Nissan expands NISMO in Australia

Nissan Motorsports & Customizing Co. and Nissan Oceania said on May 22 they will expand the NISMO brand in Australia through a multi-phase rollout of Omori Factory-backed performance centers. The plan gives Australian customers local access to authentic NISMO performance parts, heritage parts, restoration support, technical expertise, merchandise and brand-led customer experiences, according to Nissan’s global newsroom. Australia is set to become home to one of the first NISMO Performance Centers outside Japan, the company said. CarExpert reported the first site will be branded Nismo Performance Centre Melbourne and will operate from Nissan Ferntree Gully in Victoria. ### Where is the first Australian NISMO site going? Nissan said the first center will open at Nissan Ferntree Gully in Victoria in the second half of 2026. The dealership sits near Nissan Australia’s headquarters in Melbourne’s east, according to CarExpert, and will be the first local outlet to showcase the company’s performance arm in a dedicated format. Additional locations are planned as part of the phased rollout, Nissan said, but it did not name those sites. (global.nissannews.com) ### What will customers actually be able to get there? Nissan said the centers are intended to provide more than showroom access. The company listed authentic NISMO parts and accessories, heritage parts, restoration support, technical expertise, merchandise and customer experiences as part of the program. WhichCar reported the centers will offer access to factory-backed NISMO parts, restoration programs and technical support that had previously been centered around the NISMO Omori Factory in Yokohama. (global.nissannews.com) ### How does the GT-R restoration piece work? Drive reported the Australian expansion includes factory-backed restoration support for historic Skyline GT-R models, specifically the R32, R33 and R34. Road & Track, citing Nissan’s announcement, said one Australian dealership is getting a dedicated shop focused on preserving and restoring those cars. Nissan’s release describes the centers as Omori Factory-backed, linking the local program to the Japanese base closely associated with NISMO’s heritage and restoration work. (global.nissannews.com) ### Why Australia for this expansion? Yutaka Sanada, president and CEO of Nissan Motorsports & Customizing, visited Sydney as the company announced the rollout, Nissan said. The automaker described Australia as one of the world’s most passionate GT-R communities and positioned the country as part of the next phase of NISMO’s global expansion. Independent coverage also framed the move as unusual because these are among the first such centers outside Japan. (drive.com.au) ### Is this tied to a broader NISMO strategy? Nissan and NMC said in December they were considering outside collaborations to expand the NISMO car lineup business and were increasing focus on heritage and restoration programs from fiscal 2026. That earlier statement said the global auto restoration market was valued at about 500 billion yen and projected to grow to more than 1.2 trillion yen by 2032. The Australia rollout fits within that broader push into restoration, parts and customer services around the NISMO brand. (global.nissannews.com) ### What happens next? The second half of 2026 is the next named milestone in Nissan’s plan, when the Ferntree Gully site is due to open in Victoria. Nissan said more locations will follow, while CarExpert said the Melbourne outlet will be the first dedicated Australian NISMO Performance Centre. (global.nissannews.com 1) (global.nissannews.com 2)