We've seen a lot BMW->ke178-badged safety->ke2860 cars recently, including the M4 Coupe DTM safety car and the BMW i8 that paces the newly founded Formula E series->ke4660. Needless to say, Munich's vehicles are quite common with racing events, but IMSA is among the very few sanctioning bodies that prefer other marques. For this year's Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, IMSA opted for the 2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo. The coupe, as you may remember, received an extensive facelift in 2014.

Seeing the 370Z make its debut as a safety car in North America isn't surprising at all. Nissan->ke62 is an official partner of IMSA, the sanctioning body for both the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge and the TUDOR United SportsCar Championships, and has fielded multiple race cars->ke148 throughout the 2014 season. In addition, the Japanese automaker also provides powerplants to various independent companies. The Circuit of the Americas race, scheduled for September 19th, will also include Nissan racers. Two 370Z Nismos and a couple of Altima-based race cars will battle for victory in Texas.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo.

2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo Safety Car

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo Safety Car
  • Engine/Motor: V6
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Nissan 370Z Nismo Safety Car in detail

This 370Z Nismo isn't your typical car. Sure, it has a few extras to aid its particular purpose, but unlike other safety cars, it doesn't feature any emergency lights on its roof. These have been replaced by LED strips mounted above the front grille and the rear license plate, enabling the coupe to make itself noticed while out on the track. Other than that and the black-and-red livery, the 370Z Nismo is unchanged visually, meaning there are no body modifications whatsoever. The livery itself is quite simple, showcasing "safety car" and "Nissan Nismo" writing on various body panels.

Nissan hasn't released photos of the sports car's interior, but it's safe to assume additional equipment includes a roll cage, on-board fire extinguishers and communication systems. No changes have been operated under the hood, meaning the 3.7-liter V-6 generates the same 350 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque available in the base car.

Nissan 370Z Nismo

The 2015 facelift brought significant visual changes to the 370Z Nismo, as a more aggressive appearance replaces the dull looks of the old coupe. The front fascia is now sharper and features a GT-R-inspired kit that includes a larger grille, blade-like air vents and a sexy, three-piece splitter. A redesigned bumper and larger vents, plus an all-new spoiler enhance the 370Z's rear end. Inside, a pair of Recaro seats exclusively designed for the model are offered with the package, along with black-and-red leather and Alcantara accents.

The drivetrain develops the same 350 ponies and 276 pound-feet available with the previous model, but Nissan has added an automatic transmission on the options list. A reworked suspension with high-performance dampers and a viscous limited-slip differential round off the revised 370Z Nismo. Pricing begins from $41,990 with a manual transmission and goes up from $43,290 with an automatic gearbox.