NISMO, Nissan's in-house performance and motorsports division, tends to devote most of its energy and considerable talents on making the flagship GT-R coupe one of the most ferocious and capable cars any amount of money can buy.
However, in what could be considered an act of automotive philanthropy, it has decided to channel its expertise into the current generation Sentra sedan -- a model that will retail for just USD $25,000 rather than the USD $175,000 the GT-R commands.
The new Nissan Sentra NISMO gets a 1.6-liter direct injection turbocharged engine that despite having only four cylinders manages to output an impressive 188hp and 240Nm of torque.
And to ensure that owners will be able to use all of that power all of the time, the car's body has been significantly stiffened and the suspension completely retuned.
"For 2017, we're bringing new excitement to Sentra with the Sentra NISMO, which brings driving enthusiasts aftermarket tuner-style performance straight from the factory," said Michael Bunce, vice president, Product Planning, Nissan North America, Inc.
As well as addressing the car's underpinnings, the exterior has also undergone a NISMO transformation with aggressive front and rear end, larger air intakes and a rear spoiler plus of course the red contrasting accents on the front splitter, door sills and above the exhaust.
Further underlining the car's performance potential and heritage, even though it's aimed squarely at the U.S. market, it will also come as standard with a six-speed manual transmission with close-ratio gearing so that keen drivers will be able to stay on the power band for longer.
"It's important to offer a 6-speed manual transmission with the new Sentra NISMO, both to reinforce its pure performance credentials and to up the direct engagement factor between driver and the vehicle," added Bunce.
However, those that are only going to get a chance to enjoy the performance when not negotiating the daily commute and its typical nose-to-tail traffic congestion can instead opt for the Xtronic transmission.
Although this will be the first mainstream Nissan on sale in North America to get a NISMO makeover, the decision to go with the Sentra is actually a nod to history. The very first ‘hot' Nissan car was the Datsun 510 sedan which carved out a cult following when it arrived in the US.. back in 1968.
The Nissan Sentra NISMO will cost from USD $25,000 when it goes on sale in the U.S.
