Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 17 December 2025
Once a powerhouse in the Japanese performance market, Nissan’s NISMO sub-brand was as aspirational as the best of them.
In modern times, financial troubles has the brand more focused on its core models, but that is set to change, with Nissan announcing plans to double the NISMO model range.
News of this heavy investment into performance comes alongside Nissan’s announcement of its display at Tokyo Auto Salon 2026, where it will display a new NISMO concept.
A grainy photo of a rear quarter was shared with this announcement, leading us to believe it’s either an SUV or a hot hatch. Both of which are well within Nissan’s repertoire.
In New Zealand, Nissan offers a single NISMO model in the form of the Z coupe, but internationally the NISMO offering is five-strong.
This is set to double in the future, with a total of ten models slated for production.
As with any good performance sub-brand, motorsport is still at the heart of NISMO, and Nissan has committed to competing in Super GT, Formula E, and Japan’s Super Taikyu Series.
A new prototype will reportedly begin competing in the 2026 financial year, with plans to eventually turn this into a road-going vehicle.
Whether this is the new GT-R, another Z, or some wild Patrol variant still remains anyone’s guess.
