RE: Nismo goes global

Tuesday 26th February 2013

Nismo goes global

New HQ to spawn electric Le Mans entry in 2014 and greatly expanded motorsport programme



News of the new Nismo GT-R we've reported on already is just one strand of a host of developments off the back of Nismo's evolution into a global performance and motorsport brand.

Nismo road cars all part of the plan
Nismo road cars all part of the plan
At an opening shindig for the new Nismo HQ in Yokohama, Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn underlined an ambitious expansion for the performance brand, first established formally in 1984, and since then at the heart of Nissan's motorsport programme. It's also dabbled in road cars on occasion, cars like the legendary R34 Nismo Z-Tune, incorporating Nismo's track expertise into strictly limited-edition models that have since gained cult status.

The new Nismo road cars like the Juke, 370Z and GT-R will have the same spirit but be built in far greater numbers and alongside their regular brethren, the new HQ pooling motorsport and road car development under one roof for the first time. Motorsport will still be core but Nismo's remit is expanding 'to encompass performance road car development alongside Nissan.'

Nismo Leaf previewed electric ambitions
Nismo Leaf previewed electric ambitions
Credit for this expansion has been given by Nissan to the raised awareness of Nismo products through computer games, claiming over 500 million virtual miles were driven in Nissan vehicles in Gran Turismo 5 last year. Giving that generation of gamers the ability to buy real life Nismo products is at the core of the, er, game plan.

The motorsport plan is equally ambitious, Ghosn revealing that Nissan will return to 'Garage 56' following its split from the Deltawing project, this time with its own electrically powered racer that could, in future, spawn an LMP1 contender.

That's some way away yet but with Nissan engines in one third of this year's Le Mans entry there's still a big presence at the 24 hours this year.

A third of Le Mans runners are Nissan powered
A third of Le Mans runners are Nissan powered
The GT-R will continue its development and contest several sportscar championships in 2013, including GT3-class entries in British GT and various classes of the domestic Super GT.

And over in Australia Nissan is returning to competition in V8 Supercars with the Altima V8 Supercar and hoping to reprise the Skyline-based dominance enjoyed by Nissan in the early 90s. Whether the locals will be quite so welcoming is another matter, the Skyline's lockdown on Australian motorsport ruffling more than a few feathers back in the day.

Author
Discussion

WCZ

Original Poster:

10,492 posts

193 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
I thought the Nismo Juke and 370 are actually pretty tame modifications and don't really live up to the past Nismo versions?

GolfSupplierAU

603 posts

193 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
Will the Nismo GT-R be more powerful or just have posher suspension geometry, brakes etc?

wab172uk

2,005 posts

226 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
WCZ said:
I thought the Nismo Juke and 370 are actually pretty tame modifications and don't really live up to the past Nismo versions?
I thought that too. Especially the 370Z. I had a 370Z a 18 months ago, and would have loved a Nismo upgrade to 400bhp.

MrGeoff

645 posts

171 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
Can't complain about Nismo expanding, the Nismo 370 was a nice touch.

Number031

2 posts

160 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
The Skylines of the 90s were epic but the new V8 Supercar will be nothing more than an advertising shell.

Unfortunately the rules are designed to make every car essentially the same with only minor mods and different colours

Si_man306

456 posts

184 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
Essentially boosting a brand via epic levels of viral advertising.

Once again the far east has edged ahead before the rest of us really have time to catch up...

WANT that nismo 370z too...

Big News

1,937 posts

178 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
I'd love it if they could put a works team into WRC. That sport seriously needs some manufacturer-backed life breathed into it.

5potTurbo

12,482 posts

167 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
WCZ said:
I thought the Nismo Juke and 370 are actually pretty tame modifications and don't really live up to the past Nismo versions?
There's a new Nismo Joke in the car park downstairs. It looks, well, like any other Nissan Joke but with some red bits and a few more shiny badges.

ArnageWRC

2,050 posts

158 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
Big News said:
I'd love it if they could put a works team into WRC. That sport seriously needs some manufacturer-backed life breathed into it.
Not a chance? WRC simply doesn't meet the Nissan marketing & future technology requirements. Almost stuck in a time warp - 1.6L Turbo petrol engines, with 4wheel drive..... That's yesterday's tech. Also, Endurance is the thing with Nissan, WRC wants to avoid the word, by turning to sprint type events 10 years ago.

I was slightly underwhelmed by the Nismo announcement - another Garage56 programme, with a non emissions car. With a possibility that that tech will be used in a future LMP1 car.

dandarez

13,246 posts

282 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
Number031 said:
The Skylines of the 90s were epic but the new V8 Supercar will be nothing more than an advertising shell.

Unfortunately the rules are designed to make every car essentially the same with only minor mods and different colours
I'm no authority at all on Skylines, but this one I used to see daily for years locally - always struck me as to how well it was looked after. I spotted it for sale near the end of last year for what seemed not much money. I was so tempted.


rsox87

151 posts

153 months

Tuesday 26th February 2013
quotequote all
dandarez said:
I'm no authority at all on Skylines, but this one I used to see daily for years locally - always struck me as to how well it was looked after. I spotted it for sale near the end of last year for what seemed not much money. I was so tempted.

There's a reason it was cheap - that's a GT-V or a GT-T, not a GT-R. Single turbo (or no turbo at all), less power, narrow body (look at the lack of wheelarch blisters) and a really naff bodykit to boot!

dandarez

13,246 posts

282 months

Wednesday 27th February 2013
quotequote all
rsox87 said:
dandarez said:
I'm no authority at all on Skylines, but this one I used to see daily for years locally - always struck me as to how well it was looked after. I spotted it for sale near the end of last year for what seemed not much money. I was so tempted.

There's a reason it was cheap - that's a GT-V or a GT-T, not a GT-R. Single turbo (or no turbo at all), less power, narrow body (look at the lack of wheelarch blisters) and a really naff bodykit to boot!
I did say I was no authority!
However, appears you're not really sure what it is?
I do know the car had been modified and the engine under the bonnet was a NEO Straight 6 Turbo and the ad I think said TT (doesn't that mean twin Turbo?) and the bodykit was genuine Nismo, regardless of naff or not.