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GTR 2007

Ever since the Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R launched in 1998, few cars have been able to match it for sheer enjoyment behind the wheel.

While Skyline fans in Japan and the US have been able to bide their time with the new Skyline and Infiniti G35 sports sedan respectively, everyone else has had to make do with the (admittedly brilliant) 350Z.

And while the 350Z and G35 Skyline are by no means placid, the sheer muscle of the GT-R has left a large void in Nissan's line-up, and many are still waiting patiently for the new model.

As much as we wish we could say "The wait is now over," we can't.

But we do know that Nissan has just registered the name 'Infiniti GT-R' in Australia, with side notes along the lines of "super-coupe due 2007".

While Australia, like Japan, has never had the American-style twin-naming conventions of Nissan and Infiniti, this looks set to change over the next few years, and the next Tokyo Motor Show will shed some light on why the hallowed GT-R nameplate has been shelved for so long.

At present there is very little concrete evidence regarding the next generation Skyline/Infiniti GT-R.

An 8-speed automatic gearbox is one of the rumoured items to be making its debut, as are magnetic valves, but it's been so long between drinks for the GT-R that there are sure to be more surprises in store.

One of which will be the engine. The heart and soul of the latest model GT-R, the 1998 R34, was its RB26DETT inline, 2.6-litre 6-cylinder engine.

Though the manufacturer quoted the engine as outputting 280bhp or 208kW of power @ 6800rpm, that figure was very conservative, and the twin-turbo nature of the engine ensured copious amounts of torque - 392Nm @ 4400rpm to be precise.

So what's the word on the new Godzilla engine? Some insiders have changed their tune of a 6-cylinder turbo mill to a nat atmo V8, which probably wouldn't go down well with the traditionalists.

What about a more traditional inline six? Unlikely, as Nissan would have to go to the drawing board for that one.

At present the most likely candidate for the new GT-R will be the same engine used in the 350Z and other Nissan applications, the VQ35DE 3.5-litre quad-cam V6.

Feann Torr, one of our road testers, reviewed the 350Z back in August of 2003, and he was mightily impressed with its smooth yet torquey nature.

He said: "The final word on Nissan's V6 engine? Brilliant. And get this: There is even talk that Nissan will take this 3.5-litre engine and bolt on a pair of turbochargers for use in new 350kW+ R35 GT-R, set to hit the streets in 2005. Drool..."

Well, his prediction that the next generation GT-R will arrive in 2005 may be somewhat premature, but the twin turbo 3.5-litre V6 powertrain is close to the mark, possibly codenamed the VQ35DETT.

350 kilowatts is one number, but many of Nissans big wigs have been overheard in the past talking about the new car rivalling some of Porsche's. So can we expect even more power - 500bhp perhaps?

Even if this 350kW twin-turbo V6 engine did see the light of day in the 2007 GT-R, it would create one very quick thoroughbred car, especially is it tips the scales at under 1500kg (the R34 weighed 1666kg).

But on the topic of thoroughbreds, Nissan and its parent company Renault want to sell the new GT-R worldwide, so don't be surprised if some compromises are made to suit a myriad of regional design rules.

The new GT-R is likely to be AWD, like its predecessor, but whether a new version of the ATTESA system will be included is not yet known.

The ATTESA system in previous GT-R's used a 16-bit microprocessor to monitor the car's movements at something like 100 times per second, with sensors recording wheel rotation plus lateral and longitudinal acceleration. When one wheel slipped, it simply diverted more torque to the wheels with grip.

An upgraded version, perhaps with a 32-bit processor, of the ATTESA system could be implemented in the 2007 GT-R, though the R34's all-wheel-steering Super HICAS (the rear-wheels could be turned by 1°) system is less likely to make it into the 21st century GT-R.

Another big issue for many hardcore GT-R fans will be the styling, and what of the trademark circular tail lights that adorn the rear? In 2001 Nissan unveiled what it called the GT-R Concept, which looked to be modelled on a 350Z chassis - but even it came with the trademark circular tail lights.

And it was supposed to reach production in 2004. So much for that.

But notice how it was called the 'GT-R Concept', and not the 'Skyline' or 'Infiniti' GT-R Concept? After Nissan Australia registered the name Infiniti GT-R recently, it now makes sense, as the vehicle is almost guaranteed to be called the Skyline GT-R in the Japan and the Infiniti GT-R everywhere else in the world. And it's understandable, as even today the R32, R33 and R34 models are treated like aluminium alloy masterpieces.

But while the GT-R concept that appeared in 2001 is a good indication of how the new GT-R may look, some rumours suggest that the car will be more akin the 2004 model Nissan Skyline/Infiniti G35 sports coupe.

With the revelation of the GT-R Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show 2001, Nissan has finally ended these discussions. The radical GT-R Concept gives an impression of what the replacement of the Skyline GT-R (due 2004) might look like.

So, with the new skerrick of information that promises to end the speculation of when the legendary Nissan GT-R will makes its debut, all we have to do now is play the waiting game