NISMO, Nissan’s in-house performance division, is known for tuning up some of the brands sports cars using motorsport inspired parts and cosmetic enhancements. North American consumers are familiar with flagship NISMO models from various generations of the GT-R, 350Z, 370Z, and the newest Z sports car. Brand enthusiasts may recall some of the shorter lived models sold in North America, such as the 2017-2019 Sentra NISMO and 2017 Juke NISMO RS. However, Nissan offers an even broader, and often stranger, range of NISMO-tuned vehicles across various global markets. Here are some of Nissan’s lesser known and often questionable implementations of the NISMO performance brand.
Nissan Almera NISMO Performance Package
American consumers will recognize this Nissan as the second generation Versa sedan sold between 2012-2019, but it was also sold as the Nissan Almera in some markets. In Malaysia, the Nissan Almera was offered with a NISMO performance package, featuring NISMO-tuned suspension for improved handling and a more dynamic driving experience, along with an aerodynamic body kit and wheels that enhanced its exterior design. Sadly, this package was lacking in performance, as the 1.5 liter four cylinder engine remained unchanged at 101 horsepower via a CVT transmission.
Nissan Serena NISMO
Possibly the most bizarre of all the NISMO specials, the Nissan Serena NISMO is a performance inspired version of their Japanese family minivan. It retains the spacious and practical design of the standard Serena along with its 2.0 liter four cylinder engine, but adds sporty enhancements such as a NISMO-tuned suspension, an ECU tune, and a performance muffler. If for some reason you ever wondered what a minivan would look like with NISMO parts thrown at it, here is your best answer!
Nissan Patrol NISMO
The Nissan Patrol NISMO is another odd implementation of the performance sub-brand, but it remains a popular seller in international markets such as UAE. Instead of focusing on off-road performance enhancements like Toyota has done with their TRD Pro series of trucks, Nissan decided to turn their Patrol NISMO model into a street focused SUV with an extra 28 horsepower increase and an array of cosmetic touches inside and out. The Patrol is sold in the U.S. as the full size Armada, but notably the NISMO model is not carried over from the middle east.
Nissan Skyline NISMO
Hardcore Nissan fans will recall that the legendary Skyline model name separated from the GT-R in the mid 2000s, where it continued being sold in Japan as a compact sport sedan and coupe, which also spawned the original Infiniti G35 sedan and coupe over in the North American market. Meanwhile the R35 GT-R was now a completely independent halo product that dropped the Skyline name from that point on. As time rolled on, each respective market continued selling future generations of the Skyline as the Infiniti Q50 sedan and Nissan Skyline. That brings us to the 2024 Nissan Skyline NISMO, limited to 1000 units in Japan. The Skyline NISMO is essentially Nissan’s home market version of the Infiniti Q50 S Red Sport, delivering 414 horsepower from a 3.0 liter twin turbo V6 engine.
Nissan March NISMO
The Nissan March NISMO, also known as the Micra in some markets, is a sporty variant of the subcompact hatchback available in Japan. It features a NISMO-tuned suspension for improved agility, a lightweight body, and aerodynamic enhancements for an improved driving experience. The March NISMO comes with a sportier exterior design and racing-inspired interior, but Nissan also offered a higher-performance NISMO S version which increased power to 114 horsepower. If Nissan was a little more serious with this car, they could have crafted Japan’s answer to the popular Ford Fiesta ST.
Nissan X-Trail NISMO Performance Package
This one is a bit of a stretch, with Nissan giving the X-Trail crossover a Performance Package from NISMO which was purely focused on cosmetics with no changes in power. It’s hard to consider this a true NISMO model, when it’s really more similar to something like Audi’s S-Line package or Ford’s ST-line option. The X-Trail is identical to the North American market second generation Nissan Rogue, but the NISMO performance package was only available in Japan.
Nissan Note e-Power NISMO S
The Nissan Note has been sold in Japanese and European markets since 2004, with the second generation being sold in North America as the Nissan Versa Note. That second generation (known simply as the Note in Japan) was used to create a performance variant called the Note e-Power NISMO S. The e-Power part of its name speaks to the hybrid powertrain, pairing the 1.2 liter three cylinder engine with electric power that produced 134 horsepower compared to 109 horsepower in the non-S version. Nissan introduced this model for Japan in 2016 with generally positive feedback.
Nissan Note Aura NISMO
Following up on the success of the e-Power Note NISMO S, Nissan took a similar approach when they created the third generation Note Auro NISMO for the Japanese market. The Note Aura was a more upmarket version of the third generation Note, which Nissan used as the starting point for the performance variant. Continuing the e-Power trend, the Note Aura NISMO used a hybrid 1.2 liter three cylinder engine to produce 134 horsepower and came prepared with various NISMO tuned parts and cosmetic goodies to give it some added aggression. While the formula is mostly the same as its predecessor, the overall package delivered a more refined design that matches other products from their lineup.
Nissan Leaf e+ NISMO
Another Japan market exclusive was Nissan’s first fully electric NISMO production car, the Leaf e+ NISMO, based on the second generation Leaf electric car. The changes here as as expected, delivering 147 horsepower from tweaked electric motors driving the front wheels, along with an electric range bump up to 200 miles. The Leaf e+ NISMO featured the signature colorway of Nissan’s performance brand across the interior and its bolder exterior design touches.
Nissan Ariya NISMO
Nissan has brought its second fully electric vehicle into the NISMO family with the recently revealed Ariya NISMO. In its base configuration, the electric powertrain delivers 362 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, but there is also a more powerful variant planned that will increase power to 429 horsepower. The Ariya is sold in North America and other markets, but it remains unclear if the NISMO version will expand globally beyond its Japanese market debut.
Nissan Pulsar NISMO (Concept)
This one never made it to production, which is a shame because it looked like one of Nissan’s more compelling NISMO creations. The C13 generation of the Pulsar hatchback went on sale in Europe and other markets around 2013, sharing it’s platform with other global products, including the North American Sentra at the time. Nissan revealed the near production ready Pulsar NISMO concept at the 2014 Paris Motor Show as an answer to the Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen Golf GTI. Despite overwhelmingly positive reception and Nissan themselves stating their intentions to bring it to market, it never happened. The Pulsar NISMO could have been a new competitor in the exciting hot hatch segment, claiming to deliver around 250 horsepower, but it eventually got left behind, with no official word from Nissan about it’s disappearance.
Nissan has a diverse range of models globally, which has resulted in some oddball NISMO offerings that American consumers will never get to experience. Next time you see a Z NISMO or GT-R NISMO at your local cars & coffee, remember that somewhere in Japan, there is a Nissan Serena NISMO driving around that shares a badge with one of the most legendary Japanese sport car models.