Nissan was one of two brands – the other being the Erebus-run Mercedes-AMG Customer Sport squad – to join Ford and Holden when the then-V8 Supercars Championship moved to its Car of the Future regulations in 2013.
Initially fielding four Nissan Altimas powered by a Patrol-derived V8 engine, the squad struggled for success, recording just three wins before the model made its last appearance in 2019.
Supercars was subsequently left with just Ford and Holden – latterly replaced by Chevrolet – though the addition of Toyota in the form of the GR Supra next year has opened the door to more brands racing in the championship.
However, speaking to Speedcafe at the launch of the Nissan Ariya electric SUV, Nissan Oceania managing director Andrew Humberstone said it’s unlikely a Supercars return will happen.
“It’s not come across my radar,” the executive said.
“I never say never, but I think the direction we are going is around e-Power (Nissan’s hybrid) technology. It’s hybrids, it’s e-Power reinvented, it’s electrification, it’s Formula E.
“That’s the direction that consumers are taking us, legislation is taking us, our technology and investment is taking us.
“But we always have the enthusiasts. So could there be a niche opportunity in the future?
“I’d never say never, but at the moment it’s not on my radar.”
The Nissan Z sports coupe would present itself as the most logical entrant to the Supercars Championship, given it’s similarly sized to the GR Supra and Ford Mustang.
It’s also just three years old in Australia, unlike the current Supra which had its order books closed last month.
Nissan already races the Z overseas, both in GT4 guise – badged as the Z Nismo GT4 – as well as Japan’s Super GT Series.
While the GT4 racer uses the factory-fitted twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine, the Super GT Z GT500 is powered by a bespoke 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.
The GT4 version of the Nissan Z is one of the few GT4 cars not competing in Australia’s local championship, where the Mustang and GR Supra also race.
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