Nissan at Goodwood Speed Festival



Nissan will be showing its performance side at the 2005 Goodwood Festival of Speed (24-26 June) with cars you can buy and some you can’t. Leading the charge will be a 350Z specially developed by Nissan Motorsport International. The company also played an important role in assisting RML motorsport to build a unique 350Z engined Micra to be displayed on Nissan’s stand. Parked alongside it will be the rather more available Micra 160SR as well as the 350Z Roadster, a Murano and the new Navara, the most powerful pick-up officially imported into the UK. Driving in the Contemporary Racing Saloon Cars category will be the race winning ’99 Primera BTCC car. And festival goers will be able to get dirty in a Pathfinder or Patrol on the 4x4 course.



Nissan Motorsport International – NISMO – specially developed a version of the 350Z to celebrate their win in the Japanese 2004 GT500 Touring Car Championship. It’s called the NISMO 350Z S-tune GT and is a road-going version of the race car. 20 are hand-built every month in Japan and the car driving at Goodwood, specially imported by Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, is believed to be the only one in the UK. The S-tune has extended front and rear bumpers, side-sills and a rear wing modelled on the GT car. As if that wasn’t enough, NISMO five-spoke 19" wheels, racing stripes and pearlescent white paint will ensure this Nissan gets noticed in the Brooklands paddock.



Under the bonnet, NISMO has extensively modified Nissan’s VQ35 engine to give 300PS and a maximum rev limit of 7200rpm. The exhaust and cooling system has also been uprated, the clutch reinforced and NISMO’s G-ATTACK S-tune suspension system installed. The interior hasn’t been neglected, either. Lightweight, Alcantara upholstered racing seats will keep the drivers securely planted during the Supercar run. Just as well because piloting the S-tune on the Sunday of Goodwood will be experienced driver and Sky News presenter, Ginny Buckley.



The NISMO 350Z S-tune GT, worth around £50,000, is attending the Goodwood Festival of Speed to give more exposure to Nissan’s motorsport arm. Although Nissan doesn’t officially import the S-tune into the UK, the standard 350Z Coupe and Roadster are on sale here in limited numbers. And a less dramatic version of the S-tune’s bodykit and its 19" wheels are available from Nissan dealers.



NISMO has also breathed on the engine that has been fitted to a very special Micra which, too, is making its debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Micra R shown at last year’s event has become the Micra RV6 after a heart transplant conducted by Ray Mallock Limited, based in Wellingborough, using a 350Z engine with NISMO parts to produce 310PS and 363Nm of torque. Its engine is rear mounted, where the Micra’s rear seat would normally go, and drives the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox shared with the American market Nissan Altima SE-R. 350Z wheels and hubs are used along with specially machined drive shafts. Painted in the 2005 350Z Japanese GT touring car colours, the muscular Micra RV6 will be showing off its new engine on the Nissan stand. Its sub-five second 0-60mph acceleration and 150mph+ top speed will be proven at a later date.



The Primera being entered into Goodwood’s ‘Supermarket to Supertouring’ category has nothing to prove. This is the car that won Nissan the manufacturer’s title in the 1999 British Touring Car Championship and marked the final development of the ultimate Supertourer. The Primera, now owned by Pro Motorsport Ltd and sponsored by Nissan Motor (GB) Ltd, will be driven at Goodwood by Anthony Reid, a name familiar from Nissan’s 1997 and ’98 teams.