Car Enthusiast - click here to access the home page


 


Nissan aims for 2015 Le Mans win. Image by Nissan.

Nissan aims for 2015 Le Mans win
A GT-R branded Nissan LMP1 racer will compete in the 2015 Le Mans race.
<< earlier Nissan article     later Nissan article >>

 


News homepage -> Nissan news

Newer articles featuring 2015 Nissan GT-R

2015-06-12: Special Nissan GT-R marks Skyline's 45th

What's the news?

While Nissan has been involved in a lot of motorsport recently, including its GT Academy scheme, nobody quite expected the announcement that it was going back to Le Mans to compete in the top LMP1 class against Porsche, Toyota and Audi. Not only that, but the new racer will be named the GT-R LM Nismo, so it's very much influenced by the GT-R road car. Fans will have to wait until 2015 to see it in action, however.

"Innovation is at the heart of everything we do," said Nissan's Chief Planning Office & Executive Vice-President Andy Palmer. "There is no better place to demonstrate innovation than here in Europe's new hot-bed of digital marketing and, from next year, on track at Le Mans. We have chosen this venue - and made it a celebration, rather than yet another press conference - to reflect the fact that when we go racing, we do so differently.

"We applaud the ACO and FIA for the work they have done to get the rules right," continued Palmer. "LMP1 is not just an arms race - all our rivals in the class have taken different technical approaches and we will be doing the same. We want to win in a very different way to that of our rivals. We won't be turning up in a vehicle which is a basically another hybrid that looks like another Porsche, Audi or Toyota - they all look the same to me - our intention is to do something that is a little bit different."

That could be taken to mean that Nissan will be using a significant amount of electric power in its racing car. This year, Nissan will be running its striking Deltawing-based ZEOD racer in the 'Garage 56' category at Le Mans - which means it's there to encourage innovation but won't be eligible for an outright win or championship points. The ZEOD is essentially a range-extender electric vehicle, so it seems likely that there will be some technology transfer between this car and the GT-R LM NISMO in order to take on the Audi R18 e-tron quattro, the Toyota TS030 hybrid and the Porsche 919 hybrid.

Electricity won't be the only attention-grabbing thing about the NISMO racer though; Nissan will be leveraging every marketing angle to get the most from its new Le Mans adventure. "Nissan is connecting in motorsport in many ways through its performance arm, NISMO," said NISMO Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, Darren Cox. "In recent years we have taken a new approach to motorsport - not racing for racing's sake - but carefully considering our reasons to engage with our global competition."

"Marketing innovation is important to us and Le Mans is an incredible marketing platform," continued Cox. "We are a big, passionate, innovative brand that wants a presence on the world stage. NISMO isn't just a big building in Yokohama full of top-level motorsport talent. NISMO stands for everything we love about racing. This year we have four gamers racing at Le Mans (graduates of Nissan's GT Academy, which takes PlayStation racers and turns them into top flight drivers) and, now that Sir Chris Hoy is racing with us in British GT and learning the ropes, we will be taking an Olympian to Le Mans in the future."

The new Nissan GT-R LM NISMO gives Nissan the opportunity to return to Le Mans where the company has some unfinished business.

"The design and build of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO is a global project with its DNA firmly rooted in Japan," explained NISMO President Shoichi Miyatani. "The team comprises engineers and technical crew from Japan, the US and Europe. We know that LMP1 competition is very tough and with serious manufacturer competition, but we are absolutely determined to make our cars competitive and to operate strongly against those competitors.

"We have chosen to take the GT-R name to Le Mans as the GT-R symbolizes the ultimate in Nissan's performance. It is a true aspirational brand; a car our fans, our customers love to drive, and love to own. We have been using GT-R in motorsport for many years now, in Super GT and GT3. For us LM P1 is the ultimate test. We have unfinished business at Le Mans and now we have our chance to target victory with the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO."

The race is now on to get Nissan's LM P1 car on the grid in 2015. Announcements will be made in due course concerning the drivers of the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO, who will come from both inside and outside of the Nissan family. The date the new car will first take to the track and the full technical specifications will also be revealed in due course but the intentions of Nissan are clear.

"You don't go to Le Mans to just turn up," said Palmer. "The brief to the team is to go with something different, go with something that brings new technology which is transferable to the road car technology and an approach that is innovative and exciting and of course, go to win.

"Believe me, I think this is the car that will go down in the annals of time and be one of those cars which will be long remembered, not only for the fact that it will have won Le Mans but also that it reset the real meaning of NISMO as a link between success on the track and success on the road."

Anything else?

Nissan last competed in the top class in Le Mans with the R390 GT1 car of 1997 and 1998. They were fast enough to take pole position in '97, but succumbed to gearbox failures in the race. In '98 things were a bit better - all four cars finished, with the highest-placed R390 in third, behind the all-conquering Porsches.



Neil Briscoe - 30 May 2014


Nissan to race at 2014 Le Mans with GT-R LMP1 racer. Image by Nissan.    








www.nissan.co.uk    - Nissan road tests
- Nissan news
- GT-R images






Nissan announces 435hp Ariya Nismo at Tokyo show. Image by Nissan.
Nissan confirms 435hp Ariya Nismo
Based on twin-motor e-4orce, the Nissan Ariya Nismo comes in 367hp ‘B6’ 63kWh and 435hp ‘B9’ 87kWh variants.
 
