Nissan Motorsports International (NISMO) has made the release of the GT3-spec GT-R official, pricing it at around $388,000 based on today’s conversion rates.

A joint project between NISMO and JR Motorsports (JRM), the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 packs a 3.8L V6, twin-turbo powerplant that is seen in the factory production model, but pumps out 523-hp. It may sound odd that it has slightly less horsepower than the factory 2013 GT-R with 545-hp, but it’s probably been tuned to GT3 regulations.

What you do get, however, is a GT-R packed with fully adjustable suspension, a gutted-out interior with a full roll cage, extra cooling ducts and an aggressive aero package. Power on the GT3 GT-R will be delivered through a six-speed, semi-automatic paddle-shift system. Those ordering the race-ready GT-R will receive support from NISMO if you’re in Japan, Asia, North or South America and Oceania, while JRM will support Europe, Russia and the Middle East.

Hinting at a possible tuner version of the new March/Micra sub-compact, Nissan has revealed a NISMO concept model at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Standing alongside similar NISMO-tuned versions of the Leaf and Juke, the March NISMO Concept gets the expected goodies.

Included in the package are lighter forged wheels and an upgraded (and lowered) suspension, not to mention a custom aero package with a rear spoiler. Inside the car gets sports seats and an upgraded steering wheel, while outside it’s coated in a pearl white paint with red highlights.

Similar packages were revealed for the Juke NISMO and Leaf NISMO which were unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show in December. The Leaf NISMO is transformed into somewhat of a futuristic jellybean in the process, while the aero kit and lowered suspension make the Juke a mean looking sport-cross.

Check out all the cars below, as well as the Leaf NISMO RC race car and find AutoGuide’s complete 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon coverage here.

GALLERY: Nissan March, Leaf and Juke NISMO Concepts

GALLERY: Nissan Leaf NISMO RC Race Car

Nismo is hard at work building concept cars to show off. Their latest endeavor is a souped up version of Nissan‘s baby car, the Micra, set to debut at the 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon.

Nissan is no stranger to franken-cars, one of the most notable in recently memory was the Juke-R, a twisted combination of the GT-R hotrod and practically-minded Juke.

While Nismo isn’t going to such extreme lengths, their modifications will grant a little extra power and a sporty look more in tune with a club racer style. Performance modifications are scarce, but Nismo did upgrade the exhaust and slap on some bigger wheels to complement the new sporty body features.

Those features include a modified front grille and bumper, a rear spoiler and air diffuser, accented exterior mirrors and matching side skirts. The specialty Micra is painted pearl white with red accents and comes with sport-designed seats and steering wheel.

Nissan has announced an extensive 10-car lineup for the upcoming Tokyo Auto Salon including everything from modified minivans to GT-R race car. Following roughly a month after the Tokyo Motor Show, the salon is in many ways Japan’s version of SEMA, giving aftermarket tuners and race shops a chance to show their wares.

In the brand’s NISMO motorsports-derived area will be four models, including the 370Z NISMO and NISMO Juke Concept, as well as a NISMO-tuned version of the Leaf EV and the Leaf NISMO RC race car. In addition, Nissan will display the Motul Autech GT-R, which won five of eight races in last season’s Super GT series, where the S Road MOLA GT-R team captured both the team and driver’s titles

In-house tuning brand Autech will show off three modified vans, including a custom NV350 Caravan Rider, the Serena Rider Performance Spec Black Line and the Elgrand Rider High-performance Spec Black Line – a wild looking version of what we call the Nissan Quest.

GALLERY: Nissan’s Tokyo Auto Salon Models

Nissan shows off its new direction for Nismo at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show by introducing performance models on less expensive vehicles such as the Juke. Even though none of the details are finalized, Nissan did stress that an expansion is occurring and bringing Nismo to markets outside of Japan has become a priority.

There’s no doubt Nismo is hugely popular with the Nissan crowd here in America, from their 370Z to even 240sx enthusiasts. We’re not 100-percent sure we like the direction that Nismo is taking by offering tuning packages for less expensive vehicles, but we do like the sound of lower costs on their products.

As of now, Nismo will continue on the path of developing engine upgrades, suspension parts, braking components, interior trim and aerodynamic packages for various Nissan models hopefully giving American retailers a new avenue for parts sales.

