Nissan looks to more performance offerings
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The Nismo Juke has about 100 components that differ from those in a standard Juke. |
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Nissan Motor Co., seeking a bigger U.S. presence for vehicle sports packages, plans to expand its Nismo performance brand.
The automaker rolled out two Nismo models today at the Chicago Auto Show -- a Nismo Juke and a 2014 Nismo 370Z -- which executives say are the first of a wave of models coming under the brand.
“These are the first two products in what we see as an ongoing evolution and expansion of Nismo,” says Carl Phillips, Nismo marketing chief at Nissan North America. “We have plans for more models to come and more variations within those models.”
The company declined to say what other Nissan products might get Nismo treatment.
“Everything is on the table,” Phillips says. “It’s our goal to have a continuous stream of new products.
“Nismo is on an accelerated development schedule within our company. We are compressing our normal vehicle development to try to get more Nismo products into the market sooner,” he says. “We have approval at the highest level of the company to make this happen.”
The Nismo Juke at the Chicago show has about 100 components that differ from those in a standard Juke. Using engineering points gleaned from its involvement in motorsports, Nissan has lowered the car’s body slightly and increased its downdraft 37 percent to improve aerodynamics.
The car has more massive seats, different side mirrors and different wheels from a non-Nismo Juke, along with a front spoiler and red tachometer gauge faces.
The Nismo brand is more popular in Japan than in the United States, but officials want to make U.S. consumers more aware of the offerings starting this year. Last year’s Nismo 370Z, with its added content, retailed for about $4,000 more than a non-Nismo version of the sports car. The company declined to reveal pricing plans for the newly designed models.
“This is really about the relaunch of Nismo here in the U.S., from an overall brand standpoint,” Phillips says.
The Nismo Juke, which has been introduced in Europe, will reach U.S. retailers in March. The 2014 Z package will come to market this summer.
You can reach Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com.