Nissan celebrates all-electric pledge with sporty hatchback concept. Image by Nissan.
Nissan Concept 20-23
The Concept 20-23 is designed to add a sporty edge to zero-emission urban motoring.
The Nissan you want but can’t have. Image by Nissan.
Nissan giveth and taketh away
After showing us a prototype last year, Nissan has revealed the new Z in production form but it’s not heading to the UK and Europe

 
 215 Racing
 9ff
 A. Kahn Design
 Abarth
 Abt
 AC Cars
 AC Schnitzer
 Acura
 Aehra
 AIM
 Alfa Romeo
 Alpina
 Alpine
 Amari
 APS Sportec
 Arash
 Arden
 Ares
 Ariel
 Arrinera
 Artega
 Ascari
 Aston Martin
 Atalanta
 Atomik
 Audi
 Austin
 Auto Union
 Autodelta
 Autofarm
 Autosport
 AVA
 Avatar
 Axon
 Aznom
 BAC
 BAIC
 Bentley
 Bertone
 Bizzarrini
 Bloodhound
 Bluebird
 BMW
 Bosch
 Bowler
 Brabham
 Brabus
 Breckland
 Bridgestone
 Brilliance
 Bristol
 Bugatti
 Buick
 Burton
 BYD
 Cadillac
 Callaway
 Callum
 Caparo
 Capstone
 Carlsson
 Caterham
 CCG
 Chang'an
 Changfeng
 Chevrolet
 Chevron
 Chongfeng
 Chrysler
 Citroen
 Climax
 Connaught
 Cooper Tires
 Corvette
 Cummins
 Cupra
 Dacia
 Daewoo
 Daihatsu
 Daimler
 Dartz
 Datsun
 David Brown
 David Brown Automotive
 DDR
 De Tomaso
 Delta
 Detroit Electric
 Devon
 Dodge
 Donkervoort
 Drayson
 DS
 Eagle
 Eagle E-type
 EDAG
 edo competition
 Eterniti
 Everrati
 Evisol
 Exagon
 FAB Design

 
 Factory Five
 Faralli & Mazzanti
 Fenix
 Fenomenon
 Ferrari
 Fiat
 Fisker
 Ford
 G-Power
 Geely
 Gemballa
 General Motors
 Genesis
 Ginetta
 Giugiaro
 Glickenhaus
 GMC
 Goodwood
 Google
 Gordon Murray
 Gordon Murray Automotive
 Gordon Murray Design
 Gray Design
 Great Wall
 GTA
 GTM
 Gumpert
 Hamann
 Hartge
 HBH
 Heffner Performance
 Hennessey
 HERE
 HiPhi
 Holden
 Honda
 Hulme
 Hummer
 Hyundai
 I.D.E.A
 Icona
 IFR
 Infiniti
 Ionity
 Isis
 JAC
 Jaguar
 Jeep
 Jensen
 Jetstream
 JJAD
 Joss Developments
 Kahn
 Kamala
 Keating
 Kia
 Koenigsegg
 KTM
 Kumho
 Lada
 Lagonda
 Lamborghini
 Lancia
 Land Rover
 Lexus
 Liberty
 Lightning
 Lincoln
 Lister
 Loma Performance
 Lorinser
 Lotus
 LupiniPower
 Luxgen
 Mahindra
 Mansory
 Maserati
 Mastretta
 Maybach
 Mazda
 McLaren
 Mercedes
 Mercedes-AMG
 Mercedes-Benz
 Mercedes-Maybach
 Mercury
 Metrocab
 MG
 Michelin
 MINI
 Mitsubishi
 MMI
 Monte Carlo
 Mopar
 Morgan
 Mosler
 MTM
 Munro
 NAC MG
 Nichols Cars
 Nissan
 NLV

 
 Noble
 Novitec
 Opel
 Overfinch
 Pagani
 Perodua
 Peugeot
 Piaggio
 Pininfarina
 Polestar
 Pontiac
 Porsche
 Praga
 Preview
 Prodrive
 Project Runningblade
 Project Velocity
 Proton
 Protoscar
 Qoros
 Radical
 Range Rover
 Red Bull
 Renault
 Reva
 Rimac
 Rinspeed
 RoadRazer
 Rolls-Royce
 Ronn Motor Company
 Rover
 RUF
 Saab
 SAIC
 Saleen
 Saturn
 Scagliarini
 SCG
 Scion
 SDR Sportscars
 SEAT
 Sin
 Singer
 Skoda
 Smart
 Soleil
 Spada
 speedArt
 Sportec
 Spyker
 SRT
 Ssangyong
 SSC
 Startech
 STaSIS
 Subaru
 Suzuki
 Suzusho
 TAD
 Tamiya
 Tata
 Techart
 Tesla
 The Little Car Company
 THINK
 Thunder Power
 Tojeiro
 Tommy Kaira
 TomTom
 Toray
 Toyota
 Trabant
 TranStar
 Trident
 Tushek
 TVR
 UKCOTY
 Vanda Electrics
 Vauxhall
 Velozzi
 Vencer
 Venturi
 Veritas
 Vizualtech
 VL Automotive
 Volkswagen
 Volvo
 VUHL
 WCA
 WCotY
 Webasto
 Westfield
 Wiesmann
 Xenatec
 Yamaha
 Zagato
 Zarooq
 Zeekr
 Zenos
 Zenvo



 
 






External links:   | Irish Car Market News |

Internal links:   | Home | Privacy | Contact us | Archives | Old motor show reports | Follow Car Enthusiast on Twitter | Copyright 1999-2024 ©