Body kits – that include spoilers, air dams, side skirts and rear wing – are among the the major tools needed to make the transformation. Add high performance accessories like tune exhaust pipes, racing cam shafts and front suspension towers and the result changes a sedan into a circuit car.
This week, Nissan Motor Sports or NISMO, launched its line of racing accessories in the local market.
"NMPI (Nissan Motor Philippines Inc.) is very proud to introduce to the Philippines NISMO parts and accessories that are known for their high quality and excellent design. What we can promise from NISMO is excellent value for money," Dennis Chang, NMPI assistant vice president for marketing and sales.
According to NMPI President Leman Lee, they will strictly monitor the presence of imitations or fake NISMO parts to ensure that buyers only get high quality racing parts originally made by Nissan Japan.
NISMO will again showcase its racing gear on its 350Z in the 2005 Japan Grand Touring Championships through the XANAVI-NISMO Team that bagged both the driver and championship titles in 2004.
The NISMO racing kits are likewise strongly associated with the powerful Nissan Skyline GT-R. NMPI officials said that it is not a remote possibility that the Skyline will soon hit the streets of Metro Manila.
"We had carefully studied the local market for the entry of the NISMO parts and we believe that we will have a strong reception here. NISMO will find a home in the Philippines," Mr. Lee said.
Lee led a group of NMPI executives and NISMO officials in unveiling the dressed up I-Style Sentra at the Speedzone Kart Track in Taguig City. The Nissan Sentra NISMO racing package boasts of a side skirt, front and rear spoiler, sports air filter, engine oil filter, wheel nut set, front tower bar, radiator cap, fuel filler cap and air valve cap.
Matched with large diameter mag wheels with low profile tires, the Nissan I-Style shed off the "family car" image of the Sentra and was transformed into a race car.
Hiroko Nishio, NISMO Japan general manager, pointed out that the Nissan I-Style Sentra presented at the Speedzone only featured the "Stage 1" aspect of the NISMO program. The modification may reach "Stage 6 or 7" that will include sophisticated engine blue printing and even elaborate suspension set up.
"Sentra has a good aspect of agility. It is a good car for modification," Nishio added. While his statement was a hint that they will initially focus on entry level units, NMPI was quick to add that NISMO parts for X-Trail compact SUVs will soon be available in the local market.
NISMO has been a partner of Nissan since 1967 when its entries started competing in various divisions of the Sports Car Club of America. Because of NISMO’s involvement in high performance development of Nissan racing cars, the automaker has bagged at least 86 National Championship titles since then.
