Nissan Motor and Nissan Motorsports & Customizing Co. (NMC) have entered Nissan Z Racing Concept cars in the second round of ENEOS Super Taikyu Series 2022 – the NAPAC Fuji SUPER TEC 24 Hour Race. The event is held at the Fuji Speedway this weekend and the two cars will have the numbers ‘230’ and ‘244’.
The aim of running the two cars is to explore possible competition in various motorsports categories. Car 230, entered by the NISMO team, is equipped with a carbon-neutral-fuel (CNF) compatible engine, while Car 244, entered by the Max Racing team, is powered by a powerful petrol engine.
The two cars have been developed with the knowledge gained over many years of Super GT and customer racing car involvement. By entering the tough 24-hour endurance race, Nissan hopes to accumulate valuable data that can only be obtained through racing. This particularly applies to the CNF-compatible engine that can be applied to future development.
Nissan aims to achieve carbon neutrality throughout its product life cycle by fiscal year 2050 and is therefore also enhancing its efforts in motorsports. For instance, the carmaker is the only Japanese manufacturer that participates in the all-electric ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for single-seater cars.
“In our pursuit of innovation, we have always challenged the limits of what is possible, but we have never compromised on what excites our fans. Whether it is the excitement mixed with the roar of the engines or silent speed, our ambition is to empower our customers to enjoy their experience without compromise,” said Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s Chief Operating Officer. “The participation of the Nissan Z Racing Concept cars in this demanding race will bring many valuable learnings to develop competitive engines compatible with carbon-neutral fuel.”
“The tougher the race, the more we learn. We expect to acquire ample data and know-how for future vehicle development and, at the same time, we aim to show fans the unique driving performance of the all-new Z that we hope will exceed their expectations,” added Takao Katagiri, Head of Nissan’s Motorsports Business Unit Office and President of NMC.
Nissan Z Safety Car
Besides the two concept racing cars, Nissan Motor and NMC have also provided new Nissan Z for use as a safety car in the Super GT race series. The car has been presented to the organisers, the GT Association, Inc., and the sportscar will make its debut in the third round of the 2022 season at the Suzuka Circuit.
Among the duties of the Safety Car will be pre-race inspection of the tracks for obstacles and leading competition cars when race accidents occur.
Unveiled in August 2021, the all-new Z generation has been enthusiastically received by new and old fans alike. By competing in this season’s Super GT with the Nissan Z GT500, Nissan and NMC aim to broaden the Z’s fan base and increase the exposure of the Super GT series.
For more information on Nissan products and services in Malaysia, visit www.nissan.com.my.
