CONCEPT CARS

Nissan Aura NISMO RS Concept: A Hot Hatch with Motorsport DNA

At the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motorsports & Customizing Co., Ltd. (NMC) dropped a bold new vision of electrified performance: the Aura NISMO RS Concept. This high-performance hatchback takes the already spirited Aura NISMO and cranks up the aggression—stylistically and mechanically—while borrowing tech from Nissan’s X‑Trail NISMO e‑POWER system.

The RS Concept is more than just a styling exercise. Designed as a technical validation platform, it merges mass-production know-how with NISMO’s racing pedigree, hinting at a potential production future for a halo hot hatch that’s unapologetically performance-focused.

Muscle Meets Aerodynamics

Visually, the Aura NISMO RS Concept is a departure from its city-focused predecessor. Its fenders are 145 mm wider, and the ride height drops 20 mm, giving the car a more planted, aggressive stance. Aerodynamic additions include a front spoiler, side skirts, a rear diffuser accented in NISMO red, airflow-optimized fenders, and a rear spoiler—all aimed at increasing downforce and reducing drag. A Dark Matte NISMO Stealth Gray finish completes the look, keeping reflections consistent no matter the sun’s angle.

“The exterior expresses a more muscular, performance-driven character while staying true to the Aura’s agile roots,” Nissan notes, emphasizing that the design is purpose-built, not just for show.

Powertrain and Performance

Where the RS Concept truly impresses is under the hood—or more accurately, under the body. The car uses the Aura NISMO’s lightweight chassis combined with the X‑Trail NISMO’s high-output e‑POWER series hybrid system, a setup designed to inject immediate torque and sharper throttle response. The front BM46 motor produces 150 kW and 330 Nm, while the rear MM48 motor adds 100 kW and 195 Nm, supplemented by a 1.5-liter KR15DDT range-extending engine generating 106 kW.

That combination, paired with NISMO’s e‑4ORCE all-wheel control, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, and a wider stance, promises confident handling on twisty roads, with braking duties handled by four-pot front and two-pot rear calipers. Despite gaining roughly 100 kg over the standard Aura NISMO, the car aims to remain nimble, thanks to the thoughtful integration of motorsports-derived engineering.

A Glimpse at the Numbers

  • Length: 4,262 mm (+142 mm)
  • Width: 1,880 mm (+145 mm)
  • Height: 1,485 mm (-20 mm)
  • Weight: 1,490 kg (+100 kg)
  • Wheelbase: 2,580 mm
  • Wheels/Tires: NISMO LM GT4 18×9.0J / 245/45R18

Inside, details remain scarce, but Nissan has emphasized that every enhancement—down to suspension tuning—has been refined with both road and potential racing use in mind.

Looking Forward

“Under our Re:Nissan strategy, we are committed to introducing heartbeat models at speed that resonate with customers,” said Yutaka Sanada, president and CEO of NMC. “The Aura NISMO RS Concept is our first offering born from our collective NMC expertise.”

While Nissan has not confirmed production plans, the RS Concept stands as a clear statement: electrified hot hatches with genuine performance credentials are on the horizon. And if the technical wizardry packed into this prototype makes it to a showroom, it could mark the arrival of a truly thrilling NISMO for the EV era.

Source: Nissan

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Honda’s 0-Series Sedan Hits the Brakes, Now Slated for 2027

Honda’s ambitious electric reset just lost a little momentum. The 0 Series sedan—one of the brand’s most important next-generation EVs—won’t arrive this year after all. In fact, it won’t be here until 2027, Honda has now confirmed, quietly stretching the rollout of its all-new electric platform.

When Honda first unveiled the 0 Series, the plan sounded refreshingly decisive: three new EVs on a clean-sheet architecture, all launching in 2026. The lineup included the reborn Acura RSX, a Honda 0 Series SUV, and a sleek 0 Series sedan meant to signal Honda’s electric future. Two of those vehicles are still on track. The sedan, however, has slipped a full year.

According to Jessica Fini, assistant vice president of communications at American Honda, the Acura RSX will lead the charge, arriving in the second half of 2026. The Honda 0 Series SUV will follow later that same year. The sedan, though, has been officially “postponed to 2027.”

The reasons won’t surprise anyone paying attention to the EV market. Over the past year, automakers have been navigating shifting regulatory requirements, new tariffs, and the effective disappearance of federal EV tax credits for many models. That combination has a way of turning once-aggressive product timelines into moving targets.

What’s interesting is how quietly this delay has been handled. Fini noted that Honda mentioned the sedan’s postponement during the Japan Mobility Show, but the news never really made the rounds. Even now, Honda’s own 0 Series website still states that production versions of both the SUV and sedan will arrive in 2026, suggesting the messaging hasn’t fully caught up with reality.

That said, a delay doesn’t necessarily spell trouble. Honda has a long history of taking its time—and often getting the fundamentals right. If the extra year results in better range, more competitive pricing, or a smoother transition to a software-defined vehicle architecture, buyers may never notice the wait.

Still, in an EV race where timing matters almost as much as technology, pushing the sedan to 2027 gives rivals another opening. Honda’s electric reboot is still very much alive—it’s just arriving a little later than promised.

Source: Honda

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BMW Isn’t Done with Big Engines—Not Even Close

Just when it felt like Europe’s regulatory vise was about to squeeze the last drops of fuel from anything with more than four cylinders, BMW is here with a message that will warm the hearts of internal-combustion loyalists: the big engines aren’t going anywhere. Not yet, anyway.

Speaking from Munich, BMW has confirmed that its six-, eight-, and even twelve-cylinder engines remain very much alive—and, more importantly, compliant. According to the company, the next generation of its larger internal-combustion engines will meet the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standards, expected to take effect before the end of the decade. For an industry scrambling to electrify everything that moves, that’s no small claim.

Joachim Post, BMW’s head of technology, told British media that customers can continue to expect inline-sixes and V-8s in future BMW models. That alone would be enough to raise an eyebrow—but Post went further. He also hinted at the return of the V-12 to BMW-branded cars, a powertrain that officially exited the lineup when the M760i bowed out. Since then, BMW’s 12-cylinder masterpiece has lived exclusively under the hoods of Rolls-Royce models like the Ghost, Phantom, and Cullinan.

Now the rumor mill is spinning. Unofficially, the latest evolution of BMW’s V-12 could resurface in a hyper-exclusive model wearing the Alpina badge. With Alpina now operating as an official BMW sub-brand, the door is wide open for a flagship luxury sedan that blends old-school excess with modern emissions wizardry—and probably a price tag to match.

BMW’s commitment to combustion doesn’t stop there. The next-generation M3 has already been confirmed with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six, and it’s set to arrive a year after the debut of the first fully electric M3, which is scheduled to break cover next year. The M4 coupe is also expected to follow into the next generation, ensuring that Munich’s performance division isn’t betting the farm on electrons alone.

The bigger picture is clear: BMW is hedging its bets—and doing it better than most. By continuing to develop internal-combustion, hybrid, and fully electric powertrains in parallel, the brand is positioning itself to serve nearly every kind of buyer, from EV early adopters to die-hard gasoline purists. The European Union’s softening stance on a total internal-combustion ban after 2035 certainly doesn’t hurt.

And the numbers back up BMW’s caution. Last year, 82 percent of global sales across the BMW Group—including Rolls-Royce and MINI—still came from vehicles powered by internal-combustion engines.

In other words, reports of the straight-six’s death have been greatly exaggerated. If BMW has its way, the future won’t be electric-only—it’ll be anything but boring.

Source: Autocar

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