Nissan Marches Guns-Blazing Into SEMA With V8 Muscle, an EV-Swap Classic, and Racing News

The Nissan Z GT4 is the main star in the brand's SEMA booth. The racer is purpose-built as Nissan's 2023 contender in motorsport – but that's all we got for now, as the details, specs, and plans for the GT athlete are reserved for the official launch of November 1. Stop by booth 52141 in the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall; that's where Nissan's Thrill Street exhibit is.

But we can detail more about the rest of the pack, beginning with the pair of electric vehicles – a Sunny LEAF and an Ariya Surfwagon – that resulted from a partnership between the Asian constructor and Tommy Pike Customs of Greenville, South Carolina. The first project is a new take on a classic Nissan, with a green swap for the pickup powertrain: the LEAF all-electric propulsion system drives the Sunny forward.

The original four-cylinder gasoline engine of the 1987 small pickup is gone. A Nissan LEAF motor (and its lithium-ion battery pack, rated at 40 kWh) puts new electric muscle on the light-duty truck: 147 bhp (149 ps) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) is a significant upgrade: double the power, three times more spinning force for the Sunny LEAF.

A custom driveshaft sends the electric might to the rear axle (sitting on heavy-duty leaf springs) via a factory-original four-speed manual. At the front, the suspension from a Nissan 240SX has been added, with disc brakes, lower control arms, and coilovers. With the "Hakosuka" Skyline widebody kit, 17-inch wheels, and LED lights to complement the custom Brock Racing Enterprises "46" livery, the SEMA Sunny LEAF is quite the appearance - see it in the gallery.

The second EV – the Ariya Surfwagon concept is a fun-purposed modern tech platform with retro touches: custom vinyl wrap, wood paneling, and chrome trim speak of wave-riding nostalgia of yesteryear. "Smoothie" 20-inch wheels (with white-wall tires and shiny stainless-steel center caps) up the sportiness of the lowered stance – a trait accentuated by the roof rack and its pair of seven-foot surfboards

Nissan also brings a more rugged duo at SEMA, based on the Frontier 4x4: a no-nonsense NISMO Off-Road Frontier V8 concept by Forsberg Racing and a very urban Street Truck project. Quite the opposite in demeanor and destination, the Frontier-based derivatives show a broad range of customization for the midsize truck.

The all-environment-roaming V8-powered NISMO has a 5.6-liter mill that usually drives full-sized TITAN trucks. A widebody conversion (with carbon fiber hood, front fenders, and bedsides) houses the custom suspension. Rock rails, roof racks, in-bed spare wheel-and-tire carriers, LED lights, and winch come to complete the hardware inventory of this wilderness conqueror.

On the other side of the Frontier, the Nisan Frontier Street Truck project is an eye-catcher with a unique Terra Strada Design livery, low ride height, and bespoke wheels. Performance Lab Detroit provided the widebody kit that sits on custom lowered suspension, cramming the 20-inch wheels in their arches. Smoked headlights, tinted windows, and select Alcantara upholstery are among the features of this city-dwelling Nissan Truck.

Finally, the track athletic side of Nissan gest a word at SEMA, with the 2023 Nissan Z approach on customization and tire-shredding performance. A NISMO Accessorized Z will showcase the range of components for the sportscar's fans, from suspension and engine to brakes and cosmetic detailing.

It's not all about modding with Nissan at the Las Vegas convention: the 1,300-horsepower 2023 Formula Drift Z that triple champion Chris Forsberg drives displays the Japanese rubber-smoking philosophy. It's a heavily modified VR38DETT twin-turbocharged V6 engine – the Godzilla heart - doped to the extreme, with exhausts poking through the hood. Currently 6th in the 2022 Formula Drift standings, the pilot will sign autographs, high-five, and take selfies with fans.