NISSAN NPT 90

The Nissan NPT-90 was developed in 1990 for Nissan Motors by Nissan Performance Technology Incorporated (NPTI), formerly known as Electramotive Engineering. It was a replacement for the highly successful GTP ZX-Turbo that had won the IMSA GT Championship in 1989. The NPT-90 would go on to win the championship in 1990 and 1992 before being retired by Nissan at the end of the 1992 season.

After five years of development and improvement on the GTP ZX-Turbo, Nissan realized that incoming competition from Toyota and Jaguar meant that a new car was needed to be able to continue to defend their championship. NPTI, Nissan's North American motorsports division, was therefore tasked with construction of an all-new car, abandoning the original Lola-based GTP ZX-Turbo chassis. The new car would abandon the angular look of the previous car, with the cockpit being rounded and narrower. The large intakes at the nose of the car would also be replaced with smaller duct work, while large vertical snorkels for the turbocharger would be placed on the sides of the car.

Nissan chose to continue to use the VG30ET 3.0 litre turbocharged V6 engine that had previously powered the GTP ZX-Turbo, but with improvements to allow for more power output, including the addition of a four-valve header to replace the two-valve design. Eventually, Nissan chose to use a smaller 2.5 litre design in 1992 in order to allow for them to use twin-turbocharging in an attempt to combat the advancing Toyotas.

While the first NPT-90 chassis were under construction, NPTI began the 1990 season using the older GTP ZX-Turbos. The first chassis would be completed halfway through the season and debut at Topeka where it took an eighth place finish, behind the second place GTP ZX-Turbo. Although engine problems at Lime Rock Park would put the lone NPT-90 out of the race, it would quickly show its potential at the next round at Mid-Ohio by taking the race win. With a second victory at Watkins Glen, and the second chassis completed, the NPT-90s would completely take over from the GTP ZX-Turbos.

Over the rest of the season, the NPT-90 would only be able to secure one more win at Road America, but the strong points finishes of both cars as well as the success of the GTP ZX-Turbos earlier in the season would allow Nissan to take the constructors championship for the second year in a row. Geoff Brabham would secure his third straight drivers championship as well.

Please call for details on this particular car.

P.O.A.