Nissan has revealed a high-performance version of the Ariya electric SUV, badged as the Ariya Nismo.
Where have I heard that name before?
Among Japanese car enthusiasts, Nismo is a legendary badge. It’s a contraction of Nissan Motorsport, and it’s the division that’s been behind the likes of Nissan’s Le Mans racers, its Australian Touring Car domination, and, of course, the highest-performance versions of such models as the 370Z and the mighty Skyline GT-R and GT-R. It is to Nissan what RS is to Ford and AMG is to Mercedes.
So what’s Nismo done to the Ariya?
Well, unsurprisingly, Nismo has made the Ariya faster and more powerful. The power output of the twin electric motors has risen to 435hp, up 130hp on the standard all-wheel drive E-Force version, bringing the 0-100km/h time down to 5.0 seconds. 80-120km/h takes just 2.4 seconds.
Nismo has also made the Ariya more aerodynamically efficient, using a bodykit that gives the SUV a sportier look but also reduces aerodynamic lift at speed from a coefficient of lift of 0.18 to 0.11.
What does that actually mean?
It basically means that the Ariya won’t float away as you get up to higher speeds. It’s all done with new spoilers and air curtains inspired by Nissan’s Formula E electric racing team, which help reduce drag and smooth airflow along the body, while there’s also a new front splitter with canard vortices generators, extended lower bumpers, twin diffuser and ducktail rear spoiler.
The battery pack remains the same - 87kWh net - so the range should be broadly similar to the 508km offered by the current Ariya E-Force.
What other changes has Nismo made?
Nismo has also given the Ariya new 20-inch alloy wheels, made by famed wheelmakers ENKEI using a wight-saving cast aluminium construction and embossed with the Nismo logo. They get special Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, and Nissan claims that the new wheels reduce the car’s un-sprung mass (basically the combined weight of the wheels, tyres, brakes, and suspension) and allow more cooling air through to the brakes.
Any suspension and handling changes?
Oh yes. Nismo says that it has tweaked the Ariya’s two-motor E-Force four-wheel drive setup to generate “greater turning and lateral forces than the GT-R Nismo.” Which is quite the claim for a family electric SUV. The Nismo’s specially tuned E-Force system can maximise mechanical grip by adjusting the power sent to each wheel 10,000 times per second, and it now has a 60:40 power split bias, sending more power to the rear wheels.
The suspension is also hugely revised, with new anti-roll bars, spring rates, and dampers. The steering has been tuned for more feel and feedback. There’s also a new ‘i-Booster’ system for the brakes, which tweaks the regenerative braking for a sportier feel.
Anything new inside?
The Ariya Nismo gets suede-like trim for the seats, with hand-stitched Nismo logos, a new design for the digital instrument dials, a blackened-wood dashboard trim, and red Nismo highlights dotted around. There’s also, for now, only one exterior paint option - Nismo Stealth Grey, as previously seen on the GTR.
The Nissan Ariya Nismo will go on sale in Janaury 2025.