Nissan Serena C27 NISMO

When Nissan decided to make a NISMO version of the latest Serena minivan, some enthusiasts have gone a little "oh my gawd" because why is Nissan's high-performance division now working on family cars like this one aside from our favorites such as the GT-R and the Fairlady Z and what are they accomplishing for? Everyday cars like the Juke and the Note have been given the NISMO treatment and soon the Leaf while cars like the X-TRAIL have been given a lesser NISMO Performance Package that gives only NISMO styling and nothing else. That's what NISMO is all about now so is there any particular reason why a family minivan like the Serena has been given the NISMO treatment?

2018 Nissan Serena NISMO

2018 Nissan Serena NISMO interior

The design looks pretty much the same as the normal Serena and so is the interior, the same two-way tailgate that can be opened either the whole door or the rear window, the same ProPILOT semi-autonomous driving tech, the same Hands-Free Auto Slide Door, and the same MR20DD-SM20 S-Hybrid powerplant mated to a CVT gearbox but because this is the NISMO variant, which I believed to be a custom variant of the Serena C27, there are some few differences in store to this family mover.

First off, it's been given added downforce due to the improved aerodynamics inspired by Super GT racing, a much fatter Bridgestone POTENZA Adrenaline RE003 tires for added grip, a more rigid body, a specially-made suspension that balances sporty driving with minivan-riding comfort, and a sports-tuned exhaust courtesy of a revamped computer system. 

What's the result? With all that NISMO junk in the minivan, the Serena NISMO doesn't behave like a normal Serena at all. It's just somewhat less nice to handle, slightly more chance to wake the kids behind you on the way home, and on the trip to the grocery, people think that you're a boy racer with a wife and kids on board, and when you opt for even more extras such as front Recaro sports seats, there's no telling what kind of minivan owner are you when you realize that your Serena has some bits and bobs of a Super GT500 GT-R, minus the GT-R part, and the Super GT part, and the angry roar.

With prices starting at ¥3,419,280, it's more expensive to own than a normal Serena Highway Star variant which works rather well for the typical Japanese family. So, a NISMO-tuned Serena sounds like a good idea from the start, your family may not be going to like how it behaves and unless you're single, you'd better stick for the normal Serena Highway Star variant for now because family life could get dysfunctional if you've gone for a Serena that has some bits and bobs that came from NISMO's motorsport knowledge.

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.