AUTECH has been a subsidiary of Nissan since 1986, with a focus on customization of Nissan vehicles to suit special needs clients as well as clients in specific lines of work. AUTECH like NISMO also offers tuned versions of various Nissan vehicles, however unlike NISMO where the focus is primarily on a Sporty thrilling drive, AUTECH tuned Nissans focus more on a refined drive, quality craftsmanship and ultra comfort.
Nissan Motorsports & Customizing "NMC", was established in April 2022 as part of Nissans strategic efforts to unify their motorsports and customization departments. It saw the merger of NISMO and AUTECH.
Prior to November 2016, AUTECH produced and sold two configurations of the E12 Note:
- Rider - A sporty looking configuration with chrome wheels, a large spoiler and a sporty exhaust.
- Axis - A full leather model with an emphasis on higher quality interior materials and luxury.
Following the refresh by Nissan, AUTECH dropped the Rider and Axis configurations and introduced a new line-up in December 2016 which consisted of Mode Premier, a replacement of the older Rider, with a focus on a sporty setup, and C-Gear with a focus on adventurous practicality and mild off-roading. The new AUTECH offerings launched with unique 15inch wheels, and a slightly longer chassis. Whereas the power output and performance of the two new models was similar to the standard E12 car of the generation, they featured higher specification and kit levels, higher quality build materials, different seats, and unique colour options.
Alongside the launch of the refreshed E12 NISMO, now available with the newly launched e-Power powertrain, AUTECH also launched performance variants of the Mode Premier and the C-Gear featuring larger 16inch Wheels, chassis reinforcements, tuned control modules for enhanced response and better performance as well as steering and suspension system tune-ups to improve acceleration and handling just like the Nismo variants.
From July 2018, the Mode Premier configuration was updated and the name was changed to AUTECH, with the tuned version renamed to AUTECH Sport.
The C-Gear configuration, characterized by its elegant green accents, all black rims and roof-rails, was also available with a 4WD/AWD option.
