Nismo Festival 2024!

(Please excuse the belated post - I was overseas on a business trip the day after the Nismo Festival (which was on December 1 this year) and I am finally getting caught up...)

I know many of you are not going to like this, but I have been lucky enough to attend the Nismo Festival so many times that frankly, it is beginning to lose some of its luster.

Instead of checking out the latest from Nissan and Nismo - uh yeah well I know as I work at Nissan - at the Festival I am able to meet up with old friends, both car owners and shop affiliated, that I have not seen for some time. 

Of course, from an R33 GT-R perspective, there are some cool things too - check out the Global Auto 400R that was on display.  Seeing a 400R is no longer that exciting but it was interesting to see what it looks like under the hood!

And then walking around I see some privately owned 33s in the parking lot...

It was cool to see the Nismo carrier truck out as well.

The parking lot was sectioned off according to car model - one section for Zs, R32 GT-Rs, R33 GT-Rs, etc... probably organically by the owners too.  In the Skyline sedan section I found this Skyline 400R (JDM version that has the 400ps engine):

I like the paint, but that sticker...nope

And one other interesting thing I saw - at Nismo Festival wtih so many shops sellings stuff, and some shops taking cash only, what happens when you run out of cash? Simple, you go to a mobile ATM, this one operated by 7 and i Holdings, operator of the 7-11 convenience stores here in Japan...

Interestiing products for cars - yeah there were a couple. One shop - Ota Automotive - selling recreations of the Series 3 front blinker grill with cut-out for the oil cooler - but modified to allow air to flow slighlty better (for some reason I can't seem to find the photo I took).  Another shop was selling Nissan OEM interior clips - an entire set for the interior of one car.  I guess I will have to update this blog when I get some photos or the products themselves in hand for me to try out. Stay tuned!!

NISMO 40th Anniversary - up close with the NISMO 400R

So if you've been paying attention, NISMO turned 40 on September 17, 2024.  To celebrate, Nissan made sure the gallery at Global Headquarters showed off some of NISMO's best cars. 

I meant to say, Road cars... as there were several race cars on the gallery floor as well.

In particular, these three!

So in the heritage section next to the Nissan/NISMO gift shop, these 3 cars were lined up for inspection. Of course, I focused my efforts on the middle one.

As I approached it, I decided to take photos of it from all angles. First the left front:

Then the right front:

And of course I wanted to get a closer look at the hood/bonnet bespoke made for this car.

I think the need to ventilate tells you something...

And a shot of the front wheel arches - needed to comply with Japan road laws as wheels and tires cannot stick out past the body. Add on fenders allow just a bit more width to the tires.

Another angle, I was trying to get a shot of the brake caliper.

and a less interesting shot of the left rear wheel

Of course, while so close I had to check out the interior. Even though regular 1996 GT-Rs had passenger airbags as standard, the 400R did not. Interesting...

Oh and I must check out that back. Wait, speaker grills? This thing had a stereo?

Stereo yes, but not the Kenwood Sound Cruising System

And of course I need to check out the quality of the carbon fiber. Couldn't touch it, but I am sure it is dry carbon. And the weave is 1x1 square, just like those old Nismo B pillar stickers....

And while back here, I MUST get a better view of that badge. Cool, but to me not as cool as "GT-R"

And let's not forget to get a rear quarter view photo.

Need to enjoy that sticker...

And the obligatory front quarter view to finish.

Oh, and look who I found, this 34 owner, admiring the greatest road going GT-R of all time...

Admit it Dino, you love it...

Thanks for viewing this post.  It did not feel right to have all these photos on my phone for only me to enjoy. Let me know if any questions!