NISMO's Third Decade

Boasting Strength with the Super GT

As sales of the Skyline GT-R dwindled, NISMO shifted their focus to the Z33-type Fairlady Z  Their entry into the GT500 class of the JGTC in 2004 proved successful, as the Xanavi NISMO Z team became series champions in their debut season. They continued their winning streak, securing three consecutive Team’s championship titles in 2005. However, their dominance waned in 2006 and 2007. The JGTC changed its name to SUPER GT in 2005, aiming for more exciting races to attract fans of all ages. In 2008, NISMO introduced the R35 Nissan GT-R, powered by the VK45DE engine, and clinched the series’ championship with 7 wins out of nine rounds.

Although Nissan faced challenges in 2009 and 2010 due to increased competition and a new engine style, a user team’s S Road MOLA GT-R triumphed in 2011 and 2012, claiming two consecutive titles.

From Global Racing Competition to Customer Use

In 2010, Shoichi Miyatani became the fifth president of NISMO. Despite NISMO not participating in major motorsports since withdrawing from the Dakar Rally, NISMO saw an opportunity in the newly formed FIA GT1 World Championship. They quickly developed a GT1-specification car based on the NISSAN GT-R. NISMO supplied four GT-Rs to two European teams, and their performance was impressive, with one of the vehicles winning the second race of the season at Silverstone. The following year, NISMO’s data-driven improvements and skilled driving led to high-place finishes, ultimately securing the FIA GT1 World Championship title.

NISMO’s return to the international stage resulted in increased inquiries for racing components and race-specification vehicles. They developed the VK45DE engine to LM P2 specifications, which proved successful in the Le Mans Series and the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. The engine’s performance and durability earned recognition, and it was adopted by numerous teams in the FIA WEC’s LM P2 class. NISMO also developed the NISSAN GT-R NISMO GT3 for the FIA GT3 series, achieving success in various championships.

Alongside these achievements, NISMO has focused on producing high-performance race-specification cars and components desired by customers worldwide. They introduced innovative vehicles like the NISSAN LEAF NISMO RC, an EV (electric vehicle), which performed demonstrations globally. Another milestone was the Nissan ZEOD RC, a zero-emissions on-demand racing car, set to participate in a special category at the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours in “Garage 56.”