A TRACK STAR IN THE MAKING?
Nissan unexpectedly spices up its Sentra with more power and better handling — and sporty NISMO badges, writes Graeme Fletcher
Nissan’s in-house performance division is NISMO. Since 1984, the skunk-works-like outfit has added its touch to everything from the mighty GT-R and the Juke, to the 370Z and now, the Sentra. The work touches just about every important facet of the car.
For the 2017 Nissan Sentra, the NISMO treatment starts with an aggressive new look that focuses on better aerodynamics and a 30 per cent reduction of lift at speed. Visually, it is the front wing splitter, bolder side sills and an expressive rear end with a NISMO tailpipe and spoiler. Most of the add-ons are accented in a sharp red colour, setting it apart from its mortal sibling. Just in case it is mistaken for something less, there are the mandated NISMO badges; I counted eight.
Inside, the steering wheel has a chunky feel, complete with a red marker to denote it is the right way up, and Alcantara inserts at the nine-and-three position. There are NISMO front seats with better bolstering and more Alcantara, plus unique NISMO instrumentation and some nice carbon fibre-like trim pieces with the same red body kit accents.
The bigger changes are found beneath the body kit. For starters, the Sentra gets a 1.6-litre turbocharged and intercooled fourcylinder engine, complete with variable cam phasing on both the intake and exhaust cams. The result is 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque anywhere between 1,600 and 5,200 rpm. It drives the front wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox or Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The temptation might be to dismiss a CVT in a performance car, but this one has been tweaked to enhance acceleration and get rid of the annoying motorboating that occurs whenever the go pedal is matted. Nissan calls it the D-mode step shift program which mimics the shift pattern of an automatic. That said, mine would have the manual gearbox; it just made so much more of the power at play. The close ratios, tight throws and light, progressive clutch made it an easy drive, even in Los Angeles’ congested streets.
Having given it the go factor, NISMO turned to the handling side of the speedy equation. There is barely a common nut or bolt to be found. First, the body has been stiffened — the front firewall is thicker, plus the floor and rear parcel shelf have been reinforced. The stiffening reduces body flex and improves the feedback the driver receives from the car. The NISMOspecific suspension gets revised springs all around and firmer front strut tuning to go along with the monotube rear shocks that support the twist beam. Nissan says the response time from the shocks is faster and so they do a better job of keeping the rubber on the road.
The anti-roll bars are also beefier — 22 millimetres up front and 24.6 mm at the back — and the speed-sensitive power steering setup now has better oncentre feel and a faster response to input. Capping off the handling items are larger front brake rotors and P215/45ZR18 Michelin Pilot Sport all-season tires. It is an extensive makeover that comes together nicely.
The first thing that surfaced on the very short test drive was just how well body motion has been controlled. The Sentra NISMO neither squats under hard acceleration nor does it kneel and kiss the tarmac when the brakes are hammered. As a result, it feels pretty darned nimble. The short nature of the drive did not allow the Sentra NISMO to be pushed, but through one back street, it did begin to understeer when pushed into a corner, and mainly because of the mass over the front wheels; after all, the front end carries 61 per cent of the car’s weight. However, when compared to most front-drivers, this pocket rocket felt quite benign. A track day will reveal all.
The Sentra seems like an odd candidate — a compact four-door sedan — for full-on NISMO treatment. But in much the same way the lowly Micra has produced a viable grassroots racing series in Canada, the Sentra NISMO is likely to appeal to those who want more performance and expression without paying through the nose.
Pricing will be announced closer to its first-quarter 2017 launch date, but expect the Sentra NISMO to come in at around $25,000.