Usain Bolt Puts Fresh Charge In Nissan, and His Olympic-Sized Brand

After confirming his status as one of the world's best and most charismatic athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, World's Fastest Man Usain Bolt is still on a roll — or shall we sway sprint — and more brands want to ride in his lightning-fast wake.

Nissan has re-upped with Bolt, staying in the stable of brands who have tied in with him before, during and since the Olympics, including Gatorade and Virgin Media. Nissan is developing a special "Bolt" version of its GT-R performance car.

The smiling sprinter signed a deal with Nissan to extend his role as brand ambassador for the 196-mph GT-R and to become honorary "Director of Excitement" for the company's ambitious global marketing drive, prompting a flurry of photos on the Nissan Motors Facebook page and video on its global YouTube channel.

Of course, he's hardly shy about leveraging his Olympic-sized brand, and has other endorsement deals that include Puma, Visa, Virgin and app maker RockLive. But in extending its relationship with Bolt, Nissan is certainly making a solid bet.

Few athletes are more valuable for their global popularity than for their fan bases in their domestic markets, but Bolt certainly is one of those, hailing from Jamaica. And "World's Fastest Man" is a title of import that translates across all languages. 

"Nissan shares the spirit of excitement that captivated worldwide audiences at the Olympics," Nissan COO Toshiyuki Shiga said in a press release. "There is no one better qualified than Usain Bolt to help us translate that spirit intwo great experiences."

As part of the deal, Nissan unveiled a gold-painted GT-R, at top, that will be auctioned online to benefit Bolt's foundation for kids in Jamaica. The one-of-a-kind vehicle will be embossed with Bolt's signature and sports interior fittings finished in real gold.

Just like the gold plating on Bolt's numerous gold medals.

[image via Nissan/Facebook]