Next Nissan GT-R To Feature Le Mans Powerplant

The next Nissan GT-R could be powered by the same engine out of Nissan’s 2015 LMP1 Le Mans racer, according to European reports.

Speaking with Top Gear UK, Nissan’s Ben Bowlby is said to have confirmed that a road-going version of the Le Mans racer’s powerplant will motivate the next GT-R.

Unveiled earlier this year, Nissan’s GT-R LM Nismo for the 2015 Le Mans 24-Hour raised eyebrows as a front-engined, front-wheel-drive sports car.

Power in the racer comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine matched with an electric motor to produce 933kW. 

While the next GT-R won't produce anywhere near 933kW, it could reasonably be expected to offer more than the current model’s 404kW/628Nm with some know-how from the Le Mans program.

Mr Bowlby said he believed it was important for Nissan to develop engines for the road through the stresses of motorsport, saying that the LMP1 racer is a “shortcut” for the engine’s development.