[Source: Automotive News]

It might not be the GT-R powered Juke R, but Nissan‘s Juke NISMO Concept is a strong indication that the Japanese automaker is planning a higher-performance version of the sport cross. From styling components, to handling upgrades and power adders, the NISMO-tuned Juke takes the sub-compact crossover’s fun level to the next level.

GALLERY: Nissan Juke NISMO Concept

For full details on the Juke NISMO, watch the video below:

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While Honda and Toyota have been messing around with electric car concepts for quite some time now, Nissan has been selling the Leaf EV for a whole year now. Aiming to display its expertise in electric vehicles, the company’s Tokyo Motor Show display included a slew of emissions free models, ranging from the PIVO 3 personal commuter, to the stunning ESFLOW sports car.

Sharing the stage with those is the Leaf NISMO, tuned by the brand’s motorsports division. With Nissan having already announced a Leaf NISMO RC race car, purpose built for track duty, this is more of a street tuner version, sporting custom aerodynamics, some 18-inch wheels and an upgraded (and lowered suspension).

Nissan hasn’t officially announced any performance upgrades, although some reports indicate a slight bump in power for the NISMO version.

It may be just a concept for now, but if Nissan gets serious about electric cars in motorsports, then you can expect NISMO parts for electric cars to follow.

GALLERY: Nissan Leaf NISMO

Debuting over the weekend in the Blancpain Endurance Series at Magny-Cours, Nissan‘s new GT-R GT3-spec race car had a solid 8th place finish, competing alongside cars like the Audi R8 and Ferrari 458 Italia.

Driven by Richard Westbrook and David Brabham this car is the creation of NISMO and JRM, and marks the start of what will likely be a much larger expansion by Nissan into GT car racing. Currently Nissan competes with the GT-R in the FIA GT1 series, but that car uses an entirely different engine from the street model, relying on a V8 engine. The GT3-spec car instead uses a version of the factory V6 VR38DETT.

“The car ran like clockwork”, said Westbrook. “I had to keep reminding myself that this was its first race! It’s excellent on tyres, so it means you can lap at the same speed at the end of a stint as you can at the start. For a brand new car to run the whole of the three-hours without a problem is a great achievement. It’s easy but rewarding to drive and I must admit that, even after completing two one-hour stints, I didn’t want to get out of it.”

“To finish where we did is a great debut for a brand new car and a tribute to Nissan, NISMO and JRM,” said Brabham.

GALLERY: Nissan NISMO GT-R GT3

Nissan has released a lone image of its incredible GT-R GT3-spec race car ahead of its first competition test. Built by a partnership between Nissan’s NISMO motorsports division and JR Motorsports (JRM), the NISMO GT-R GT3 will hit the track this weekend for the fourth round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Magny-Cours.

Driving duties during the three-hour race will be shared by Richard Westbrook and David Brabham.

“Testing has been underway since earlier this year and the car has run very well. We now want to place it into a competitive environment as part of its continued development. We have no intention of racing to win at this stage, as we are focused on putting race-miles on the car and collecting as much data as possible,” said JRM Managing Director Andy Barnes.

The car will compete in several more events this year before its official race debut in October.

Built to GT3-spec, the NISMO GT-R is much closer to a production model than the current vehicles competing in the GT1 series in Europe. Perhaps the biggest difference is that the GT3-spec car shares its V6 VR38DETT with the production GT-R, while the GT1 class racers use naturally aspirated V8s.

GALLERY: Nissan GT-R GT3

One of the most hallowed racetracks in the world recently got an electric shave, and not just from a weedwhacker. The Nissan Leaf NISMO RC, which debuted at the New York Auto Show a few months prior, finally got a thrashing around the Circuit de la Sarthe. It was quiet, yet not entirely unexciting.

Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer Carlos Tavares was behind the wheel of the electric race car, for an event called the “Le Mans vers le futur” that attempts to take the oxymoron out of the phrase “electric race car.”

Click the jump for the video, and skip ahead to 3:00 where things really start to get lively. And if you’re wondering, it took Tavares 22 minutes to lap the track, or about the same about of time it took Duncan Hamilton to get completely smashed on brandy Alexanders.

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