GT-R RETROSPECTIVE: Japan's All-paw maulers - Nissan GT-R

Godzilla hasn't wreaked havoc since production of the R34 Skyline GT-R ceased three years ago, but Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has promised an all-new iteration of the force-fed AWD head-kicker will arrive in time for the 2007 Tokyo motor show.

Test mules wearing Infiniti G35 coupe clothes have been spied pounding around the Nürburgring for several months, but this latest set of images shows a car with a few subtle variations since the last sighting.

Note the huge (if somewhat ill-fitting) rear bumper with exhaust cutouts and low-riding front bumper/spoiler.

The front and rear guards are heavily pumped, which indicates the GT-R will have a much wider footprint than the G35. The prototype clearly rides on serious rubber, wrapped around what looks to be 19-inch rims.

The rumour mill has been rife with speculation about the under-bonnet action - there's even been talk of a high-output V8 - but the more likely candidate is a twin-turbo version of the VQ35 3.5-litre V6 found under the snout of the 350Z, in keeping with the GT-R's six-pot heritage.

Ghosn has suggested power output will be around the 300kW mark, but - given that Lexus is boasting about 500-plus horsepower (373kW) for its LF-A concept-based supercar - Nissan's warrior may belt out a similar figure. The powerplant (developed with input from Cosworth) will be state of the art, with direct injection, variable valve timing and dry-sump lubrication.

Drive will reportedly be channelled to all four corners via an M5-style seven-speed sequential, although it's possible Nissan will persist with a conventional six-speed manual transmission.