The new Nissan Ariya Nismo will be available to pre-order from 17 October, with prices for the hot electric SUV starting from £56,620 – £1,780 more than the previous range-topping model, but £3,370 less than one key rival, the Tesla Model Y Performance.

The Ariya Nismo will only be available in one specification at launch, with every car finished in the Nismo Stealth Grey paint that was previously offered on the Nissan GT-R supercar. Early buyers also get a limited piece of artwork and £500 credit to spend on the Nissan Charge network of public chargers.

The Ariya Nismo’s dual-motor powertrain produces 429bhp and 600Nm of torque – 40bhp more than the former range-topper – which is enough for 0-62mph in exactly five seconds. According to Nissan, accelerating from 50-70mph also takes just 2.4 seconds. Power comes from an 87kWh battery, but a range figure for the Ariya Nisam hasn’t been announced yet.

In case you’re wondering, in a game of top trumps the Ariya Nismo can’t beat the Kia EV6 GT’s 577bhp and 740Nm, and it’s humiliated by the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, with its 641bhp, 740Nm of torque and 0-62mph time of just 3.4 seconds. 

The suspension has also been reworked to improve body control and offer greater agility at higher speeds, while the steering now has more resistance and a more direct feel, Nissan claims. The brake pads have also been changed to offer more reliable stopping power, and the regenerative braking system has been revised. 

Elsewhere, new 20-inch aluminium wheels are wrapped in a set of exclusive 255/45 R20 Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres. The combination is designed to deliver more grip, reduce unsprung mass and offer better brake cooling. 

Nismo has also created a bespoke driving mode to maximise responsiveness, and an artificial soundtrack designed to evoke the sounds of a Formula E race car. 

The Nismo team has even worked to reduce drag and provide greater downforce at higher speeds through some new exterior elements. For instance, there’s a fresh front bumper with a pronounced splitter and larger air vents, while the rear gets a not-so-subtle lip spoiler on the tailgate, plus a new bumper that incorporates a diffuser and Formula One-style rear light. 

In case you’re not heard of Nismo before, it is to Nissan what AMG is to Mercedes, or the M division is to BMW. The Nissan Ariya Nismo marks the return of the Nismo performance brand to Europe, and will be the first EV with a Nismo badge sold in the UK. It will have to compete against other fast electric family cars such as the Model Y Performance and our Performance Car of the Year for 2024, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. 

More Nismo electric performance cars to come

The Nissan Ariya was our 2022 Car of the Year and is a family-friendly electric SUV. According to Nissan Europe’s vice president of marketing and sales, Mayra González, "The Ariya Nismo strikes the perfect balance of the immediate response and acceleration of an all-electric car with the mechanical fine-tuning of a sports car, resulting in an outstanding car for day-to-day driving”.

González has also hinted that more all-electric Nissans could wear the Nismo badge in future. “As we push forward the electrification of our line-up, it's essential that we continue to offer elite and exciting models to customers and Nismo enthusiasts as well,” he said.

Nissan’s legendary motorsport division has placed its badge on an electric car once before, when it launched the Leaf Nismo hot hatch in 2018, but that car was only sold in Japan.