Nissan Executive States Co-Development of Nissan GT-R and Acura NSX Could Be Feasible
Acura, Nissan
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Despite the collapse of merger discussions earlier this year, Nissan continues to engage with Honda. Both companies have confirmed they are working on next-generation models for their flagship supercars, and we recently shared exclusive insights into the forthcoming Nissan GT-R’s hybrid powertrain and production timeline. This raises the possibility that the two automotive giants might influence each other's development processes.
During the 2025 New York Auto Show, Ponz Pandikuthira, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, informed The Drive that conversations between the two manufacturers are still happening. Unprompted, he also described a scenario where the next-gen GT-R could be jointly developed with Honda and Acura’s upcoming NSX using a shared platform, which he believes is feasible, despite Acura's prior assertion that the next NSX will be completely electric.
“Can we create a next-generation NSX and GT-R on the same platform while ensuring that the NSX remains true to its original essence and the GT-R stays authentic to its identity? So they don’t end up being duplicates?” Pandikuthira rhetorically questioned. “Do you think we could co-develop two distinct vehicles like that? I think we can.”
“The authenticity of this is significant,” he continued. “An Acura NSX has a very distinct heritage. It’s super lightweight, made entirely of aluminum.” He outlined the differences between the supercars, emphasizing that the NSX is “extremely precise, lightweight, and executed with aerospace quality, while a GT-R is powerful, yet remains a finely tuned powerhouse.”
Pandikuthira expressed optimism that these two unique interpretations of a flagship supercar could emerge from shared technologies. He also pointed out that Nissan's new CEO, Ivan Espinosa, who previously led the merger talks with Honda during his tenure as Nissan's Chief Planning Officer, has been in constant communication with Honda.
According to Pandikuthira, while discussions regarding a full merger have indeed stopped, it’s crucial to remember that the two carmakers established a “strategic partnership” last August to collaborate on future products, well before any unification discussions began. He indicated that this initiative to collaborate on specific projects remains very much alive.
“We need collaboration,” he said. “Partnerships will be vital for delivering vehicles in the future, and I believe they will play a central role in our journey ahead.”
Former Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida and Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe were present at a joint press conference announcing a planned merger on December 23, 2024, which was ultimately abandoned by February.
Beyond Honda, Nissan could explore other potential alliances that have yet to emerge. “Perhaps the specific partners haven’t been identified, but it seems feasible,” Pandikuthira remarked, in a broad reference to alliances necessary for the auto industry’s survival.
He noted that Aston Martin can introduce certain models to the market “only because they collaborated with Mercedes-Benz,” citing how the British brand sources engines from AMG while still maintaining distinct identities. “But they aren’t copies of one another,” he added.
Next-Gen Nissan GT-R and Acura NSX Already in Progress
The automotive industry is evolving rapidly, prompting shifts in product plans. In 2021, The Drive reported that the Acura NSX would make a return for a third generation. Since then, the expectation has generally been that the successor to the second-generation hybrid NSX, which ceased production in 2022, would take the form of a high-performance electric vehicle.
However, last summer, former Honda Global Executive Vice President Shinji Aoyama cast some doubt on the model’s future. While he explicitly stated that Honda was preparing an electric sports car, he suggested that it might be introduced under a different name. “We are planning to unveil a sports model; it may not be called NSX but will resemble an NSX type of vehicle,” Aoyama told The Drive at that time. He also noted that this new vehicle would not utilize solid-state battery technology, as it wouldn't be ready yet.
The Honda NSX and Nissan GT-R are familiar rivals on the racetrack, having competed in Japan’s Super GT series for many years.
Is Honda’s intended “sports” EV the same as the third-generation NSX? The answer is still unclear. Meanwhile, Nissan representatives have recently provided insights into what to anticipate from the upcoming “R36” GT-R, which Pandikuthira indicated is set to debut in three to five years. Although Nissan previously hinted that the next GT-R could be completely electric, The Drive reported last week that the flagship supercar is currently being developed as a hybrid or plug-in hybrid with a turbocharged engine.
During our discussion last week in New York, Pandikuthira made it clear that this should not be interpreted as confirmation that the future GT-R and NSX are being developed together. Instead, he believes “it
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Nissan Executive States Co-Development of Nissan GT-R and Acura NSX Could Be Feasible
Following the unsuccessful merger discussions, the leader of Nissan Americas mentions that co-developing the Nissan GT-R and Honda NSX on the same platform could be a possibility.