The Nissan Leaf may've just hit the streets here in Japan last month, but the automaker is already hard at work looking to capitalize on the sportier-looking (and hopefully sportier-driving) variant with the Nissan Leaf Nismo concept. Looking to bring its performance heritage and relatively recent electric expertise together, the Leaf Nismo concept sets out to further prove that electric cars can be just as fun to drive as they are good for the environment.

The Leaf Nismo concept is pretty mild by Nismo standards, but pretty wild for a Leaf. The last Leaf Nismo, sold exclusively in Japan, was little more than a Leaf with red accents, but the new concept backs up the red accents with a lowered, sport-tuned suspension, sticky Continental summer tires, and revised computer tuning that makes the Leaf's 147 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque available quicker than in the standard Leaf.

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The revised body workalso gives the Leaf Nismo concept some performance enhancements, says Nissan. The new lower fascia and spoiler are designed to reduce lift without ruining the Leaf's impressive 0.28 coefficient of drag.

There are currently no plans to put the Leaf Nismo into production, but given the manufacturer's desires to both expand the appeal of the Leaf and the credibility of the Nismo brand, we wouldn't be surprised to see it in showrooms and on streets worldwide.

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