Ever since the Nissan revealed the Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo in June 2014, we've been wondering whether its aggressive design will serve as inspiration for the next-generation GT-R or not. We have hunch it will, but we don't know to what extent, especially considering the Vision's extreme body styling. Well, it seems the Japanese are taking the extreme route with the upcoming GT-R, which will be a toned-down version of the 2020 Vision concept.

That's the word from Motoring, which claims a Nissan->ke62 designer let slip a few juicy bits on the company's plans for the next GT-R. "You can expect to see the next-gen GT-R get a toned-down version of the 2020 Vision GT car," the unnamed insider told the Australian outlet. Nissan's decision to pull out all stops on the GT-R's design comes straight from company CEO Carlos Ghosn, the report adds. Ghosn is apparently unhappy with current GT-R sales and thinks a more extreme design could draw more customers to showrooms.

Motoring also reiterates Nissan's plans to turn the GT-R into an ultra powerful and fast hybrid supercar->ke177. The new Godzilla will reportedly get around 640 horses from its uprated turbocharged V-6 powerplant, with an extra 134 ponies coming from an electric motor. With a total output of nearly 800 horsepower and more than 730 pound-feet of torque, the next-gen GT-R sounds like a rig ready to compete against much more expensive hypercars.

Click past the jump to read more about the future Nissan GT-R.

Why It Matters

Granted, replacing the current GT-R is a difficult task. The supercar is still one of the fastest vehicles on the market seven years after its inception, and Nissan must take all sorts of precautions to deliver a proper successor. Risks are also necessary, and it's good to see the Japanese automaker is willing to take things to a new level in the drivetrain and design departments. Sure, the GT-R won't be everything the 2020 Vision concept is, but anything coming from that is bound to be spectacular.

Nissan GT-R