Dubai:
Automotive manufacturers are not limiting the thrill of extreme speeds to the racetrack — they are now turning out roadworthy versions too. Nissan has formally lifted the veils on its ‘Nismo’ high-performance line-up in the Gulf markets, with the UAE seeing the world premiere of the Patrol Nismo. The follow on versions will be the GT-R Nismo and the 370Z Nismo.
The actual dates of the models’ arrivals have not been revealed, nor what the showroom prices could likely be. But these will be well within the “purchase basket of consumers in the region”, according to a top official at Nissan M.E.
“There are two likely buyers for the Nismo — the bonafide motorsport fan and those who we would like to call ‘highlight seekers’,” said Samir Cherfan, Managing Director. “They are not exactly motorheads, but the Nismo would bring a totally new experience to their driving. And we intend to live up to the brand claim of ‘Innovation that Excites’.”
Nissan has been building up to the Nismo introduction for three years now, dedicating a lot of its exposure to racing and being involved in pursuits such as drifting. A Nissan GT Academy in Dubai also forms part of the bigger picture.
“Nissan has a heritage in real motorsports … we have won the races to prove it,” Cherfan said. “In this region, we have been investing heavily in the sport, in cross-country and in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.
“With Nismo, we have not just added power and performance, but coupled it with upscale looks, for both the exterior and interior.”
Those automotive brands are seamlessly bridging the gaps between what once was purely meant for the race tracks to getting versions of them onto production-fit models. UK’s McLaren has consistently pushed the boundaries of what can be done through multiple such models in recent years. Porsche Motorsport has just confirmed sales of the Cayman GT4 Clubsport (with 385-hp and 1,300 kilogram) will commence on November 18 — the same day the model has its world premiere at the Los Angeles Motor Show.
“With the Nismo, we decided to go ahead with the introduction here as it made sense from both a business and branding perspective,” Cherfan said. “I will not get into what sort of numbers we expect, but it will have a part in raising our marketshare from 7.9 per cent in the Gulf to 10.3 per cent” in the near term.
The Patrol Nismo, in particular, has got what it takes to fly in these markets. The flagship SUV has had a legendary run through the 50 years it has been available. The current version has taken on all comers and still been holding its own with some ease. The Nismo can add a whole new dimension — all 428-hp of it — to that dominance. The torque improvement works out to a ’70 per cent rev-range’.
Cherfan declined to get into specifics over what the likely price tag could be. The higher spec variants of the standard Patrol is well over Dh200,000, with the top-end Platinum model above Dh285,000.
“The Patrol Nismo pricing will be accessible to those who want to commit to a racing experience” Cherfan said. “The Nismo DNA grants just that.”
