Nissan in-house performance and motorsport division. Founded 1984. Produces high-performance Nissan variants and racing parts for Z, GT-R, Skyline, and other models.
Nismo (Nissan Motorsports International, formerly Nismo Limited) is Nissan in-house performance and motorsport division, founded in 1984 through the consolidation of Nissan racing departments. Nismo produces high-performance variants of production Nissan models, racing parts, and competes in various motorsport series globally including Super GT (Japan), 24 Hours of Le Mans (in past years), and various international racing programs.
The Nismo lineup includes both factory-modified production cars and aftermarket parts. The Nissan GT-R Nismo (sold across multiple R35 model years from 2014+) is the highest-performance R35 variant, with chassis stiffening, suspension upgrades, more aggressive tune, and aerodynamic enhancements. Other notable Nismo products include the Nismo Z (350Z, 370Z, modern Z), Nismo Juke, and various Nismo-branded aftermarket parts for older Nissan models including the Skyline GT-R, Silvia, and Z cars.
Nismo has been particularly active in modifying older JDM cars. The Nissan Skyline GT-R R32, R33, and R34 with Nismo upgrades (suspension, body kits, exhaust) are highly regarded. Nismo crate engines (S15 Silvia SR20DET and Skyline RB26DETT) are sold for engine swaps and rebuilds. The brand commands respect in the global Nissan enthusiast community comparable to BMW M or Mercedes-AMG.