ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS ON THE NEW ARIYA NISMO

NISMO is making a welcome return to Europe with the Ariya NISMO which marks the 40th anniversary of the brand and this will be Nissan’s first fully electric NISMO model in this market. The newcomer is dynamic, agile and with a bold personality and promises to be the embodiment of ultimate Nissan performance. Building on Nissan's strong NISMO heritage and keeping its Japanese-inspired design, the newcomer brings a new level of exhilaration to the already excellent performance of the 87KWh Ariya e-4ORCE. Performance wise, we can expect in the region of 430bhp. Sharp and sporty exterior details and engineering, delivering that signature smooth electric feeling with an added spark from the race track and with its Japanese-inspired crossover design, the all-electric new arrival provides a fluid, aerodynamic performance that reduces drag and generates greater downforce at higher speeds.

Nissan is delighted to be bringing this exciting brand back into the European market with this new and refreshed model and this signals a push forward of electrification of their line-up, . The newcomer is classified as a crossover and it comes with a number of improved parts and offers NISMO tuning, which produces acceleration that is powerful yet smooth and easy to control. Delivering higher performance thanks to a tuned VDC, in combination with high grip tyres, the Ariya NISMO is also equipped with a fine-tuned e-4ORCE system for better power and torque distribution to the wheels and it also provides a continuous G-feel and linear acceleration even at high speed. Customers who will be fortunate to obtain one are set to experience handling and cornering ability usually reserved for motor sport. The e-4ORCE maximises the performance of both front and rear suspension systems, ensuring expert traction in all weather, without losing any of its sports car precision. Additional precision driving is also provided for drivers and passengers with finely tuned brake pads that give reliable, all important stopping power.

Moving to the interior which is striking and it has been meticulously designed to provide a premium and exclusive experience. The new model’s slick, black-based interior is complemented by a spicy red accent that exudes style and sophistication and this is enhanced further by the model's special seats to provide superb grip and fit, ensuring comfort for all who travel in this sporty model.

NISMO has been around since 1964; however their first car came in 1988, the Saurus which was for a one make race series. Next to come and one year later a Skyline GT-R for racing and they also produced five hundred evo models for road use. Many will perhaps recall the Juke NISMO and I had the opportunity back then to take the wheel of one both on a race track and the open road and as I recall it did pack quite a punch. Recent times have seen Nissan enter the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, which was from the 2018/2019 season when they became the first and only Japanese manufacturer to enter this series and they have used it to bring awareness of the arrival of the new Auria NISMO.

Ian Lynas