Nissan hints sports cars and electrification aren't mutually exclusive

What does this mean for the next Z and GT-R?

Nissan is moving full speed ahead with its electrification offensive. The company plans to introduce more hybrid and electric models in the coming years, and one of its top officials opined that electrification and sports cars aren't mutually exclusive.

"I don't see electrification and sports cars as technologies that are conflicting," said Jean-Pierre Diernaz, one of Nissan's marketing bosses, in an interview with Top Gear. "Maybe it's the other way around, sports cars can benefit lots from electrification. At the end of the day, a motor and battery are much easier to move from one platform to another, from one sub-segment to another, than a full internal combustion set-up," he added.

The website adds the next-generation GT-R will likely come with hybrid power. It speculates the model that will replace the 370Z will go hybrid, too, though nothing is official yet. Nissan is remaining tight-lipped about both cars. What's certain is that they're under development and we'll see them sooner or later.

"It's a work in progress! Not everything is confirmed in terms of dates. Sports cars are part of who we are, so one way or another they have to be there," Diernaz said. His comments shoot down the numerous rumors claiming the 370Z will retire without a successor. The current model will carry on for at least another year.

What remains to be seen is whether Nissan will develop both model' successors on its own or via a collaboration with another automaker to split costs. Rival Toyota selected the latter option; it worked with BMW on its born-again Supra. Diernaz didn't comment on this point but he warned against diluting the GT-R's image with AMG genes.

"GT-R is GT-R. It has to stay specifically Nissan," he said.