By Otsile Kadiege

Nissan recently revealed a concept rally car which is based on the seventh-generation Z. Nissan bolstered the concept rally car’s off-road readiness with numerous off-road bits and bobs and also sports styling of the Datsun 240Z rally car that won the 1971 East African Safari Rally.

Off-road performance

Leaning into the trend for rugged, go-anywhere “safari” builds, Tommy Pike and his South Carolina-based team raised and toughened the car’s suspension, adding commensurate lighting, durability and performance enhancements to ready the asphalt-oriented Z for the dusty world of rallying.

Its fitted with custom KW Safari suspension and Nismo suspension parts which raises the coupe’s ride height by 2 inches, helping accommodate 17 x 7.5-inch prototype Nismo Safari wheels shod with dirt-ready Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tyres.

For further powertrain enhancements, the Safari Rally Z Tribute features an AMS-tuned, 400+ horsepower (298+ kW), VR30DDTT engine combined with a Nismo Track cat-back exhaust system, cold air intake, carbon fiber engine cover, coolant expansion tank, heat exchanger, and street twin-disc clutch and flywheel.

Off-roading ready exterior and interior

Protecting vital powertrain and chassis components are a new front bumper guard and skid plate, while an assortment of Nismo Off Road LED lights provide additional illumination for dusty conditions or night racing. Key interior enhancements include a custom roll bar with 4-point harnesses and custom-trimmed Recaro Pole Position seats.