Love them or hate them the guys at Top Gear have never been afraid of putting the newest and fastest around their famed Dunsfold Aerodome track. Recently they got behind the wheel of Nissan’s new hybrid F1 racer named Zeod, featuring what could possibly be the world’s smallest and fastest engine. We’ve brought you coverage of the Nissan Zeod before, but never with anyone putting it through it’s paces around a race track.
Today we’ve got some video from the NISMO Channel, showing Nissan’s own professional racer Wolfgang Reip putting the Zeod to the task. The turbocharged three cylinder motor is paired with a electric motor for a total output of 400hp in a very small and lightweight form factor. Reip was remarkably smooth and fast around the track setting an impressive time around the track at 1:05.3, an awesome time considering the humble horsepower numbers.
The three cylinder turbocharged engine is coined the DIG-T R and weighs just 88 lbs, making it an incredible feat of engineering and design. With such a heavy focus on power to weight ratio, it’s no surprise how quick and nimble the Zeod seems, even through the in-cabin camera.
For comparison’s sake, Michael Schumacher piloting a Ferrari FXX recorded a 1:10.7 driving around the very same track. Yes, the Nissan Zeod is damn quick.
Despite the fact that the Nissan Zeod failed to finish this year’s 24 hours of Le Mans Race due to transmission issues, the team at NISMO feels confident in next year’s competition. While the question of battery life and energy sustainability for a 24 hour race may cast doubt on the Zeod’s chances, there’s no doubting it’s abilities.
Maybe the fact that their new GT-R LM NISMO hybrid prototype will be finished by then is boosting their confidence, and to be honest we can’t blame them. Participating in the LMP1 category for the first time gives Nissan fans a true look at how serious NISMO is about performance.
Nissan’s plans to rebuild their brand image and relaunch a new generation of Nissan sports cars has been a long and interesting journey. With the Nissan IDX on the horizon and many other chances and models to come, Nissan continues to push the performance envelope without apology.