Nissan is taking to SEMA with its new Z GT4 racing car, plus a line-up of modified cars ranging from an electric ute restomod to a wood-panelled Ariya.
The Z GT4 and the six concepts will appear at the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, running from November 1-4.
Z GT4
Nissan’s upcoming Z-based racing car was revealed last month, but the company will unveil it to the public and reveal further information about both it and the company’s 2023 racing season plans on November 1.
The Japanese carmaker said it has tuned the car’s 3.0-litre ‘VR30DDTT’ twin-turbo V6 engine, “optimised” the chassis and suspension, and enhanced the aerodynamics within the GT4 regulations.
On the outside an apparent change to the regular Nissan Z is an aggressive bodykit that includes a low front splitter and a large rear wing.
There’s also a large, singular exhaust pipe instead of the usual dual exhaust pipes, vents on the bonnet, Rays lightweight wheels, Brembo high-performance brakes, and tow hooks.
Although the company hasn’t released any images of the GT4 racer’s interior, Sabelt racing seats can be partially seen in some of the images.
NISMO Accessorized Nissan Z
This Z concept is a showcase for a range of NISMO accessories Nissan will make available for purchase through its dealerships starting in early 2023.
Under the skin, there’s a NISMO coilover suspension kit with a twin-tube design. This features a linear race spring system, rebound damping adjustability, and ride height adjustment.
There’s also an adjustable stabiliser bar kit, a prototype strut tower bar, and other NISMO suspension components like rear midlinks, lower camber links and traction arms, plus front upper arms and outer tie rod ends.
A brake kit includes larger vented front and rear rotors, track-ready brake pads, stainless-steel brake lines, and six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers.
The brakes sit behind 19-inch NISMO LM-RS1 forged wheels, which are available in either black, anthracite or bronze semi-gloss finishes.
The twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 gets a cold air intake and a performance heat exchanger, while there’s a stainless-steel track exhaust and a NISMO street twin-disc clutch and flywheel kit that’s been designed to handle up to 596kW and 1017Nm.
Finally, it has received a raft of aesthetic modifications like a prototype carbon-fibre steering wheel trim kit, plus a titanium shift knob and carbon-fibre mirror and engine covers.
Sunny Truck Project
The Datsun 1200 ute has a cult following in Australia and is often seen in modified guise, but an electric powertrain is something a little out of the ordinary for the little ute – though it’s not the first electric Nissan restomod.
Based on a 1987 Nissan Sunny ute – after all, the ute was built until 2008! – the Sunny Truck Project features the 40kWh lithium-ion battery and electric motor from a Leaf.
Producing 109kW of power and 320Nm of torque, the cute ute has twice the power and three times the torque of the four-cylinder petrol engine originally fitted.
Converted by Tommy Pike Customs, the Sunny Truck Project also gets a unique paint job, Hakosuka Skyline widebody kit, custom driveshaft, heavy-duty rear leaf springs, and 17-inch Rotiform wheels.
Inside, there’s a “custom-designed and handcrafted interior” with Laedana material supplied by Tesca, plus a custom user interface designed by Clemson University ICAR.
NISMO Off Road Frontier V8
Nissan introduced a new Frontier for 2022, replacing the dated, 2004-vintage D40 Navara-based model albeit with many carryover components underneath.
The NISMO Off Road Frontier V8 swaps out that vehicle’s 231kW 3.8-litre V6 for a 5.6-litre V8 from the full-sized Titan, reminiscent of a time when you could get the D40 Navara-based Pathfinder with a Titan-sourced V8 in North America.
The concept is designed to showcase some of the NISMO Off Road packs available now and some the company may introduce soon.
Built by Forsberg Racing, the concept also receives a NISMO Off Road cold air intake and cat-back exhaust.
The wide-track suspension borrows its lower control arms, front spindles, wheel hubs and rear axle from a Titan, and also features custom upper control arms and NISMO/Bilstein coilover shocks.
Down back, there’s a custom rear leaf spring pack with NISMO/Bilstein external reservoir shocks for increased ride height and payload capacity.
It’s distinguished from the regular Frontier visually with a custom wide-body kit, carbon-fibre front fenders, bonnet and bedsides, and NISMO Off Road roof racks, driving lights and Off Road Axis 18-inch wheels in mud-terrain tyres.
There’s also a prototype NISMO Off Road front bumper for a superior approach angle, plus a prototype spare tyre carrier for the tub.
Frontier Street Truck Project
While the other Frontier concept has been designed for off-roading, the Street Truck Project is the opposite.
The creation of automotive influencer Christina Roki, it features a lowered suspension, a brash livery, 20-inch Black Rhino Kaizen wheels in Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres, and a MagnaFlow Street Series cat-back exhaust.
Other touches include custom alcantara upholstery, smoked headlights, and a Tyger T3 tub cover.
Ariya Surfwagon
Simulated wood-panelled station wagons enjoyed a long life in the US, finally dying out in the 1990s. Go back a few decades earlier and US automakers were producing station wagons with real wood panels, which were popular in California surfer culture.
The Ariya Surfwagon is neither, featuring an even more simulated kind of wood panelling. The effect is achieved with a vinyl wrap, while the 20-inch ‘smoothie’ wheels – wrapped in whitewall tyres – feature polished stainless-steel centre caps and harken back to woodies of yore.
As expected of something called a Surfwagon, there are roof racks that can carry two surfboards.
We’ve seen wood-panelled Chrysler PT Cruisers before, but such a treatment on a 21st-century vehicle – least of all Nissan’s most modern electric vehicle – is certainly unusual.
Forsberg Racing Nissan Z drift car
Three-time Formula Drift champion Chris Forsberg modified the new Z to produce 969kW of power from its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine.
It’s also received a raft of chassis and bodywork modifications, plus the necessary safety equipment, to prepare it for Formula Drift.
It already made its competition debut at the Formula Drift Streets of Long Beach course in April.
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