Nissan’s New NISMOs Unveiled at the 2013 LA Motor Show

We’ve been waiting for this week to come for two solid months now. The last two weeks of November are always a spectacular time for any automotive enthusiast. Not because of any holidays, but because of the two enormous motor shows that inevitably fall in very close proximity to each other this time of year.

The 2013 LA Motor Show has officially opened doors. Friday, all the way across the Pacific Ocean, the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show will do the same.

Obviously, that means we have a lot of new Japanese cars to talk about. And, with only a couple days between the motor shows, not very much time to talk about them. But, we’re going to do our best.

Today, we’re going to start by talking about two of the hottest Japanese cars at the 2013 LA Motor Show – the Nissan Sentra NISMO Concept and the Nissan Juke NISMO RS.

Nissan Sentra NISMO Concept

Stunning, isn’t she?

This is the Nissan Sentra NISMO Concept and it’s a perfect example of why NISMO is such a great platform for Nissan – it allows them to get so much more mileage out of their lineup.

Let’s talk specs:

Other than the overall aesthetic, the biggest difference between a normal Nissan Sentra and the Sentra NISMO seen above lies underneath the hood. The Sentra NISMO boasts an impressive 240+ horsepower 1.8L turbocharged engine coupled with a 6-speed manual transmission with limited-slip differential. Compared to the whimpy 130bhp engine in the normal Sentra, it’s safe to say that the Sentra NISMO will be a lot more fun to drive. And that’s before you take the new performance-tuned suspension, 19-inch aluminum alloy tires, and brand-new Brembo brakes into consideration.

From the exterior, we see design improvements all over the vehicle. The front boasts a deepened fascia with red accents and a restyled grille. Along the sides we find new red side skirts to match those in the front. In the rear we find a diffuser and twin tailpipes, along with a restyled bumper.

Inside, the dramatic style improvements continue… The regular front seats have been ditched for Recaro Sportster editions. The instrument panel has been upgraded to utilize carbon fiber. And of course, there’s the characteristic NISMO sports steering wheel, with a matching leather-clad gear shift. Leather and Alcantara are the primary materials used throughout the car, with black-and-red trim in classic NISMO style.

Unfortunately, as appealing as this concept may be, we don’t have official confirmation that Nissan will ever manufacture a Sentra NISMO. If they do, it’ll likely be US-only.

Nissan Juke NISMO RS

Unlike the Nissan Sentra NISMO Concept, this is a car that we know for sure will make it to production. In fact, it’ll go on sale in the US this coming December, and in the UK sometime during 2014. But that’s because it’s not a brand-new car; it’s simply the next iteration of Nissan’s already-existing Juke NISMO. This one has more power and better all-around performance, along with some sporty improvements to the interior.

More specifically, the Nissan Juke NISMO RS gets a tuned-up 1.6L turbocharged 215bhp engine, compared to the 188bhp of a normal Juke NISMO. Interestingly, the upgraded power doesn’t come from any changes to the mechanics of the engine itself, but from a re-programmed ECU and an improved exhaust system. When combined with the reinforced chassis, the RS is supposed to offer a substantially more pleasurable drive. Sounds like the kinds of upgrade tweaks Nissan is accustomed to giving their GT-R each year.

The Japanese compact also gets bigger brakes and the option of a limited-slip differential just like in the Sentra NISMO, but only if drivers opt for a manual transmission.

As far as aesthetics, the biggest difference between the Nissan Juke NISMO RS and the regular Juke NISMO are the Recaro seats. It seems like a small feature on paper, but they make a dramatic difference in how the Juke RS feels from inside. The RS also gets more heavily emphasized red-and-black NISMO ambiance throughout, complete with a restyled steering wheel and a new NISMO instrument dashboard.

If you want to see more of the new Juke NISMO RS, just watch the video below:

All in all, both new Nissan NISMOs look great. No surprises there. Let’s just hope that Nissan hears our praises and manufactures a Sentra NISMO. It’s hard to imagine a car like that not flying off dealership floors.

Fortunately, these aren’t the last new NISMOs we’ll see this week… The new Nissan GT-R NISMO debuts very soon too. Stay tuned!