Nissan set for sporstcar return

Nissan left top-flight sportscar competition at the end of 1999, shortly after Renault bought the unprofitable Japanese car maker. The company is now back in the black and is readying itself for a return to sportscar racing.

NISMO, Nissan's in-house motorsport department, has met with Le Mans organisers, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest as well as attending a number of ALMS races with representatives of Nissan USA. ALMS bosses have also admitted that talks with Nissan are on-going.

"They've been represented at a lot of races," confirmed an ALMS insider. "Nissan in the US want an image and we believe we can give them that image."

Nissan's return to sportscar racing would almost certainly come with a road-based contender rather than a prototype car, where it has traditionally competed. A test chassis based on the new 350Z is believed to be up and running and is due to be unveiled the Tokyo motor show in October.

The road car will be powered by a 3.5-lire normally aspirated V6 engine, which suggests Nissan is aiming to take on BMW and Porsche in the GT division.