NISMO launch late 2016

The decision has been made. The awesome 441kW GT-R NISMO will be the first model from Nissan’s high-performance road car division to go on sale in Australia.

But while the official announcement and launch of the brand is finally scheduled to come in late 2016, don’t expect the GT-R NISMO to actually be on sale and available to drive out of a Nissan dealership until early 2017.

Nissan will most likely use the factory-entered GT3 racing car’s presence in next February’s prestigious Bathurst 12-hour as a promotional tool to launch the road car.

“There will be activity on NISMO road cars this year,” Nissan Australia CEO Richard Emery told motoring.com.au.

Asked which model would be the first NISMO on-sale in Australia, Emery said: “It’s likely to be the GT-R yes.”

motoring.com.au staffer Feann Torr tested the GT-R NISMO on a greasy Silverstone track in England in 2014 and gave it an 88/100 ranking.

He also estimated a price in Australia north of $200,000, which seems fair enough considering the standard car’s pricing starts at $172,000.

Beyond the GT-R, Nissan Australia is still trying to sort out what can be added to the range, with both the 160kW Juke NISMO RS and 260kW 370Z NISMO coupe in the frame.

“They are the two products that are still being debated,” confirmed Emery.

“At this point in time its (product portfolio) not as broad as I would want it to be. How many products we will have available is still up for debate.”

NISMO was first touted for Australia back in 2014 and has been scheduled and re-scheduled several times since, much to the frustration of Emery, a former Mercedes-Benz executive who understands the power of a performance badge courtesy of the success of AMG.

“It’s not going to make a huge difference to our volume, but what it will do is make our showroom floors a bit more exciting, which I think is something we lack,” he said.

“It will make our showrooms a bit more interesting for our customers to go and look at and see what we have to offer and that rubs off on the rest of the brand.

Meanwhile, a decision on Nissan Australia’s ongoing commitment to V8 Supercars in Australia may now not come until late April.

While Emery is positive about the category and a continuation, the decision must be signed off at multiple levels in Japan.

“Companies have a few levels of decision making and Nissan has a few more than I would like,” he said with a smile.

“And I am of the view you don’t ask the question until you know what the answer is going to be.

“You can ask the question at the wrong time. I’d rather ask the question at the right time when I when have all my ducks in a row.”

Nissan Motorsport, the Kelly family-owned team which races four Altimas with factory backing, exited last weekend’s V8 Supercars opener with Michael Caruso leading the driver’s championship and brothers Rick and Todd Kelly both in the top 10 after strong runs.