Nissan Confirms December 2026 Reveal for V38 Skyline

Nissan has set a December 2026 debut for the 14th generation Skyline, confirming a dramatically accelerated development programme that reached completion in just 26 months. Chief executive Ivan Espinosa told Asahi Shimbun the rear‑drive V38 is a key product in Nissan's bid to sharpen its lineup, and the shortened timeline was achieved through extensive use of artificial intelligence across design, engineering, testing and manufacturing.

The 26‑month cycle cuts the previous V37 programme's 55‑month development time by more than half. Nissan says the speed gains came in part from operational changes learned through its joint venture with Dongfeng and from carrying forward an updated, familiar architecture rather than starting from scratch.

Heritage, architecture and powertrain

The V38 continues to use an evolved FM platform, the front‑midship layout first introduced with the V35 nearly 25 years ago and known in North America as the Infiniti G35. Nissan notes the configuration shifts mass toward the centre of the chassis to reduce load on the front suspension, which helps turn‑in response and on‑limit stability.

Under the bonnet the V38 is expected to rely on a 3.0‑litre turbocharged V6. Nissan's VR30 as fitted to the Z produces more than 400 horsepower in its current tune, and engineers are evaluating a hybrid variant for future applications. Transmission choices will mirror the Z for now, with a six‑speed manual offered alongside a nine‑speed automatic. The outgoing V37 used a turbocharged inline‑four sourced from Mercedes; this generation concentrates on Nissan's own V6.

Design details nod to Skyline history. The V38 reportedly carries circular, integrated headlight graphics and sculpted fenders that reference the Hakosuka era, chosen to mark the 70th anniversary of the Prince Skyline, which began production in 1957 with a 1.5‑litre naturally aspirated four.

Production will take place at Nissan's Tochigi plant in Japan, the same facility that builds the Z. Nissan also intends the V38 to form the basis of a future Infiniti sedan, with speculation that the Q50's replacement could arrive in the second half of 2027 for the 2028 model year.

Beyond the single model, Nissan says the AI tools and new processes used on the Skyline are part of a wider restructuring. The company plans to standardise components around three core vehicle families that it expects will account for about 90 percent of global volume, and to expand artificial intelligence into active safety and automated driving systems. Nissan told reporters it intends to equip 90 percent of its lineup with AI‑powered driving technology and states that ProPILOT L2++ hardware is capable of Level 4 automation.