New Nissan Leaf EV to get Nismo performance pack?

The new Nissan Leaf that has just made its debut would have been a big surprise, if you had expected an evolution of the same bulbous design.

If the original Leaf stood out a like a friendly cartoon character, this new one looks a lot more like a normal modern family hatchback. Inspired by the IDS Concept from the 2015 Tokyo Motor Show and sharing a design language with the cool new B-segment March, the Leaf appears significantly more dynamic, a touch sporty even.

Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior VP for global design, told Autocar that a “racier version” of the new Leaf with Nismo add-ons could help the second-gen EV reach image-conscious buyers — something the previous car wasn’t very successful at.

New Nissan Leaf EV to get Nismo performance pack?

“The previous Leaf’s design wasn’t popular with the majority of people, so its look couldn’t contribute to sales. The new car is lower, wider and sportier, with the point of this design being to get greater accessibility of the market,” the former Infiniti design chief said.

Albaisa, who was promoted to his current post in April, said that it would be easy to develop Nismo parts for the new Leaf. He pointed out that such a practice isn’t new to Nissan because Nismo trim is offered on the carmaker’s other models as well. The Juke is one of them, and the Note Nismo received great response from readers here.

The Leaf makes its debut with a 40 kWh battery pack, but Nissan says that it will introduce a “high-power version” of the Leaf with increased motor power and battery capacity at the end of 2018. Will that upcoming “Leaf E-Plus” get a Nismo performance variant?

The second-generation Leaf will be coming to Malaysia in 2018.



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