Nissan and Kelly Racing – joining forces to form Nissan Motorsport team – have unveiled the all-new Nissan Altima V8 Supercar. The rear-drive V8 sedan will compete in the 2013 season of V8 Supercars up against Ford, Holden, and a Mercedes-Benz entry.
Four Nissan Altima race cars will make up the team, each using a Nismo-developed VK56DE 5.6-litre V8 engine resized to 5.0 litres to suit the sport’s regulations. The engine setup has been used in FIA GT1 racing previously, and even gave Nissan the GT1 Championship title in 2011.
Todd Kelly, 2005 Bathurst 1000 winner and team Racing Director, was understandably excited about the new car, saying at the unveiling event earlier today,
“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.
“Our team has done a tremendous job to design and build an all-new V8 Supercar, including a new engine, in roughly nine months.”
Nissan Australia managing director and CEO William F Peffer Jr. spoke about the new car and what it means for Nissan. He said,
“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.”
As you can see by the images, the Altima V8 Supercar design fits right in with the current Ford and Holden race car character. There’s a large wing at the back, a low and aggressive spoiler at the front, along with plenty of highlights that match the road car such as the headlights/taillights, door skins, and major body panels.
The Nissan will make its V8 Supercars debut at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, South Australia, on March 2, 2013.
