Approximately a year and a half ago, Nissan announced that it would finally release a new generation of Skyline, and we’ve been waiting anxiously to see it ever since. Of course, we, and car fans around the world, have arguably been waiting even longer than that. The current generation of Skyline (and its Infiniti Q50 twin), have been around mostly unchanged for more than a decade.
The long wait is nearly over, as Nissan will reveal the car this December.
This Isn’t Just A Rumor, Nissan’s CEO Announced The Event
The news comes from an interview between a reporter from Japanese news outlet Asahi Shimbun and Nissan’s CEO Ivan Espinosa. Espinosa said clearly that the company would host a reveal event this December. He didn’t give an exact date, but now we know that we only have a couple more months before we finally get to see the new Skyline. Sadly, Espinosa didn’t give any other new tidbits about the car aside from the reveal target. It’s interesting that Nissan will be showing it after the Japan Mobility Show, but before the Tokyo Auto Salon.
What Should We Expect From The New Skyline?
In the time since Nissan announced the new Skyline, it has released a few teaser renderings to give an idea of what the car will look like. The design leans heavily into classic Skyline cues, particularly the quad round taillights. The sides have some crisp horizontal lines and the name spelled out on the rear fenders, both cues that evoke 1960s and 1970s Skylines.
Nissan Skyline TeasersNissan
We also know that the Skyline will continue to be the basis for the Infiniti Q50 sedan. With that in mind, we can use some of the reports about that car to inform us on the Skyline, too. It will likely receive the Nissan Z’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, and probably its transmissions, both automatic and manual. So it will almost certainly have a version making at least 400 horsepower, just like the Z. It will also be rear-wheel-drive, though we wouldn’t be surprised if all-wheel-drive versions will be offered, too.
Nissan has also given some details about the development process for the new Skyline. The company adopted new techniques and procedures to dramatically reduce development time, and Espinosa has said that the new Skyline was developed in 26 months, or slightly less than half the time of its predecessor. Part of the revamped process includes a focus on digital development, and even some use of AI in testing before going to more final, physical development.
Skyline Teaser Rear lights illuminatedNissan
Finally, with a reveal coming in December, the new Skyline will probably be on sale in Japan next year. We’ll probably see a reveal of the Infiniti Q50 sometime next year, and we would expect sales to start by the end of the year, or in early 2028.
2023 Nissan Skyline Nismo Gray Side ViewNissan
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The Skyline is one of Nissan’s most famous and respected names, even if much of that is because of the GT-R line. So, it’s an important model, and it’s one that it wants to get right. It also represents the start of the brand’s new development processes, and will be an indicator of how successful that system is or isn’t. It will even provide Infiniti with some much-needed fresh product, even if it won’t be a volume seller like an SUV would.
The new Skyline might not be Nissan’s biggest seller, but it will still be an important indicator of the company’s future.
Source: Asahi Shimbun
