One of the vital iconic occasions on Japan’s automotive calendar, the Nismo Pageant is a must-attend for any Nissan otaku.

However, this 12 months, the occasion appeared to mirror a turning level—one where the business’s rising attention to EVs and modernity could have marked the start of the competition’s decline.

For a lot of, the actual draw of the annual Nismo Pageant shouldn’t be to take a look at the most recent hybrid and EV fashions already on show at your native supplier; however, to see a few of Nissan’s unimaginable Heritage Assortment automobiles hit the observer and make some noise.

Final weekend’s occasion was extra subdued than earlier Nismo festivals, with simply 16 non-EV race automobiles driving Fuji Speedway all through the day.

However, rather than dwelling on the inevitable shift to an electrified automotive future, let’s give attention to the legends who took to the observe this 12 months.

2024 is the fortieth anniversary of Nismo, and 28,500 followers confirmed as much as having fun that milestone with Nissan.

And what better method to kick issues off than with Nissan’s most legendary race automotive—the Group A Calsonic R32 Skyline GT-R? For a lot of those in attendance, it was their childhood poster automotive, and its unmistakable blue and white livery is eternally linked to Nismo’s legacy.

After which there’s the sound of its 550 hp RB26—simply unimaginable!

One other standout this 12 months was the Calsonic-laden R390 GT1. With its 3.5L V8, as soon as utilized in Group C racing, the R390 GT1 was Nissan’s entry into the 1997 and 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans races. Whereas solely two highway chassis have been ever made, one was just lately restored and remains to be pushed by former F1 and Nissan works driver Erik Comas.

For a lot of, the spotlight of the Nismo Pageant is the Historic Automobile Exhibition Race, and this 12 month’s version actually didn’t disappoint. Dozens of Nineteen Seventies classics raced wheel-to-wheel around Fuji Speedway, offering a glimpse into Nissan’s wealthy motorsport heritage.

Then there was the all-Sunny race, with a minimum of 22 B110s and B310s lining up for a standing begin. The sound of their engines screaming off the grid on the principle straight was unimaginable.

Away from the principle camp, the Historic Automobile Exhibition Race pit provided an extra relaxed expertise.

Small wheels, open carbs, and uncooked interiors—you gotta love old-style race automobiles.

As Tokyo’s notorious Sunday visitors started to line up, many opponents made their way to Fuji Speedway’s exits around 3 p.m. This left the historic paddock nearly empty, all towards the attractive backdrop of a traditional Fuji sundown.

On the fourth floor of the Fuji Speedway stand, tucked away from the group, sat extra iconic machines, together with the JGTC Motul Skyline GT-R.

Powered by the VQ30DETT, this automotive was the ultimate chapter for the R34 within the JGTC as Nissan switched to the Z33 Fairlady Z the next season.

Alongside the Skyline, the 1996 JTCC Sunny, with its naturally aspirated SR20 engine pumping out 300 hp, added one other historic contact to the lineup.

Again in the principle camp, the Heritage automobiles lined up for his or her remaining laps.

The R33 Skyline GT-R LM baked within the late afternoon sun. Though the LM didn’t get pleasure from success at Le Mans, it’s an absolute stunner. What a sight!

One of the vital thrilling moments was seeing the R91CP—an automotive that made history as the primary Japanese-powered and Japanese-built car to win outright on the Daytona 24 Hours in 1992.

Equally spectacular was the 1989 Reebok Skyline GTS-R, which dominated the All-Japan Touring Automobile Championship in ‘1989.

After all, Nissan’s attention to present racing expertise is all the time evident on the Nismo Pageant, and the automaker’s present lineup of Tremendous GT automobiles took middle stage.

Though these newer machines did not make a lot of noise, they nonetheless attracted consideration as they flew across the observer.

With rumors of an S16 Silvia circulating online, I am holding out hope for a rear-wheel-drive Toyota GR86 rival. However, with Nissan’s rising emphasis on EVs and front-wheel-drive platforms, to not point out its present monetary woes, that optimism feels a bit strained.

With a barely much less intensive schedule for these 12 months, I had extra time to discover the huge spectator car parking zone, which changed into an unofficial gathering of its personal. The sheer variety of GTs was spectacular.

The truth is, the car parking zone deserves a standalone characteristic—keep tuned for that!

As I walked away from the 2024 Nismo Pageant, I could not assist, however, I really felt conflicted. As an occasion, I might nonetheless suggest it to any Nissan fanatic who occurs to be in Japan in the course of the first weekend of December. However, because the once-thriving heritage of highway automobiles shrinks and EVs continue their dominance, the Nismo competition feels prefer it hangs within the steadiness. Let’s hope that is not the case.