After years of rumors and speculation, Nissan is officially bringing back the Skyline. Earlier this year, reports suggested the iconic nameplate would return—even though it never truly disappeared in Japan—as a rear-wheel-drive performance sedan, possibly with a manual transmission. Now, new details reveal exactly where the upcoming Skyline will fit within Nissan’s lineup.
According to Auto Express, the Japanese automaker is preparing the next-generation sports sedan for a 2027 debut. The new model will feature rear-wheel drive, a manual gearbox, and design cues inspired by the classic Skylines of the 1960s and 1970s.
At this year’s Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s global design director, confirmed to Auto Express that the new Skyline “will be inspired by the past, but it won’t be a retro styling exercise.” The goal, he explained, is to create a car that is “aggressive and modern, with proportions that recall the original, but with a design that looks ahead.”
According to Alfonso Albaisa, the Skyline will occupy a unique position in Nissan’s lineup—”somewhere between the Nissan Z and the GT-R”— blending pure performance with everyday usability. If the project receives official approval, 2027 could mark the long-awaited return of one of the most storied names in Nissan’s history.
Nissan Skyline 400R Limited
Photo by: Nissan
Albaisa also hinted that the new generation will take the form of a four-door sedan or fastback, a direction supported by earlier reports. The design, he said, will capture the expressive spirit of the late-1960s Skylines, particularly those built between 1968 and 1970, when the model evolved from a traditional three-box sedan into a more dynamic, flowing shape.
The news comes as Nissan continues a major internal restructuring effort aimed at redefining its lineup and reviving several of its most iconic models—including the Xterra, among others. In that context, the return of the Skyline nameplate feels like a natural evolution.
It’s important to note, however, that the upcoming Skyline will not serve as a GT-R successor—and unfortunately, the nameplate itself is unlikely to reach the US market. Nissan is still developing a new performance halo model to replace the outgoing R35 GT-R. As for the Skyline, a new Infiniti performance sedan based on the same platform is still expected to appear Stateside in the near future.
Either way, enthusiasts have plenty to look forward to from Nissan over the next few years.
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