Nissan arrived at the 2018 SEMA show in Las Vegas with five unique one-offs to wow the crowds. Ranging from a souped-up orange 370Z to a DJ booth made out of a Kicks crossover, the showcase is interesting, to say the least.
Every year, the Specialty Equipment Market Association holds a show in Las Vegas. Manufacturers and aftermarket designers of all stripes attend the show, putting out their latest wares and specialized equipment add-ons for every vehicle imaginable. Specially-designed muscle cars, custom wheels, go-(literally)-anywhere 4x4s ... SEMA has just about everything.
Nissan is once again taking advantage of that wide scope by showcasing five unique one-off designs.
Let's start with the Nissan Project Clubsport 23, an ongoing parts development platform for the 370Z coupe and convertible sports cars. The goal of Project Clubsport is to show what Nissan 370Z owners can do with their own rides using available aftermarket or Nissan Motorsports parts.
In the Clubsport 23, the 370Z NISMO's original 3.7-liter engine was replaced with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 rated at 400 horsepower (298 kW), a 50 hp boost over the original. Steering, suspension, braking, and engine cooling enhancements were then made to follow the uptick in power and resulting performance. Custom body panels and a Gloss Burnt Orange body wrap were added, along with a full roll cage and custom upholstery. None of these parts are custom order, all are available out of a catalog now – including the NISMO-branded RAYS aluminum-alloy wheels and Hankook RS4 tires.
Alongside the Project Clubsport 23 is another 370Z, this one a drift master with a modified stock engine and carbon fiber body panels. Driven by the three-time Formula DRIFT Champion Chris Forsberg, the Formula DRIFT 370Z rests on the SEMA floor between competitions.
Nearby, another Nissan one-off for the SEMA show is heard well before it's seen. The Nissan Kicks Sound Machine is a compact Kicks crossover redesigned as a mobile DJ booth. With a large array of speakers built in and a custom DJ booth rack on its back, it's made to allow a DJ to own the parking lot.
The Kicks Sound Machine debuted in July at the BET Awards in Los Angeles, California and was designed and fabricated by Vehicle Effects. This build includes over a dozen speakers added to the Kicks' base Bose system, including some speakers hidden in roof panels, underneath the car, and more.
Also on display at SEMA is Nissan's latest Titan pickup truck build, the Nissan Ultimate Service Titan. This one-off full-sized truck design debuted in South Florida as an American Red Cross collaboration. On display in Vegas now, the truck is based on a Titan pickup with the Titan's V8 turbodiesel from Cummins.
The Ultimate Service Titan has its truck bed replaced with a utility enclosure to work as an all-terrain mobile response unit. A solar power generator runs a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot to make the truck a mobile command center for Red Cross volunteers. A bed, first aid kit, desk, refrigerator, and field blood donation setup round out the package.
Another Titan build, the Paws One Titan, was created alongside the Ultimate Service Titan as a mobile animal rescue shelter. Based on the 2018 Nissan TITAN XD Gas PRO-4X, the Paws One was built in collaboration with Animal Rescue Rigs (ARR) and will be deployed as an actual animal rescue rig by the organization in 2019. Modifications made for the Paws One include the addition of a flotation device (raft) for water-born operations, emergency lighting, tie-downs and space for kennels and emergency veterinary gear, and more.
Source: Nissan
