Tag Archives: Nissan

CONCEPT CARS

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

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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

NEW CARS

The Nissan Z Gets a Mid-Cycle Tune-Up—and Loses the Big Grille

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The Nissan Z isn’t old enough to be nostalgic, but it’s already mature enough to know when less is more. Just three years into its lifecycle, the retro-modern sports car is getting a light refresh, and instead of chasing shock value, Nissan has opted for restraint. The updated Z—still called Fairlady Z in Japan—debuted at the Tokyo Auto Salon with a cleaner face, a classy new color, and a handful of mechanical tweaks that matter more than flashy gimmicks.

Let’s start with the nose. If you ever found the original Z’s gaping grille a little too eager to please, you’ll appreciate the revision. Nissan has ditched the oversized opening in favor of a slimmer, two-piece setup. Thin horizontal elements up top sit above a more open lower grille, with a body-colored divider in between. The result is simpler, more confident, and closer to the classic Z proportions enthusiasts actually remember fondly.

The new paint helps, too. Called Unryu Green, it’s a contemporary riff on Nissan’s old-school Grand Prix Green, and it looks right at home on a long-hood, short-deck coupe like this. Paired with fresh 10-spoke, 19-inch wheels, the Z gains a sharper, more premium presence without losing its throwback charm.

Inside, the changes are minimal—almost stubbornly so. A light tan leather option joins the palette, but otherwise the cabin carries on as before. That’s not a complaint. The Z’s interior was never about reinventing the wheel, and Nissan seems content to leave well enough alone. The bigger talking point is the Nismo model, which finally adds a manual transmission to the mix. Some early photos suggest paddle shifters are still present, likely tied to rev-matching duties, but either way, three pedals in a Z-badged Nismo feels like a long-overdue correction.

Under the skin, Nissan has done the kind of homework that rarely shows up in press photos. The refreshed Z gets retuned shocks with larger pistons, a change aimed at improving both body control and responsiveness. Bigger brakes—especially on the Nismo—promise more confidence when driving hard, which is, of course, the whole reason this car exists.

Japan will get first dibs, with the updated Fairlady Z expected to arrive by summer 2026. Nissan hasn’t officially confirmed U.S. availability, but if history is any guide, we’d be surprised if this subtly improved Z didn’t make its way stateside shortly thereafter, likely as a 2027 model.

It’s not a reinvention, and it doesn’t need to be. The Nissan Z was already on the right track. This refresh just sands down the rough edges—and sometimes, that’s the smartest move a sports car can make.

Source: Nissan

NEW CARS

Nissan Revives Its Playful Side with the Pike-Inspired Electric Wave

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Nissan is about to dive back into the European city-car pool, and this time it’s bringing a sense of humor—and history—with it. The company’s upcoming electric runabout will be called Wave, a name that feels breezy, friendly, and intentionally un-serious. That’s fitting, because the Wave is shaping up to be Nissan’s most character-driven small car in years, blending modern EV pragmatism with a design playbook lifted straight from the brand’s late-’80s cult classics.

Due next year, the Nissan Wave will be built by Renault alongside the electric Twingo, with which it shares its basic architecture. This is less badge engineering and more personality swap: same bones, different soul. And if Nissan gets it right, the Wave could do for the city-EV segment what the original Pike cars did for Japanese kei-adjacent oddities—make people smile before they even check the spec sheet.

Pike’s Peak Nostalgia

According to Nissan Europe design boss Giovanny Arroba, the Wave will take inspiration from the brand’s legendary Pike cars—a series of retro-styled small vehicles developed by Nissan’s Pike Factory special projects group in the late 1980s and early ’90s. If that sounds niche, it is—but in the best possible way.

Cars like the Be-1, Pao, Figaro, and S-Cargo were based on the first-generation Micra and leaned hard into exaggerated 1950s design cues: exposed hinges, bold door handles, side strakes, and proportions that bordered on cartoonish. They weren’t subtle, and they weren’t meant to be. When the Be-1 debuted at the 1985 Tokyo motor show, demand was so overwhelming that Nissan had to use a lottery system to decide who got to buy one of the 10,000 cars allocated for production.

That kind of enthusiasm is exactly what modern EVs—especially affordable ones—often lack.

Same Platform, Different Vibe

Under the skin, the Wave will ride on a shortened version of Renault’s AmpR Small platform, the same architecture underpinning the new electric Twingo. That means a tidy footprint—expect the Wave to match the Twingo’s 3.79-meter length—and urban-friendly proportions that prioritize maneuverability over macho posturing.

Power comes from a 27.5-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery, sourced from CATL. LFP chemistry doesn’t win bragging rights for energy density, but it’s cheaper, more durable, and better suited to the stop-and-go life of a city car. Range is expected to land around 163 miles, mirroring the Twingo and landing squarely in the “enough for real life” category.

The payoff is price. Nissan is targeting the same sub-£20,000 sticker as the Twingo, which—these days—counts as aggressively affordable in the EV world.

Retro Without the Red Ink

The clever bit is how Nissan plans to inject Pike-inspired character without blowing the budget. The Twingo already leans into retro cues of its own, referencing the original 1990s model, which gives Nissan a forgiving canvas. Think of it as remixing nostalgia rather than starting from scratch—similar to how Nissan plans to differentiate its upcoming Micra, which is based on the Renault 5.

How far Nissan will push the Pike look remains an open question. Full-on exposed hinges and novelty detailing would be delightful but potentially costly. Still, Nissan will be watching Renault closely. Its alliance partner has found real success mining heritage with the electric Renault 5 and 4, proving that retro isn’t just an aesthetic—it’s a sales strategy.

Fast, Cheap, and (Hopefully) Fun

Beyond design, the Wave benefits from the Twingo program’s ruthless focus on efficiency. Renault claims a development time of just 21 months, aided by a reduced parts count and streamlined production. Nissan gets to piggyback on those gains, which matters because the margins on small cars—especially electric ones—are notoriously thin.

That efficiency also helps explain why Nissan is re-entering a segment it abandoned more than a decade ago. The company hasn’t sold a city car in Europe since it killed off the Indian-built Pixo in 2013. But the landscape has changed. The European Union now offers “super-credits” for small EVs, counting each one as 1.3 vehicles for emissions targets. Suddenly, small electric cars aren’t just charming—they’re strategically valuable.

A Small Car With Big Intent

The Nissan Wave won’t be fast, flashy, or long-legged. It doesn’t need to be. Its job is to make electric mobility feel approachable again—to remind buyers that EVs can be cheerful appliances rather than rolling tech demos. If Nissan successfully channels even a fraction of the Pike cars’ whimsy, the Wave could stand out in a sea of anonymous jellybeans.

In an era where so many new cars feel engineered by spreadsheet, the Wave hints at something refreshingly human. Affordable, efficient, and a little bit weird—in other words, exactly what a great city car should be.

Source: Autocar