Nismo has been Nissan’s in-house tuning company for almost 40 years. Now, the Nissan EV has undergone a Nismo makeover, so let’s look at the newly-sportified Ariya.
Released in 2023, the Nissan Ariya is the spiritual replacement for the outgoing Nissan LEAF and hopes to capitalize on the LEAF’s reputation as a quirky and dependable electric vehicle. The Ariya is built upon Nissan’s CMF-EV electric vehicle platform shared with French automaker Renault. So far, the Ariya is selling well in the United States, beating the Nissan LEAF in overall sales.
Now, on to the Ariya in question. The Nismo iteration takes advantage of the Ariya’s e-4orce all-wheel drive model and will offer a choice of two trim levels; the B6 and B9. The lesser-priced B6 trim level features a 66-kWh battery pack, and the top-end B9 trim takes advantage of a 91-kWh battery pack. As for power numbers, the B6 will produce 362 horsepower and 413 lb-ft torque. However, the B9 will offer an impressive 429 horsepower and 443 lb-ft torque. That much power in a little electric crossover will surely leave an impression on anyone who drives it. While Nissan has reported the power numbers as accurate, time will tell whether they are.
Any Nissan fan will know that Nismo doesn’t just put a bunch of power into a regular car and call it a day; they’ll fine-tune almost every aspect of the vehicle. The Ariya Nismo is treated with the same care, gaining an exclusive driving mode that promises to increase throttle, braking, and steering response. Along with the new driving mode, the Ariya Nismo receives exclusive 20-inch wheels and low-profile performance tires to improve grip. According to Nismo, this wheel-tire combo ensures “superior stability and turn-in ability as well as better line-tracing and enhanced cornering ability at high speeds.”
Without any engine noise, some drivers may long to hear the roar of an engine under strain. Luckily, Nismo has thought of this and included an optional Formula-E-inspired sound profile for an added thrill. Nismo includes specially trimmed seats and exclusive design elements to separate the regular Ariya from the Ariya Nismo.
This isn’t the first time Nismo has taken a Nissan EV and made it sporty. In 2011, the tuning company took a Nissan Leaf and created the Leaf Nismo RC concept to be showcased at the New York Auto Show. They also worked their magic on a second-generation LEAF that went into production, though for the Japanese market only. The only thing missing is pricing, as Nismo or Nissan has yet to release specifics.
With the EV market aiming to gain more and more global market share, it makes sense that tuning companies are tackling EVs as well as their gasoline-powered and hybrid counterparts. Will you get behind the wheel of an Ariya Nismo? Visit your a Nissan Dealer near you to experience the Nissan Ariya Nismo.
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