A replica of the original Datsun 240Z rally car will be part of the display, too.
The Datsun 240Z won the East African Safari Rally in 1971 and 1973. The brand pays tribute to those victories by building a modern Z with styling inspired by the classic competition machine for the 2023 SEMA Show. A replica of the original is coming to the event, too.
Tommy Pike Customs built the Safari Rally Z Tribute with a look inspired by the 1971 East African Safari Rally winner. It features a dark red body and a black hood. The front features additional lighting on the lower bumper, hood, and the base of the A-pillars. A small, tubular guard and skid plate attach to the nose.
Gallery: Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute For 2023 SEMA Show
Inside, the Safari Rally Z Tribute features Recaro Pole Position seats and a bar for mounting a four-point harness. The passenger-side dashboard features a map of the East African Safari Rally course and some retro timing equipment.
This Z rides on a custom KW Safari suspension that lifts the ride height by 2.0 inches. The upper control arms, outer tie rod ends, front and rear end-links, rear mid-links, and rear traction arms are all adjustable so that someone can fine-tune the ride for the conditions. Prototype Nismo Safari wheels have a 17-inch diameter and are 7.5 inches wide. A set of chunky Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tires wrap around them.
This car receives an AMS tune that pushes the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 beyond 400 horsepower, though Nissan doesn’t specify the exact output over stock. There are also a bounty of Nismo parts installed, including a twin-disc clutch, flywheel, heat exchanger, coolant expansion tank, cold-air intake, carbon-fiber engine cover, and cat-back exhaust.
In addition to the new rally-inspired Z, a replica of the original Datsun 240Z from the East African Safari Rally is also on display at SEMA. The vehicle is on loan from a collector who built it in 2013. This car even appeared in a recent Nissan commercial.
In July, Nissan expanded the Z lineup by introducing the Nismo model. It boosts the twin-turbo V6 to 420 hp. The nine-speed automatic receives revised tuning versus the gearbox in the standard model. The suspension features new sway bars, retuned dampers, and stiffer springs. Prices start at $66,085 after the $1,095 destination fee.
Nissan delivered just 1,309 examples of the new Z in 2023 as of the end of the third quarter in September. This was up from 86 cars in the same period in 2022.
Keyword: This Modified Nissan Z Is The Ultimate Retro Rally Machine