Home / Motoring / Sports Cars

Nissan’s Next Big Sports Sedan Comeback Will Deliver a Solid Dose of Manual Nostalgia

America’s Skyline is shaping up to deliver some big driving enthusiast promises, how can we say no?

Rear view of a dark gray Nissan Skyline Nismo with illuminated red taillights and a white license plate.Nissan
Add Gear Patrol as a Preferred Source on Google
A black and white portrait of a smiling man with short, dark hair. He is wearing a light-colored blazer over a collared shirt. The background is plain and unobtrusive.

By Chris Chin

Published

·

Updated

One of Nissan’s most coveted sports car nameplates is making a grand comeback. And, it’s on track to return as an Infiniti in the States.

But more so, anticipation is growing even more after the Yokohama automaker teased a next-generation Skyline sedan, and we honestly couldn’t be any more excited. That’s because Nissan is making some big, fun car promises for the new Skyline.

If all holds true, the BMW 3 Series and friends might have something to worry about in the near future.

A new Skyline for US

Just a short time ago, Nissan held its annual product strategy conference at its homebase in Japan. There, executives outlined a new plan to revamp its lineup and put itself back on the map in a positive light.

It’s no mystery that Nissan and its luxury division have both had it rough over the past decade and beyond. After suffering from mismanagement, which led to significant financial turmoil and a woefully stale lineup, both brands have been in dire need of a lifeline.

Dark gray Nissan Skyline Nismo sedan driving on a curved road with a yellow centerline.
The US got Nissan’s Japanese Domestic Market Skyline since the introduction of the G35 in 2002.
Nissan

But over the past several years, the automaker’s been hard at work, restructuring itself to stave off financial ruin. And more recently, they devised a new plan.

That plan includes reviving some notable fan favorites such as the Xterra off-roader. It also includes giving Infiniti a much needed boost to become more competitive and bring excitement back to the brand. Regarding the latter, Nissan is now promising big things for its bread-and-butter compact sports sedan, the Skyline, ranging from offering a manual, lots of performance and high fun factor.

White Infiniti coupe with black grille and wheels driving on a road with green grass in the foreground.
The Infiniti Q60 was basically a two-door JDM Nissan Skyline federalized for North America.
Infiniti

Such news spells big promises for Infiniti because a new Skyline means a new Infiniti Q50 sedan and possibly, Q60 coupe, for US. Since 2003 and the introduction of the G35, Infiniti’s BMW 3 Series fighter has mostly been a rebadged Japanese Domestic Market Nissan Skyline.

Whatever the company does majorly with that model affects the outcome of Infiniti’s version for the States.

Twin-turbo V6 power and a six-speed manual? Say no more!

Rear side view of a black Nissan Skyline with illuminated red circular taillights in a dark setting.
The next-gen JDM Skyline sedan will keep with tradition by retaining a signature design element, quad-ringed taillights.
Nissan

In light of the anticipation surrounding the next-gen Skyline, rumors and speculation indicate an emphasis on performance and affordability. But most of all, fun-to-drive factor. For instance, one of the rumors says the new Skyline will come with an optional a six-speed manual, bucking the trend of the dying transmission type.

The new Skyline will also incorporate a lot of styling cues from past notable models. In the teasers, the automaker previewed the car’s taillights, which very clearly sport twin dual-ring taillight designs.

Red Infiniti sedan driving on a road with green fields and trees in the background.
The last Infiniti Q50 sedan was basically an Americanized carbon copy of the JDM Nissan Skyline sedan, and the formula will remain the same.
Infiniti

The latter is reminiscent of the Skyline’s signature quad circular taillights, a distinctive element dating its origins as far back as the seventh generation model from 1985. The four-ringed taillights later became more prominent with the succeeding R32, R33 and R34 generations.

It’s been a defining feature of the Skyline’s exterior aesthetic, including the GT-R’s. The Infiniti versions also inherited all of the Skyline’s aesthetic and then some. Since, the original G35/G37 and Q50/Q60 were simply rebadged and slightly redesigned JDM Skylines.

Silver Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 coupe with rear spoiler on a gray studio background.
The four-ringed taillights has been a defining design trait of the Skyline, with the R34 generation really embracing it.
Nissan

For the new model, word also has it that the successor’s formula will pretty much remain the same. Rear-wheel drive, twin-turbo V6 power from the brand’s latest VR-based family (currently powering the latest Armada/Patrol) and a backbone derived from the outgoing “V37” Skyline/Q50/Q60 generation.

Okay, we’re convinced. Sign us up already.

About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).

Read More

Want to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.

add as a preferred source on google
,