Hopelessly Outclassed, Nissan Gives Up On Lemans Endurance Racing After Just One Season

Nissan has pulled the plug on its troubled front-wheel-drive Le Mans racer, the GT-R LM NISMO.

In a statement released today, the Japanese brand said: “Today, Nissan announced that it will withdraw its LMP1 entry from the 2016 FIA World Endurance Championship. Nissan entered LMP1 in the 2015 season with an innovative new, and bold concept, with the ambition to compete at the front of the field. The teams worked diligently to bring the vehicles up to the desired performance levels. However, the company concluded that the program would not be able to reach its ambitions and decided to focus on developing its longer-term racing strategies.

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TheSteve - 12/22/2015 4:21:01 PM

0 Boost

Odd. Usually a car manufacturer perfects some new tech in competitive racing, it proves to be a race winner, and then they market the claim that their race-proven tech "inspires" their road-legal offerings (e.g., "...inspired by our Formula 1 winning suspension...")

In this case, it seems that Nissan has a bunch of front-wheel-drive road-going vehicles, and they tried (unsuccessfully) to legitimize that approach by winning races using that approach.

I'm not knocking FWD. Lots of people prefer it. For many drivers, it's a better match to their driving skills and habits. I just don't feel it needs to be "race proven" or otherwise legitimized.

carsnyc - 12/22/2015 7:44:18 PM

+2 Boost

I am driving front-wheel-drive these days and can't wait to go back to rear.
Besides a so-so driving experience car is already making CV joint or wheel bearing noises.

MDarringer - 12/23/2015 8:51:32 AM

+2 Boost

Could we have a modicum of editing before we post? "Lemans" really?

vdiv - 12/23/2015 1:11:53 PM

+3 Boost

Seems to me that the best way to perfect the "longer-term racing strategies" is to stay in the race even if they lose and learn from the more successful teams.

Also how can they name the car GT-R and give it FWD? Seriously?!