For today's trip to the land of JDM, we give you an MPV with too many Ns in its name and more power than any Note model sold anywhere in the world. It's weird, it's wonderful, it's the Nissan Note Nismo S, which has just arrived at local dealerships.
In Europe and America, the Nissan Note is sort of uncool, a fact that isn't helped by the boxy design of the older model. However, in Japan, the Note is so popular that Nissan even saw fit to turn it into a hot hatch of sorts.
Let's start by looking at the spectacular exterior of the car. The Nismo division equipped the Note with more blades than a Gillette razor, all of them painted in black and red. The rest of the bodywork is covered in the sexiest pearl white paint this side of a Fiat 500.
As for the powertrain, the Note Nismo S gets a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine delivering 140 hp at 6,400 rpm, 31 hp more than the basic 1.6. It's coupled to a five-speed stick shift and helped by larger brake discs, a high-flow intake manifold and a throatier exhaust to give the MPV the character of a Suzuki Swift Sport.
The interior is weird, like a Dacia with Porsche seats. Take the steering wheel, which is covered in alcantara and leather, but has no metallic finishes or buttons. The seats are great, but that aftermarket navigation is so 1990s.
So what does Nissan want for its Clio RS from the East? Around 2.3 million yen, which is equivalent to $19,000. You can also order it with a supercharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder mill coupled to an Xtronic CVT gearbox, but don't… just don't.
Let's start by looking at the spectacular exterior of the car. The Nismo division equipped the Note with more blades than a Gillette razor, all of them painted in black and red. The rest of the bodywork is covered in the sexiest pearl white paint this side of a Fiat 500.
As for the powertrain, the Note Nismo S gets a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine delivering 140 hp at 6,400 rpm, 31 hp more than the basic 1.6. It's coupled to a five-speed stick shift and helped by larger brake discs, a high-flow intake manifold and a throatier exhaust to give the MPV the character of a Suzuki Swift Sport.
The interior is weird, like a Dacia with Porsche seats. Take the steering wheel, which is covered in alcantara and leather, but has no metallic finishes or buttons. The seats are great, but that aftermarket navigation is so 1990s.
So what does Nissan want for its Clio RS from the East? Around 2.3 million yen, which is equivalent to $19,000. You can also order it with a supercharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder mill coupled to an Xtronic CVT gearbox, but don't… just don't.