– Press Release
NISSAN unveils their V8 Supercar entry Altima !MELBOURNE, Australia (30 October 2012) – The Altima is the first all-new V8 Supercar model unveiled in two decades, as Nissan joins the V8 Supercars Championship from next season with the four-car, factory Nissan Motorsport team. Nissan Australia Managing Director and CEO William F Peffer Jr joined team co-owners and Bathurst-winning drivers Todd and Rick Kelly to unveil the spectacular Altima V8 Supercar. “This is a proud day for Nissan and a significant occasion for the sport of V8 Supercars,” said Nissan Australia Managing Director and CEO William F Peffer Jr. “Unveiling our Nissan Altima V8 Supercar, the first new V8 Supercar model in two decades, brings Nissan’s special brand of ‘Innovation and Excitement’ to the V8 Supercars Championship. “2013 will be an enormous year for Nissan in many ways, with several important new models set to launch next year. One of those will be the all-new 2013 Nissan Altima, the first time the Altima nameplate has gone on-sale in Australia, and what better way to introduce Altima to Australia than to have it on-track in the V8 Supercars Championship from the start of next season. “Everyone at Nissan is right behind our team, led by Todd and Rick Kelly, and we are excited about hitting the track next season with this spectacular Altima V8 Supercar.” The Nissan Altima V8 Supercar has been designed and built to the category’s new ‘Car of The Future’ regulations, which include 18 inch wheels, transaxle gearbox and independent rear suspension. Nissan Motorsport will use the production-based VK56DE engine in the Altima V8 Supercar, the same engine that powered Nissan to FIA GT1 World Championship glory in 2011. The VK56 engine also powers the all-new 2013 Nissan Patrol that goes on sale in Australia from 1 February 2013. The significance of the occasion was not lost on Todd Kelly, 2005 Bathurst 1000 winner and team Racing Director. “This is the proudest day in the relatively short history of our team, as well as one of the most significant days in recent times for the sport of V8 Supercars,” said Todd Kelly. “Our team has done a tremendous job to design and build an all-new V8 Supercar, including a new engine, in roughly nine months. “The Nissan Altima V8 Supercar really is like no other V8 Supercar. Not only does it look spectacular but its unique features and aggressive design ensure that Nissan Motorsport will stand out from the rest of the field. “The look of the Altima and sound of the VK56DE engine are second-to-none. Once V8 Supercars has homologated the aerodynamic package on the Altima, we will begin our testing to ensure it drives as fast as it looks and sounds.” Rick Kelly, 2003 and 2004 Bathurst winner, 2006 V8 Supercars Champion and team Commercial Director, said that the team had ambitious goals for the 2013 season despite the significant task ahead. “2013 will be the first time in my career that I will be a factory driver and it’s a responsibility that I am not taking lightly,” said Rick Kelly. “Our entire team is working harder than ever to ensure that we rise to another level as we transform into Nissan Motorsport for next season. This is the most exciting time in our sport for two decades and it is amazing to think that our team is at the forefront of this change. “A lot of hard work still lies ahead but we want to ensure that Nissan Motorsport is competitive next season and is a force to be reckoned with in the not-too-distant future.” The team will now work with V8 Supercars as the category’s technical team works to homologate the Nissan Altima V8 Supercar, in particular its aerodynamic package, to ensure a fair playing field with the competition. Once the homologation process is complete the team will begin circuit testing with the first Nissan Altima V8 Supercar and complete construction of further cars, with four Altimas set to make their racing debut at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, South Australia on 2 March 2013. ________________________________________________ NISSAN MOTORSPORT: 2012 TIMELINE 9 February 2012 Nissan announces factory entry in the V8 Supercars Championship from 2013, partnering with Kelly Racing, team to be renamed Nissan Motorsport and field four entries. 17 March 2012 5 April 2012 18-20 May 2012 27 June 2012 4 September 2012 23 October 2012 30 October 2012 MAJOR MILESTONES: NISSAN’S AUSTRALIAN 1984 1986 1990 1991 1991 1992 21 June 1992 1992 7-8 November 1992 1998 KEY STATISTICS: NISSAN IN THE AUSTRALIAN TOURING CAR CHAMPIONSHIP
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Hi! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I genuinely enjoy reading through your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same topics? Thanks a lot!
Wow, just wanted to say wonderful blog!
It’ll be interesting to see how Nissan do in the season. As an entry with a car that is not even available in the Australian market, I don’t know that they’re even compliant to the rules, but at least they’re having a go. Personally, I think we’re seeing the end of Ford vs Holden and the beginning of an era where the Red and Blue teams become friends in competition with Nissan and AMG.
Good points Hubert, and we’ll find out soon enough.
AMG have a superior machine. If Ford and Holden wanted to fear a competitor, it would have to be the AMG car. It’s am E series from what I’ve read in other posts here and that E series is a killer in Europe. Good luck to the Australian cars is all I can say. As for the Japanese car, like in NASCAR back in the US, they’ll need a few years to learn and pay dues before they become a contender.
i’ve read this before, but still interesting.