A body-on-frame, three-row Pathfinder shouldn't be on anyone's track car list. Even with the addition of a supercharger, a six-speed manual gearbox, and a claimed 501 horsepower, it's still not worthy of track time. That said, it is worthy of attention. Arizona Nissan enthusiast and influencer Nick Sherr has built just such an SUV for the 2026 SEMA Show. And on top of that, he's built a much more "appropriate for the situation" V-8-powered off-road companion.
Known online as Nismo Nick, Sherr built what he's calling the Trackfinder and Trailfinder to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Pathfinder. Both use the R51-generation Pathfinder platform, but each gets comprehensive body and interior changes, with the most obvious being the visual links to the current D41-gen Nissan Frontier. That said, the changes underneath are the most important.
The Trackfinder will make you want to find a helmet. Under the hood is a VQ40 V-6 with a Z1 Off-Road supercharger and an UpRev tune. The team claims 501 horsepower at the wheels—so, sure, we don't have a crankshaft power figure, but it's making somewhat close to double what the stock car makes at said crank.
Getting power from the engine to the tires is a six-speed manual gearbox with a Centerforce clutch and flywheel. Sherr says the GMC Typhoon served as inspiration here, and that makes plenty of sense. The supporting hardware includes roll-forged wheels, Goodyear Eagle F1 All-Season tires, and a Seibon carbon-fiber hood. Nismo-inspired graphics and quad exhaust outlets complete the package.
“I wanted something that would make people laugh, smile, and question everything they thought they knew about a Pathfinder,” Scherr said in the release. Notably—and perhaps unsurprisingly—the debut comes without any notable performance figures or lap times. This is, after all, a concept meant for little more than show.
The Trailfinder does a better job of leaning into what the Pathfinder was intended to do. It picks up a VK56 V-8, and then adds a Z1 Off-Road Titan-swap X-Pro suspension, a big brake kit, an aftermarket intake, and a snorkel. 35-inch Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme tires, rock sliders, and Hammerhead Armor bumpers round out the major components, while Rigid Industries lighting adds another off-road-centric touch.
Sherr has built several Nissan projects that feel like they come from a universe where the brand catered to fans better. The question is, will either or both of these will influence the automaker itself?
