Recently updated for the 2024 model year, the Frontier mid-size pickup truck will face 500 miles of grueling desert racing. Equipped with NISMO parts, the rig in the photo gallery continues the off-road legacy of the Hardbody that won the Baja 1000, Mint 400, and Gold Coast 300 in the 1980s.
Officially dubbed Forsberg Frontier Off-Road Race Truck, the V6-powered overlander will take part in the NORRA 500 between October 19 and October 22. Said race takes part over two days in 250-mile stints: Ensenada to San Felipe on the Sea of Cortez, and back to Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico.
After the NORRA 500, the peeps at Nissan will showcase the Forsberg Frontier Off-Road Race Truck in as-raced condition at the 2023 SEMA Show between October 31 and November 3. Multi-time Formula Drift champion Chris Forsberg will be at Nissan’s booth for autographs and photos with Nissan, Formula Drift, as well as truck enthusiasts.
It should be noted that Nissan and Forsberg Racing go a long way back. Over the years, the companies enjoyed memorable collaborations that include a Frontier with a Titan 5.6-liter V8 swap, a 2023 model year Z drift car with 1,300 horsepower on deck from an R35-sourced VR38DETT engine, and the 2,000-horsepower Altima drift sedan that Chris lovingly dubs the Altimaniac. Once again, we’re dealing with a heavily modified VR38DETT.
Turning our attention back to the Frontier PRO-4X build for the NORRA 500, key upgrades include NISMO Off Road high-performance suspension, a lift kit, lighting, rock sliders, and NISMO Axis Truck Beadlock 17-inch wheels mounted with Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 rubber boots. Care to guess which automaker offers Geolandar tires as standard equipment?
Photo: Nissan
That would be Subaru with its Wilderness line of vehicles, which currently includes the Outback, Forester, and the Crosstrek. The Frontier before your eyes further sports a NISMO x Forsberg Racing graphics package that adds a little bit of red here and there to the black and white exterior.
A bed-mounted spare tire carrier also needs to be mentioned, along with a roof rack that you can purchase on NISMO’s site for $999 at press time. As for the finishing touches, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to you that the interior has been treated to a beefy roll cage for added peace of mind. After all, racing in the desert can go south – like, seriously south – at a moment’s notice.
As for the PRO-4X in Frontier PRO-4X, that would be Nissan’s way of saying off-road ready. Coincidentally, the PRO-4X is one of the pricier trim levels available for the 2024 model year.
As opposed to $29,770 (sans destination fee) for the King Cab S with rear-wheel drive, the PRO-4X is $39,300 with standard 4x4 and the Crew Cab exclusively. Be that as it may, it’s not the priciest specification available. That title goes to the Crew Cab- and 4x4-only Hardbody Edition at $43,940.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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