Now here’s an electric car which performance car enthusiasts could love – the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC.
NISMO is Nissan’s in-house race department, responsible in the past for the company’s Le Mans sports cars, European Touring Car Championship and domestic Japanese motorsport programs.
Now the NISMO engineers and designers have turned their attention to the company’s new globally-vital LEAF electric car and the result looks nothing short of stunning.
The zero-emissions race car weighs just 938kgs, accelerates from zero to 100km/h in just 6.85 seconds (that’s 0.5 seconds faster than a Holden Commodore SV6) and has a top speed of 150km/h.
Nissan plans to wheel-out the LEAF NISMO RC for on-track promotions at various motorsport events this year and is considering a zero-emissions racing series in the near future.
Styling was done by Nissan Global Design Center in Japan and the carbon-fibre body has removable front and rear sections while out back is highlighted by the massive driver-adjustable rear wing.
Underneath, the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC is rear-wheel-drive (the road car drives the fronts), runs double-wishbone racing suspension front and rear with driver-adjustable brake balance and rides on 18-inch, six-spoke alloy wheels mounted with P225/40R18 Bridgestone racing slicks.
Inside, the Nissan LEAF NISMO RC is mid-engined with the electric motor, inverter and battery pack all mounted mid-ships. Maximum power is 90kW, peak torque is 280Nm and in racing conditions the maximum battery range is thought to be 20 minutes.
Of course - unlike other race cars – there isn’t an exhaust pipe to be seen under this zero-emissions racer.
The Nissan LEAF road car goes on-sale ‘Downunder’ next year and Nissan Australia is hoping local new car buyers will scoop-up the zero-emissions full-size five-seat hatchback like their counterparts in North America where Nissan has hung out the ‘Sold Out Until 2012’ sign even before production in Japan has been completed.
“In the US, Nissan LEAF owners are fully embracing this new world of zero emission technology,” explained Nissan Americas Chairman Carlos Tavares as he unveiled the LEAF NISMO RC at the New York Auto Show. “We believe the same potential exists in the Motorsports world as well.”
And to think Formula One Chief Bernie Ecclestone is concerned the diluted exhaust note of next years’ new 1.5-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder engines could disenfranchise Grand Prix enthusiasts…what would Mr E make of a race series with cars which make no noise at all!
