Nissan started a teaser campaign for a mystery Nismo model. The debut is August 8, meaning there's not much of a wait to see the premiere and find out which vehicle is getting the sporty treatment.
The translation of the Japanese text accompanying the teaser doesn't shed any additional clues about what vehicle this is. It says: "8/8 10:30 New model released."
Nissan's current Nismo lineup includes the Leaf, Note Aura, GT-R, and the recently launched Z. So, we can rule out this new one from being any of those models.
Judging from the silhouette's appearance, this vehicle is a sedan or hatchback. The proportions don't seem to fit with a crossover or van.
This vehicle seems highly unlikely to be the rumored Nismo hybrid sports car. In 2022, company CEO Takao Katagiri said this product was under development but didn't provide specific details.
Nissan's senior VP for the Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania (AMIEO) region expressed interest in building an electric sports car with solid-state batteries. However, he didn't give any timeline for the project. The company doesn't foresee having this technology in production until 2028.
The Nismo Z is the latest model to be part of this sporty sub-brand. It turns up the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 to 420 horsepower and 384 pound-feet, which are gains of 20 hp and 34 lb-ft. The only available gearbox is a nine-speed automatic. A revised nose and a full-width spoiler on the rear deck add downforce and more aggressive styling. The suspension has revised sway bars, retuned dampers, and stiffer springs. It goes on sale this fall.
This week on Rambling About Cars, we discussed the Nissan Z Nismo:
