22 Years - that's how long the current Nissan GT-R and 370Z have collectively been on the market. Sure, the 370Z was updated for 2013, but it's still very much the same car. Nissan, however, has finally admitted that it's committed to both cars and, while nothing has been confirmed yet, some key players at the Tokyo Motor Show have practically admitted that successors to both are in the works. When we'll see them and whether or not you'll like them, on the other hand, is a completely different story.

When Will Nissan Introduce a New Z-Car and GT-R

At this point, Nissan is practically fighting with Dodge to see who can keep a car on the market for the longest as the Challenger and Charger aren't far off. The difference is, however, that Dodge is at least admitting that successors are coming. On the other hand, Nissan has been very tight-lipped about any type of successor for the Z or GT-R. At least until now, anyway.

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan Product Planning Boss, Ivan Espinosa, said that both cars are “at the heart of Nissan, and we are actively looking at and working on them.” Even better yet, he went on to say that we “can expect something soon.” He later added, “I can’t share what, but that doesn’t mean we’re not working on them. Nissan is about exciting cars.” Never mind cars like the Nissan Leaf or Versa – there’s nothing exciting about them.

But, I digress.

The point is that Nissan definitely hasn’t ruled out a successor to either of these aged beauties and even better yet, there’s a good chance there’s something in the pipeline. Nissan’s Senior VP, Alfonso Albaisa, even got in on the action at a different time, saying “It’s easy to imagine . The Z is the car that democratized sports cars back in the ’60s. Before that, you had to have the money to buy a Porsche or Jaguar. The current car has been a long time in the dealerships, and so you can imagine the designers working on a successor, even if I am not going to confirm it."

But, as is usually the case with good news, there’s also bad news. In this case, it’s only potentially bad news, but it falls into that category all the same.

The Next-Gen Z-Car and GT-R Could Be Electric

A New Nissan Z and GT-R Are Coming, But You Might Not Like Them

Now, it’s a far sight to say that either car will be all-electric, but there is a decent possibility that it could happen to one or both. The company is open to electrification, though, and considering the fact that the next-gen GT-R could still be as much as 7-8 years out, there’s a good possibility than an all-electric GT-R could happen. Remember, rumors point to corporate indecision when it comes to the GT-R in that the company can’t decide whether to go hybrid or electric. And, making matters even worse, it could be 2027, but the time a new Nissan GT-R arrives. That would make the current model 20 years old, and there’s a good possibility that Nissan will keep it on the market the entire time, making special editions and minor updates to keep it somewhat relevant.

Plus, it will allow Nissan to keep the V-6 under the hood and still deliver the increase in performance that we undoubtedly expect from the next-gen GT-R. The same story falls into play for the next-gen Z as well. In a market where sports cars are becoming more and more niche and selling them is getting harder and harder, Nissan needs to be on top of its game. And, guess what: The next-gen Z and GT-R might not even be a Nissan at heart.

Nissan is Open to Collaboration for the Next-Gen Z and GT-R

You read that heading right, folks. Nissan is actually considering collaborating with another automaker to bring the next-gen Z-Car and GT-R to life. Of course, there are no specifics to mention at this point, but when asked about collaborating, Espinosa said, “There are no golden rules, and we are particularly open. There are some elements you can’t play with as these are brand icons. There is a limit to what you can share and commonize, with expectations not to go beyond what customers expect from a brand. There are challenges and difficulties that will force us outside to look at different options, but they are important to us.”

This could be a good move for Nissan to some extent, but it feels like Nissan will be the company that loans all of its expertise and engineering. I can’t imagine a Nissan Z-Car or a GT-R bearing major mechanicals or engineering from BMW, Mercedes, Rimac, or any other automaker of sports cars.

Final Thoughts

The truth is that there is a new Z-Car and GT-R coming. We just don’t know when, how, or if they will be true Nissans at their core. As far as the next Z-Car and GT-R going electric, well, that’s another story. Right now, the company is very undecided, questioning whether or not sports car buyers are ready for all-electric sports cars yet. And, let’s not forget the fact that batteries are heavy, and that makes it very difficult to create a down-to-earth sports car that drives and handles as it should. At this point, let’s just hope it’s not another decade before a new Z or GT-R comes to market.

Images Sourced from Enoch Gabriel Gonzales via Behance