The Nissan GT-R, known by many as Godzilla, has received plenty of incremental changes ever since it launched in 2007 — little refinements to make it faster and a little more plush. At some point, however, a new iteration of Godzilla will have to step in. If rumours are to be believed, this next-generation car is due by 2017 and could end up being a hybrid.

Motor Trend reports that the current GT-R is certain to live on until at least 2015, with two more updates currently in the pipeline, but its lifespan could extend to 2017 depending on the development time of its successor. The new car is expected to receive a number of aerodynamic changes in order to improve downforce and high-speed stability.

Thanks to the demands of modern fuel economy regulations, Nissan has also been considering a hybrid system for the next GT-R. If so, the car could end up with the same drivetrain found in the Infiniti Essence concept — a 3.7L twin-turbo V6 engine mated to an electric motor, for a total output of around 600 horsepower. A system similar to that of the Infiniti M35h is also being explored.

There is a crucial problem with hybrid systems however — the additional weight of motors and batteries. Godzilla is already a hefty beast, and in order to maintain the car’s sharp performance, Nissan would ideally like to reduce weight. To solve this problem, engineers have been considering a “turbo compressor and generator setup”, in which an additional drive motor would be integrated into the rear transaxle. By the sounds of things, it would somehow be powered by the GT-R’s turbos, but no further details are mentioned. Whatever solution Nissan chooses, they also intend to use a Start/Stop system and cylinder deactivation to further improve fuel efficiency.

Source: Motor Trend | Image Credit: Nissan