Tag Archives: Nissan

News

Nissan Plots Formula E-Infused Hot EV Prototypes for Future Nismo Models

Nissan is weighing up an ambitious plan to harness its Formula E expertise to shape the next era of high-performance electric vehicles – with potential prototypes set to lay the groundwork for future Nismo-badged road cars.

In an interview with Autocar, Tommaso Volpe, head of Nissan’s Formula E squad, confirmed that internal discussions are ongoing regarding a potential collaboration between the Paris-based race team and the company’s in-house performance division, Nismo. The goal? To fast-track development of EVs that don’t just go the distance – but do so with thrilling pace and precision.

“Nothing is agreed yet,” Volpe clarified, “but we are considering a proposal to develop prototypes based on standard road-going chassis. These would act as testbeds for Nismo, allowing them to enhance the performance characteristics of electric cars.”

Nissan’s current EV performance offering is limited to the Ariya Nismo, a mildly warmed-up version of its electric SUV. However, senior executives have hinted at much bigger ambitions. Nissan product planning boss Ivan Espinosa previously spoke of “exciting plans” for a future line-up of Nismo EVs, including as many as four or five halo models to spearhead the brand’s performance push.

The proposed tie-up with Formula E could serve as a turning point. Until now, technology transfer between road and race EVs has mostly flowed in one direction – with learnings from production models, like the Leaf, informing race car software development. But that paradigm is expected to shift with the arrival of Formula E’s Gen4 cars in the 2026/27 season.

The Gen4 machines will pack around 800bhp from dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrains – nearly doubling the 469bhp output of today’s racers. More critically, they’ll mirror the drivetrain configurations increasingly found in road EVs, such as the Ariya’s e-4ORCE AWD system.

“This is where we’ll see the real crossover,” Volpe explained. “The performance and efficiency thresholds in Gen4 will be pushed to the limit. With all-wheel drive becoming standard in both racing and consumer EVs, there’s a huge opportunity for us to influence future Nismo products directly.”

The idea is to develop prototype mules that utilise race-bred twin-motor technology and advanced traction control strategies. These testbeds would serve not only as validation platforms but also as inspiration for future production models – potentially unlocking new levels of grip, torque vectoring, and energy management for Nissan’s electrified performance line-up.

According to Volpe, the Gen4 regulations themselves were co-shaped with this kind of synergy in mind: “There was strong pressure from Nissan and other OEMs to make AWD standard. It aligns perfectly with where the EV market is heading.”

While it remains to be seen whether these prototype collaborations will get the official green light, the direction of travel is clear: Nissan wants to fuse its motorsport DNA with its EV future, and Nismo is poised to benefit from the trickle-down of Formula E’s most cutting-edge tech.

If the plans proceed, enthusiasts could soon see Formula E-inspired Nismo EVs that blend race-honed dynamics with road-ready practicality – and potentially reignite the brand’s performance legacy in a fully electric form.

Source: Autocar

NEW CARS

Sixth-Gen Nissan Micra Launches in September, Starting at £22,995

The Nissan Micra, once known as the charming but unassuming city car, is turning a radical new page. The sixth-generation Micra, revealed ahead of its September on-sale date, emerges as a bold and fully electric supermini—with a striking design and competitive pricing to match its Renault 5 twin.

Starting from £22,995, the new Micra is Nissan’s latest salvo in its effort to reinvent itself in the European market. Sharing its platform and drivetrain with the Renault 5 EV, the Micra is available exclusively as an electric vehicle for the first time in its 42-year history, marking the end of the combustion-powered Micra era.

A Radical Redesign

While the new Micra shares underpinnings with the Renault 5, Nissan designers were given free rein to ensure the car retains a unique identity. “We had to fight for it,” said exterior design manager Yongwook Cho, referencing the effort to distance the Micra visually from its French sibling.

The result is a head-turning design that blends retro cues from the bulbous third-gen Micra with futuristic flourishes. The circular daytime running lights and exaggerated arches give it a playful but assertive personality. A higher, more muscular bonnet provides a hint of crossover appeal, while the rear lip spoiler and shoulder line—described by designers as “scooped by a gelato spoon”—add flair and distinction.

“This is a grandma car no more,” said Cho confidently. Mission accomplished.

Electric-Only Line-Up with Competitive Range

Two battery options are available: a 40kWh pack good for up to 198 miles, and a larger 52kWh unit offering a more generous 260-mile range. Both power a single front-mounted motor, with outputs of 121bhp and 148bhp respectively.

Pricing starts with the Engage trim at £22,995, which includes 18-inch alloys, a 10-inch touchscreen, and a heat pump. Move up to the Advanced trim (£24,995 with the smaller battery or £26,995 with the 52kWh pack), and buyers gain Google-integrated infotainment, wireless phone charging, and parking sensors.

The top-spec Evolve trim—available only with the larger battery—tops the range at £29,865, adding heated seats and steering wheel, two-tone paint, and Nissan’s one-pedal driving system, e-Pedal.

Nissan expects the Micra to qualify for the UK’s Electric Car Grant, which could knock £1500 off the price—a move that could make a meaningful difference for cost-conscious EV adopters.

Interior Familiarity, Global Ambition

Inside, the Micra mirrors the Renault 5 with twin 10.25-inch displays and familiar switchgear, though it opts for a more muted colour palette with white, grey, and black themes.

