Nissan Leaf Nismo revealed

Nissan has electrified its high-performance Nismo line-up with the addition of the Leaf Nismo that will launch in Japan at the end of this month.

It will bring clean air excitement to the small hatch segment but rather than modify the drivetrain Nissan has simply tweaked the computer for quicker acceleration.

A change of code “allows for a delicate but strong acceleration response” from the car that already has a naturally low centre of gravity due to the placement of the heavy battery array and its range should stay the same - or be less if giving it a squirt.

The extra power will go through unique 18-inch alloys optimised for minimal air resistance and are covered with grippier Continental ContiSport Contact 5 rubber.

Underneath the skin, shock absorbers have been changed for a sportier suspension setup and the electric steering has been modified for sharper speed-sensitive input.

On the outside the Nismo model is differentiated over the normal Leaf with different LED headlights, new front and rear bumpers and grey and red side skirts, front splitter and rear diffuser. There are also Nismo-specific grille, badges and rear fog lamps and nine paint colours including two-tone silver over black and grey over black schemes.

Inside, the model gets a unique Alcantara three-spoke steering wheel with red stitching and red centre marker, custom seat and door panel trim, Nismo emblem and red ascents around the vents and ignition switch. The instrument panel is finished in carbon fibre and the gear shift selector is gunmetal grey.

It’s the first Nissan Leaf model to bring excitement to the range beyond just having environmentally friendly credentials, but so far there are no plans to bring it to any markets outside of Japan.