Nissan
caused a stir during last Sunday's Superbowl XLIX when they unveiled
their new Le Mans Prototype race car, the GT-R LM Nismo.
Going in a direction vastly different to what you'd expect from an LMP car, Nissan's new car, which will compete in the 2015 World Endurance Championship is front engined and front wheel drive as opposed to the mid engined-rear drive norm.
The power comes from a 3 litre twin turbo V6 complimented by a hybrid system for a combined total of 1250 horsepower.
"The
regulations have allowed us the freedom to create a significantly
different looking car" said the car's chief designed Ben Bowlby. "Nissan
are bold challengers who are prepared to innovate in order to get a
high performance outcome so we’ve turned the whole concept of the
conventional LM P1 car of 2014 on its head." 
"The result is that our
car looks different as the cockpit has been moved significantly
rearwards to accommodate the engine at the front of the car."Speaking of the car's Superbowl unveiling, Roel de Vries, Global Head of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Nissan said, “It gave us great pride to reveal the Nissan GT-R LM NISMO during the Super Bowl,”
“The
combination of the Super Bowl and the Le Mans 24 Hours – two of the most
watched sporting events in the world – presented us with a unique
opportunity to showcase our most ambitious motorsport programme in
recent times."
Ferrari F1 test driver and 2009 Le Mans 24 Hours winner Marc Gene was the first driver to be confirmed for Nissan."I am delighted and very excited to drive for Nissan. I have always looked closely at Nissan and it’s motorsport programmes, especially at the GT-R activities and of course it’s road car models." said the Spaniard. "Now to be competing with Nissan in the LM P1 GT-R in the most demanding and prestigious race in the world is something I am very proud of."
Brit Harry Tincknell, Frenchman Olivier Pla and Japanese driver Tsugio Matsuda have also been confirmed for 2015.
Images: Nissan NISMO
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