Nissan GT-R Nismo Flagship Confirmed, More Nismo Models Coming

Nissan is set to bring its Nismo styling and performance arm closer to home, integrating development and production at a brand-new facility.

The move sees Nismo become a major part of the global Nissan brand and marketing, with new roadgoing models to debut over the coming year.

The program kicked off with the launch of new Juke and 370Z variants, but Nissan will soon roll out a roadgoing flagship: the GT-R Nismo.

Details for the new model are still to be revealed, but Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn confirmed today that an unveiling is set to occur in the next 12 months.

Ghosn said the Nismo badge will represent the best of Nissan.

“Nismo will bring new excitement to the Nissan portfolio with a broader range of affordable and innovative performance models for more markets and more people,” Mr Ghosn said.

“Whether it’s a small car or a sports car, if it’s wearing the Nismo badge it offers something special – quality, functionality, and efficiency, with Nismo’s distinctive styling, sporty handling and dynamic performance capabilities.”

“The standard road car is a global supercar and the GT-R’s performance on track reflects the passion and talents of the Nismo team. The GT-R Nismo will be special and I can’t wait to drive it.”

He added that Nismo models will be developed and built alongside their regular Nissan counterparts, promising a new level of integration.

Visiting the new Nismo headquarters, Nissan Chief Operating Officer Toshiyuki Shiga spoke of the brand's heritage.

“We established Nismo in 1984. Next year we have its 30-years anniversary. The Omori facility has a lot of heritage, while before this location was a Nissan R&D center. We have developed a lot of cars from here," Toshiyuki-san said.

"Nismo came here as a Nissan heritage place. From now we are expanding the Nismo brand all over the world. I’m sure we can enhance more through this headquarters.”

The 180-strong Nismo team is now located at Nissan’s Powertrain Engineering complex.

The workshop, engine shop, rooms for fabrication, grinding and carbon composite processes are consolidated into the same floor space along with the parts warehouse.

A new larger showroom allows up to eight vehicles to be displayed, while the retail area is now almost twice the size of the previous store in the Omori factory.

Nissan will also go green at Le Mans again in 2014, following its Delta Wing program with a new all-electric racer.

Taking the Garage 56 slot once again, the track-focused EV will take over from the GreenGT hydrogen racer that will hold the position in 2013.

In 2013, Nissan Motorsport will also do battle here in Australia, making its debut with the Altima race car in the V8 Supercar Championship.

• GT-R | Nismo | Nissan | Performance