New Nissan LEAF Nismo RC Will Pace Nissan Micra Cup Races

Toronto Auto Show visitors will get to see the Nissan LEAF Nismo RC up close in personal and turns out so will certain Nissan Micra Cup attendees.

Looking like it came straight out of a video game, the Nissan LEAF Nismo RC can actually be driven, and driven it will be. Nissan announced that the LEAF Nismo RC would be used as a pace car for a few Nissan Micra Cup races this year.

If you didn’t know, the Micra Cup is a rather unique racing series that features as the name implies the Nissan Micra, one of Canada’s most affordable vehicles. The series which has been around since 2015 doesn’t allow engine modifications which makes for a very interesting affair where every car has a chance to win at the start.

The Micra is no race car and that’s part of the appeal of the Micra Cup. Every vehicle is powered by a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine with 109 horsepower and 107 pound-feet of torque. The brakes, suspension and chassis elements can be upgraded, but all cars have the same specs.

In other words, how you drive and how good you are at maintaining your composure with 20 cars bunched together vying for the same apex at the same time determines your position at the end.

The Nissan LEAF Nismo RC is a slightly more powerful machine to say the least. It’s powered by a 60-kWh battery like the recent Nissan LEAF e+ and two 120-kW electric motors good for 322 horsepower and 472 pound-feet of torque.

It will be used as the official pace car at two Micra Cup events scheduled at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park May 17-19 and August 23-25. It will also headline the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières scheduled the weekend of August 9th.

Canadian Auto Show visitors will also catch a glimpse of the new Nissan LEAF Nismo RC from February 15th to the 24th at the Toronto Metro Convention Center.

Nissan LEAF Nismo RC Images Gallery