Australia’s factory-backed Nismo Performance Centre kicks off operations
After holding its grand opening earlier this month, the first cars are rolling into and out of the Nissan-supported Nismo Performance Centre in Melbourne.
Nissan’s decision to open its first Australian Nismo Performance Centre in Melbourne is already paying off for owners of the brand’s most revered vehicles.
After opening on October 4 as an extension of Ferntree Gully Nissan’s existing operations, the centre is able to supply Nismo parts not readily available to the Australian public, as well as provide partial and full-vehicle restorations.
One of the first Nismo facilities outside of Japan to be backed by the head Nismo Omori Factory, the Melbourne team is already celebrating some early wins this week.
At its grand opening, an R32 Nissan Skyline GT-R import was on display, but it wasn’t just for show, with the same car now back on the road after a suspension refresh was carried out.
The centre has also now confirmed the arrival of an R34 Skyline GT-R, which will be receiving a diagnosis and repairs from the Nismo team.
When the initial announcement of the Nismo Performance Centre’s arrival was made in May, Nissan said it was planning a rollout in other Australian cities such as Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, something which is very much still on the cards.
“We've got dealers that have their hands up, obviously that they want to be the selected dealer in whatever location,” Nissan Oceania managing director, Steve Milette, told Torquecafe last month.
“We need to make sure we have geographical representation, but you want to keep it very tight.”
The arrival of the centre in Australia comes amid a global shake-up of Nismo’s operations, with Nissan last year saying it wants Nismo to double the number of its model lineup from five to 10, while also expanding what regions they sell which products in.
If this happens, it’s projected Nismo sales will rise by 50 per cent from 100,000 cars annually to 150,000 cars by 2028, buoyed on by an increase of 40 to 60 per cent outside of Japan.
In Australia, only the Z Nismo is sold here, however there are Nismo versions globally of Nissan models available locally, such as the X-Trail, Patrol and Ariya.
