The Nissan Ariya Nimso will hit UK roads early next year, bringing sport cars power and fitted with motorsport-derived aero.
Based on the Ariya e-4orce, the first EV to get the Nismo treatment – and the first Nismo model since the 370Z – gets tuned throttle dynamics, a Nismo driving mode and a raft of more aggressive exterior design touches.
Power, supplied to all four wheels by the same dual-motor set-up as the standard car, has been uprated by 128bhp to 429bhp; torque remains at 443lb ft. That gives the SUV a 0-62mph time of 5sec, 0.1sec faster than the standard car.
This makes it considerably more powerful than the Volkswagen ID 4 GTX but slightly less so than the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT.
The Ariya Nismo draws charge from the same 87kWh battery pack, with range expected to match that of the Ariya e-4orce’s 310 miles.
Nissan says a lot of work has gone into increasing the Ariya’s maximum mechanical grip, thanks to a retuned four wheel-drive system that adjusts the power sent to each wheel 10,000 times per second. The Nismo’s new 60:40 rear-bias gives the Ariya a “sporting feel” compared to the standard car.
Greater agility at high speeds and better body control has been achieved through a reworked suspension set-up and retuned steering. A new ‘Nismo’ driving mode increases throttle and steering response, with an additional ‘i-Booster’ setting added that ups braking performance.
Elsewhere, new aero, created with the help of Nissan’s Formula E team, has been added to give the SUV as much downforce as possible while also reducing drag and smoothing airflow along the body. These include a more prominent front splitter, a vortex generator on the roof, deeper side skirts and rear bumpers, and a ducktail spoiler.
The cabin is largely the same as the standard car’s, albeit with body-hugging Nismo-branded sports seats trimmed in suede and red pinstriping.