Nissan Philippines Inc. (NPI) held its first-ever Nissan Festival on February 1, 2026, at Clark International Speedway, gathering more than 1,700 enthusiasts in what the company described as its largest official meet-up of Nissan car clubs and fans in the country. Carrying the theme “Driven by Passion, Powered by Legacy,” the event turned the Pampanga circuit into an all-day showcase of the brand’s performance credentials, enthusiast culture, and heritage.
While the festival was designed for community engagement rather than direct sales, NPI President Masao Tsutsumi said the brand saw it as an investment in long-term ownership confidence—particularly in a market where vehicle purchases carry significant weight for buyers.
“Selling cars is not a one-time shot. It is a life-long relationship… because cars, is probably the most, or the second most expensive item you buy in your life, so I know this is not an easy choice. But once you buy a Nissan car, I really want you to be proud of driving Nissan. I want you to keep enjoying driving Nissan. So that is why we decided to have this event, inviting all the Nissan fans to come and share you passion , your enjoyment, your excitement in the Philippines,” Tsutsumi said when asked why NPI proceeded with the festival despite it not being a revenue-generating activity.
During a media roundtable at the venue, Tsutsumi disclosed that despite the difficulties Nissan is experiencing, the Nissan Festival is actually the kick-off of a busy year for NPI. He confirmed that NPI is preparing multiple vehicle launches at the 10th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS), scheduled for June 4–7, 2026, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila. While he stopped short of naming specific models, Tsutsumi said the upcoming releases would all be electrified and hinted that one of could possibly be the X-Trail e-POWER or (possibly the updated version of, we guestimate,) the fully electric Ariya.
On track, the festival opened with a Car Club Parade and Heritage Lap, featuring more than 50 parade cars and 10 heritage vehicles organized with the participation of various Nissan car clubs and the Stance Pilipinas community. The rolling tribute highlighted nameplates that have helped shape Nissan’s identity across different generations of enthusiasts.
Beyond motorsports, Nissan leaned into lifestyle and pop culture by collaborating with world-renowned artist QUICCS (Juanito Maiquez). The display featured a one-off styled Nissan Z NISMO, as well as a life-sized TEQ63 figure that QUICCS is known for, but this time naming it TEQ23. The number 23 is significant for Nissan because NI meaning 2 and SAN means 3. The collaboration also included a custom die cast piece—an effort that linked Nissan’s performance branding to street-art sensibilities and collectible culture.
Track activities escalated in the afternoon with high-performance driving demonstrations led by Ashley Sison, followed by guest appearances from Nissan brand ambassador Matteo Guidicelli, who joined driving exhibitions aimed at showcasing Nissan’s motorsport heritage to spectators. Racing personalities Marlon Stockinger and F4 Motul Racer and Brand Ambassador’ Inigo Anton also attended as special guests.
“Seeing our community celebrate Nissan’s legacy firsthand reflects the passion that drives our brand,” added Tsutsumi. “This festival marks the beginning of an active year for us as we continue to bring new vehicles and daring experiences to the Philippine market.”
A major draw for long-time Nissan fans was the presence of Hiroshi Tamura, widely known as the “Father of the GT R.” His participation brought a global figure in Nissan performance history directly to the local community with whom he shared is infectious brand love. Three lucky festival participants even got the chance to ride shotgun with Tamura around the track.
With the success of the first-ever Nissan Festival, Tsutsumi said that there could possibly be more Nissan Festivals in the future.