Nissan Ariya Nismo to be performance arm’s first European EV

Nissan’s Nismo performance arm is returning to Europe with a specially tuned version of the Ariya.

Arriving later this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the Nismo arm, the Ariya Nismo will, according to Nissan, bring added spark and sports car-like handling to the electric SUV.

Building on the 87KWh Ariya e-4ORCE, the Ariya Nismo will feature specially tuned chassis, braking and motor components to deliver a livelier driving experience and challenge the likes of the Kia EV6 GT and Ford Mustang Mach-E GT.

Mayra González, divisional vice president of marketing and sales for Nissan Europe, said: “As we push forward the electrification of our lineup, it’s essential that we continue to offer elite and exciting models to customers and Nismo enthusiasts as well.

“Ariya Nismo strikes the perfect balance of the immediate response and acceleration of an all-electric car with the mechanical fine-tuning of a sports car, resulting in an outstanding car for day-to-day driving.

Nissan hasn’t detailed any power or performance changes for the European Ariya Nismo, but in its native Japan the top-spec model comes with 429bhp and 443lb ft. For reference, the regular 389bhp Ariya Evolve+ covers the 0-62mph run in 5.1 seconds and Nissan says the Nismo “produces acceleration that’s powerful yet smooth and easy to control”.

While we’re waiting for confirmation on what, if any, changes there have been to the motors, we do know that the Ariya’s e-4orce all-wheel-drive and traction control systems have been remapped to provide better power and torque distribution. The suspension has also been retuned to offer sharper handling, and paired with performance-focused high-grip tyres and uprated brake pads. It also looks like the European car will wear the Japanese model’s more aggressive and effective aero kit to aid grip and handling.

Visually, alongside a new splitter and rear spoiler, the Ariya Nismo gets unique alloy wheels and features the trademark cherry red on its exterior trim and red accents on the black trim of the specially designed sports seats.