Nissan looks to be readying a NISMO version of its new Pulsar hatchback in time for the Paris show this week, judging from a
spy shot
of the car posted by Autocar.
Not exactly inspiring origins...
We don't know yet whether this is a concept or the real thing, but Nissan has dropped big hints it's going to apply its performance brand treatment to the newly launched five-door Focus rival.
"This segment has got NISMO written all over it," Nissan's special projects guru Jerry Hardcastle told PH at the launch of the Pulsar last month. "The halo will come later as the Pulsar brand develops."
As the car stands right now it's not exactly a pulse-raiser. There's no three-door version and the huge amount of rear-seat space by necessity makes the design a bit too bulky to create a slippery looking fast hatch in a way that the Ford Focus ST manages, for example.
But then you wouldn't have bet on a Juke NISMO either and now Nissan has now shown a NISMO RS version of that. The engine in the Pulsar NISMO is likely to be the same 218hp version of the 1.6-litre turbo unit that's coming to the Pulsar anyway in milder form.
But then that hasn't stopped them before!
And talking of incongruous, you wouldn't have expected the original Japan-only 1990s Pulsar to morph into the fearsome GTI-R with its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine and four wheel-drive either. Plenty arrived here via the grey channels and gained a loyal following - many are
still going
This won't be as focused, at least to start with. But judging from the snatched picture, Nissan has worked on the front end styling with its lip spoiler, minimalist wheels and large brake discs.
Likely targets for the car are the Kia Cee'd GT rather than more mainstream models like the Golf GTI, but don't discount Nissan's ability to transform an unpromising-looking car. It's got form.