European marketing chief Arnaud Charpentier acknowledged the Micra’s mission: to reposition the model as a cool, youthful EV aimed squarely at younger buyers. “The UK is our best market in Europe by far,” he noted, referencing over 133,000 UK sales since the start of 2024. “We had to come back with something different.”

The UK has long held a reputation for associating the Micra with older buyers, but Nissan is clearly aiming to shift that image. “We believe through the audacious and playful design… it’s going to help conquer new types of buyers, like younger, modern parents.”

More to Come in Nissan’s Electric Future

The Micra is just one piece of Nissan’s wider EV offensive. It will be followed by an all-new Leaf crossover, an electric Juke, and a compact A-segment model based on the upcoming Renault Twingo. All are due before the end of 2026, part of a critical phase in Nissan’s bid to rebound in Europe after recent losses and a sweeping cost-cutting programme.

Built in Douai, France, alongside the Renault 5, the Micra may share a skeleton, but it’s got its own soul—and Nissan is betting that’s enough to lure a new wave of buyers.

With a rich history and a nameplate that still carries weight, particularly in the UK and Italy, Nissan’s electric Micra might just be the surprise hit in a fast-growing EV marketplace.

Source: Nissan

SOCIAL MEDIA

TikTokers Catch Nissan Dealer Staff Using Their Car Like It’s Theirs

What was meant to be a tool for safety turned into an unlikely whistleblower.

A young couple in McDonough, Georgia says their dash cam exposed shocking misconduct by staff at a local Nissan dealership, after they dropped off their brand-new 2025 Nissan Kicks for a minor service issue. According to TikTok creators Kay and Will (@kayandwill4life), employees at McDonough Nissan allegedly used their car for personal errands, smoked inside, left it unattended, and even took it home overnight—all while the couple waited for promised repairs and communication.

From Dashboard Light to Digital Nightmare

The ordeal began just one day after Kay and Will drove their new Kicks off the lot. A warning light related to the crash mount system appeared briefly, then vanished after a restart. When they returned to the dealership seeking help, they say they were brushed off with a casual dismissal. What followed was weeks of back-and-forth frustration, unreturned calls, and repeated visits—sometimes multiple times per week—only to be told the issue was likely caused by their aftermarket dash cam or subwoofer.

@kayandwill4life WORST SERVICE DEALERSHIP EVER #Nissan #McdonoughNissan #mcdonough @nissan @Nissan USA ♬ original sound – Kay and Will

With little resolution, the couple reached out to Nissan’s corporate customer care line, who instructed them to drop off the vehicle for extended diagnostics and promised a rental car. But when they arrived, dealership staff reportedly refused to provide the rental—citing the couple’s age, both under 25. After further complaints, they were eventually taken to a third-party rental provider where they waited hours before receiving a vehicle.

Meanwhile, their Kicks stayed behind. And that’s where things got strange.

What the Dash Cam Saw

The couple’s frustration turned to disbelief when Kay retrieved their dash cam from the car for unrelated reasons. Inside, they found open snacks and drink containers left behind. When they reviewed the footage, it allegedly showed dealership staff smoking, eating, and lounging inside the car, taking it on personal errands, and even driving it to someone’s home overnight.

“They smoked in it, they ate in it, they drank in it, they took it home,” Kay said in a video that has since gained traction online.

One clip reportedly showed the car left with a door open long enough for the battery to drain. Others appeared to show a liquor store stop, a fast food run, and extensive non-service use. When Kay attempted to confront the dealership’s general manager with the footage, she says she was left waiting over 30 minutes—only to be told he would not leave his office.

Dash Cam Removed, Damage Left Behind

Shortly after confronting the dealership with the footage, Kay says the dash cam was removed from the car. But by then, the damage—both literal and reputational—had already been done. When the Kicks was finally returned, the couple claims it had sustained visible wear: scratched paint, scuffed trim, and stormwater damage from a window left open during rain.

“There’s more that I don’t know because they took my dashcam out,” Kay said. “Basically just stay away from that dealership.”

They also say they discovered ants inside the vehicle—likely attracted by leftover food remnants.

Legal Limbo and Lack of Accountability

Kay and Will tried to initiate a Lemon Law buyback process through Georgia’s state protections, but found themselves tangled in bureaucracy. Their attempts to cancel optional finance add-ons like gap insurance and tire protection were allegedly denied by dealership finance staff. At one point, they say, they were threatened with an unsolicited credit check.

Despite escalating the issue to Nissan’s corporate offices, the couple was told that McDonough Nissan, like most dealerships, operates independently—and thus, corporate had limited power to intervene further.

Dash Cams as Watchdogs

Auto industry experts say this isn’t the first time a customer’s dash cam has captured inappropriate dealership behavior. Though rare, such footage has revealed joyrides, reckless driving, and even theft in past incidents. In most U.S. states, it is legal to use dash cam footage for dispute resolution if the camera is visibly installed and active during the service visit.

Still, the couple says they’ve been left feeling powerless—caught between a national brand and a local dealership that, in their view, operated with impunity.

Kay summed it up simply: “I had the most traumatic experience.”

Source: Motor1, @kayandwill4life via TikTok