Nismo executive reveals plans for an electrified sports model – report

The boss of Nissan's high-performance division Nismo has revealed the company is working on a future electrified sports model – and it has nothing to do with the latest Nissan Z or the ageing R35 GT-R.

Takao Katagiri, CEO of Nismo – the performance and motorsports arm of Nissan – told the UK's Autocar it was working on an "exciting" performance model for Japan, the UK and Europe, to be sold “under the Nismo brand”.

The comments have fuelled speculation that the vehicle will be a standalone model, unrelated to Nissan's current or future model line-up.

Sources have hinted to Drive the model is more likely to relate to the Nissan Max-Out concept car, revealed back in November 2021 as an electric roadster.

Interestingly, the Max-Out happens to share a number of vague design elements with a retro-looking Silvia concept – a model better known in Australia as the 200SX when it was on sale in the 1990s and early 2000s – which was shown in sketches by Nissan Europe around the same time.

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Both the Max-Out and the Silvia concept have a square-shaped front end, full-width headlights, and a prominent swage line running along the side of the vehicle that squares-off the front wheel arches.

In January 2022, Japanese publication Best Car reported there were plans in place at Nissan HQ to revive the Silvia as an affordable electric sports car, apparently inspired by Nissan Europe's sketches.

“[There] is a very, very important vision [in Europe] for Nissan. It’s around the heart of this [new car],” Mr Katagiri told Autocar this week, in relation to the future Nismo model.

“This region [the UK] is very, very special for us, especially [for] performance cars. So one thing I can say is please wait. We are going to introduce a very exciting model to the UK market under the Nismo brand.”

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Mr Katagiri also reportedly said the mystery Nismo model will use a “combination” of hybrid and electric power.

His comments led Autocar to speculate about an electrified replacement for the GT-R supercar.

Strict noise and emissions laws forced Nissan to axe the current-generation GT-R from Europe in early 2022, while the recently-launched Nissan Z is barred from entry under the regulations, all but ruling those models out for a Nismo makeover in that market.

The European Union is also planning even stricter laws, which some in the industry expect will accelerate a transition towards electric cars.