Rumored: Nissan Sentra NISMO Coming to LA Auto Show; Will This be a Honda Civic Si, Ford Focus ST Killer?

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It’s rumored a Nissan Sentra Nismo could be at the LA Auto Show. Will this be a production Honda Civic Si, Ford Focus ST killer?

When Nissan announced the new 2017 Nissan Sentra SR Turbo, performance fans cheered. Now, Nissan could be stepping up the compact sedan's performance with a new NISMO model. It’s not new, because Nissan unveiled a Sentra NISMO concept car three years ago in LA. Car Buzz is reporting a source close to Nissan has told them another Sentra NISMO will be unveiled at the LA Auto Show this year. Although this time, it will be a production model.

We don’t have any other details and can only guess it will come with a similar powertrain like the concept performance car. The Sentra NISMO Concept was powered by a 240-plus horsepower turbocharged Juke-sourced 1.8-liter 4-cylinder powerplant with 240 lb. ft of torque. It was mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. It also featured NISMO-tuned suspension and steering, custom driver-focused interior, enhanced aerodynamics and large 19-inch RAYS aluminum-alloy wheels and wrapped in 225/35R19 Michelin Super Sports.

The Nissan Sentra NISMO could become reality

Nissan Vice President of Product Planning, Pierre Loing said in 2013, ”Fans have asked that we bring back a high-performance Sentra straight from the factory, just like in generations past. With NISMO, our in-house motorsports arm already producing versions of the 370Z Nismo, JUKE Nismo, JUKE Nismo RS and upcoming GT-R Nismo, we wanted to demonstrate where we could go in the future."

If Nissan does produce this car, it could be Nissan’s answer to the Honda Civic Si and Ford Focus ST. It will likely be a big hit with compact performance fans and a big step up from the recently launched 2017 Sentra SR Turbo. While it’s not a hot hatch, the compact performance sedan market is one of the fastest growing segments and Nissan wants to tap into it. Will Nissan bring a new Sentra NISMO production model to the LA Auto Show? Stay tuned.

Source: Nissan

Photo: Nissan Sentra NISMO Concept