Key highlights
- The Ferntree Gully centre is the first factory-backed Nismo Performance Centre outside Japan.
- Nismo Performance Centres will offer heritage parts, performance engine builds, technical expertise and merchandise.
- Nissan plans to expand the network across Australian capital cities and Auckland, New Zealand.
Australia’s Nismo fans now have a direct link to the brand’s Japanese home base. Nissan has opened the first factory-backed Nismo Performance Centre (NPC) outside Japan, and it’s in Ferntree Gully, in Melbourne’s outer east. The centre sits at 1000 Burwood Highway and was announced by Nissan Australia earlier this year. More centres are planned for other Australian capital cities, along with one in Auckland, New Zealand. Locations and opening dates for those haven’t been confirmed.
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Why was Australia the first?
Nissan says the local market was a natural pick because of its enthusiast base. Yutaka Sanada, president and CEO of Nissan Motorsports and Customizing and global head of the Nismo brand, pointed to Australia’s “mature performance culture”, its strong GT-R community and an appetite for authentic Nismo heritage.
That tracks! The Skyline GT-R has a special place here, and the R32 is the reason. It dominated touring car racing in the early 1990s and won the 1991 and 1992 Bathurst 1000s, a run that turned the car into a legend on Australian soil.
The catch with Skylines
Nissan Australia imported only 100 R32 GT-Rs when new. The R33 and the R34, which arrived in 1999, were never sold here by Nissan at all. Racing success and enthusiast demand drove a boom in private imports, which means plenty of Australian GT-Rs have no local factory support behind them. Owners have long relied on specialists and their own sourcing to keep these cars on the road. The NPC is aimed squarely at that gap.
What the centre actually does
Nissan Australia aftersales director Michael Hill described it as a shop-within-a-shop concept, with parts and models on display. The centre will help source parts and tap into Nismo’s expertise on these older cars, with plans to cater to other models down the track. Hill said customers will have access to what Nissan calls Nismo Meisters, who can help guide a car “from what it is today to a restored model”. The offering includes:
- Performance engine build menus
- Heritage parts, available exclusively through the performance centres
- Nismo performance parts
- Nismo merchandise
The centre also connects local enthusiasts to the Nismo Omori Factory in Japan. That’s the practical value for owners. Instead of chasing parts through grey channels, they get a Nissan-backed source for them.
Where does this fit in Nissan’s plans?
The centre follows Nissan’s 2025 commitment to expand its vehicle restoration programs globally, with an initial focus on the R32, R33 and R34 generations of the Skyline GT-R. The R35 GT-R and generations of Nissan Z models are also part of the enthusiast base Nissan cites as a reason for choosing Australia. Nismo itself is Nissan’s performance and motor racing division, formed in 1984. It combined with Nissan’s Autech division in 2022 to form Nissan Motorsports and Customizing. The Nismo badge also appears on halo versions of Nissan’s performance and sports models, with the Nissan Z Nismo the most recent offering in Australia. The Nissan Patrol Nismo (Y63) has been ruled out for Australia.
What we don’t know yet
Some key details haven’t been confirmed. As of 5 October 2026, there’s no word on pricing for engine builds, heritage parts or restoration services. Nissan hasn’t detailed which specific heritage parts will be available, or how long they’ll take to arrive. The timing and locations of the other Australian centres are also unconfirmed.
Why it matters for buyers and owners
If you own an R32, R33 or R34 GT-R, or you’re thinking of buying one, this is a meaningful change. Access to genuine factory parts and expertise could make ownership easier and may help support the long-term value of well-kept cars. Whether it does will depend on pricing and parts availability, which remain to be seen, so treat that as an open question for now. For Z and R35 owners, the centre offers a chance to browse Nismo parts and merchandise in person, and the brand says it plans to expand its scope beyond the Skyline range in future. How far that goes hasn’t been spelled out.
Either way, it’s a clear signal that Nissan sees Australia as a serious home for its performance heritage. If you’re considering a classic Skyline, it’s worth keeping an eye on how this rolls out.
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