Nissan GT-R LM NISMO Set for Dec. 8 Launch in Florida

Nissan’s new GT-R LM NISMO will be launched and make its public debut in Florida, the Japanese manufacturer has revealed.

Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO, confirmed to Sportscar365 that its LMP1-H entry is scheduled to be launched on Dec. 8 at a to-be-announced location in Florida, with its first laps in public likely to follow the next day.

Cox would not confirm the location for the public rollout, although it’s understood Sebring International Raceway is the likely venue.

All of the car’s initial testing and development prior to the start of the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship season will be conducted in the U.S., with testing to begin behind closed doors at an undisclosed Nissan test facility.

Cox confirmed the existence of the team’s Indianapolis base and revealed there will be a further workshop in the U.K. at Nissan’s technical center in Cranfield.

Additional announcements are scheduled for NISMO Festival and the FIA WEC race at Fuji, while Cox said the identity of the first driver for the LMP1 program will be confirmed shortly after the Japanese round.

Cox said at least one of the ten drivers will be a GT Academy driver, as well as expressing a desire to utilize some of Nissan’s Super GT pilots.

“Obviously we’ve got J.P. Oliveira who races in Japan and there’s some other fast Brazilian drivers around, so why not?” Cox said.

“There’s a lot of drivers knocking on my door. There’s some interesting ones that you wouldn’t expect to be talking to us, that you would have thought they’d be happy where they are. Maybe they’re not.”

Additionally, Cox said each of the ten drivers (nine race and one test/reserve) will be announced separately. A two-car program is still planned for the entire FIA WEC, with a third car for Le Mans.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John