Super GT championship. But the bulk is now being carried out by Nissan Europe and Nissan USA."
In June 2013, Nissan's motorsport arm NISMO revealed a new collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), a subsidiary of Williams F1, to develop high performance road going cars. And it is this company that appears to be taking on the lion's share of R&D efforts for the next-generation GT-R.
However, it was at this juncture that our source added a twist to the conversation.
"Our research has shown that there is a move in high performance car manufacturing towards four-door sedans. In addition to the high performance sedans at Mercedes, BMW and Audi, just look at the more recent Porsche Panamera and Aston Martin Rapide, and even the Lamborghini Estoque."
The GT-R will also go down that path says our insider. And in doing so, it will not only gain two more doors, but graduate from a Nissan badge to an Infiniti emblem in the process.
By introducing a high performance sedan with GT-R potential, Nissan, oops, we mean Infiniti plans to target the likes of Mercedes AMG, BMW M, Porsche and Audi RS rivals.
In revealing information about a four-door GT-R our source stressed that the 'Infiniti GT-R' would be a sedan, but that a two-door GT-R will survive as well, and with a Nissan badge. A high-performance Infiniti sedan is not a major stretch from the Q50 Eau Rouge project.
Power for both models will come from a detuned version of the turbocharged 3.0 litre V6 hybrid that propelled the radical front-wheel-drive GT-R LM Nismo at this year's Le Mans 24-hours. Due for a 2018 debut, Infiniti dealers around the world must be salivating as they await a sedan all their own.