Automotive

Nissan comes to Gripz with sporty SUV styling

Nissan comes to Gripz with sporty SUV styling
The Gripz Concept has been designed to hark back to the 240Zs that used to tackle rallies in Africa
The Gripz Concept has been designed to hark back to the 240Zs that used to tackle rallies in Africa
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The Gripz' interior has been designed to remind drivers and passengers of Tour De France bikes
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The Gripz' interior has been designed to remind drivers and passengers of Tour De France bikes
The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior is accessed through big scissor doors
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The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior is accessed through big scissor doors
The Gripz has been designed to tackle the day-to-day grind and offer up fun on the weekends
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The Gripz has been designed to tackle the day-to-day grind and offer up fun on the weekends
The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
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The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
The wheels on the Gripz have been designed to emulate the design of wheels on racing bikes
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The wheels on the Gripz have been designed to emulate the design of wheels on racing bikes
It's not subtle, but the orange detailing on the Gripz is a throwback to the Nissan 240Zs that tackled rallies in the 1970s
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It's not subtle, but the orange detailing on the Gripz is a throwback to the Nissan 240Zs that tackled rallies in the 1970s
The car's instruments look like a watch face
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The car's instruments look like a watch face
An action camera mounted in the car can record any off-road, adventure action the drivers take on
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An action camera mounted in the car can record any off-road, adventure action the drivers take on
The car's steering wheel has been designed to replicate the look of the 22-inch wheels outside
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The car's steering wheel has been designed to replicate the look of the 22-inch wheels outside
The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
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The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
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The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
Nissan is using the Gripz as a design study
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Nissan is using the Gripz as a design study
The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
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The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
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The Nissan Gripz Concept's interior
At the back, trapezoidal exhaust pipes add to the show-car drama
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At the back, trapezoidal exhaust pipes add to the show-car drama
There are elements of 370Z scattered around the car
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There are elements of 370Z scattered around the car
Nissan claims the Gripz pays homage to the 240Z rally racers of the 1970's, even if visual similarities are limited
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Nissan claims the Gripz pays homage to the 240Z rally racers of the 1970's, even if visual similarities are limited
Both carbon fiber and matte black cladding feature on the outside of the car
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Both carbon fiber and matte black cladding feature on the outside of the car
The interior has been designed as a 2+2
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The interior has been designed as a 2+2
Thanks to its scissor doors, the Gripz looks like a 2-door coupe on the move
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Thanks to its scissor doors, the Gripz looks like a 2-door coupe on the move
Much of the Gripz' deisgn is pure show car theatre
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Much of the Gripz' deisgn is pure show car theatre
The Juke and Sway crossovers have both influenced the design of the Gripz
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The Juke and Sway crossovers have both influenced the design of the Gripz
The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
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The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
The split headlamp design on the Gripz is reminiscent of the treatment given to the Juke
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The split headlamp design on the Gripz is reminiscent of the treatment given to the Juke
Dihedral front doors give the Gripz a point of similarity with McLaren
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Dihedral front doors give the Gripz a point of similarity with McLaren
The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
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The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
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The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
As with all show cars, the devil is in the detail
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As with all show cars, the devil is in the detail
The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
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The Nissan Gripz Concept debuted at Frankfurt
While the tapering glasshouse on the Gripz may look good, it's unlikely to feature on a production SUV
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While the tapering glasshouse on the Gripz may look good, it's unlikely to feature on a production SUV
The Nissan Gripz Concept exterior
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The Nissan Gripz Concept exterior
Nissan says it's waiting for feedback on the car's design
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Nissan says it's waiting for feedback on the car's design
Rear passengers are left without much space
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Rear passengers are left without much space
The Gripz Concept has been designed to hark back to the 240Zs that used to tackle rallies in Africa
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The Gripz Concept has been designed to hark back to the 240Zs that used to tackle rallies in Africa
The Gripz' designers aimed to pay homage to one of the brand's first attempts at a "crossover" – the 240Z racer
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The Gripz' designers aimed to pay homage to one of the brand's first attempts at a "crossover" – the 240Z racer
The Nissan Gripz at the Frankfurt Motor Show
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The Nissan Gripz at the Frankfurt Motor Show
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side rear view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side rear view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz rear view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz rear view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz rear view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz rear view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz rear view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz rear view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side rear view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side rear view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side front view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side front view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz front view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz front view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz front view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz front view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side front view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side front view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors open
The Nissan Gripz side rear view, doors closed
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The Nissan Gripz side rear view, doors closed
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors closed
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors closed
The Nissan Gripz side view, doors closed
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The Nissan Gripz side view, doors closed
The Nissan Gripz side front view, doors closed
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The Nissan Gripz side front view, doors closed
The Gripz Concept has been designed to hark back to the 240Zs that used to tackle rallies in Africa
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The Gripz Concept has been designed to hark back to the 240Zs that used to tackle rallies in Africa
View gallery - 58 images

The Frankfurt Motor Show has played host to some fascinating SUVs and while there's been some sporty examples, few can match the out-and-out high-riding sports car stylings of Nissan's Gripz Concept. Inspired by classic rally cars, the Gripz is Nissan's attempt to create a dual-personality crossover that can be practical during the week and rough it on the weekend.

The Gripz' designers aimed to pay homage to one of the brand's first attempts at a "crossover" – the 240Z racer that tackled Safari Rallies across the Baja Peninsula, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania in the 70s. Just like those classic Z cars, the Gripz concept features a raised ride height and an orange and black paintjob. After that point, the similarities are a bit more subtle.

The Gripz' designers aimed to pay homage to one of the brand's first attempts at a "crossover" – the 240Z racer
The Gripz' designers aimed to pay homage to one of the brand's first attempts at a "crossover" – the 240Z racer

Unlike the 240Z racers of old, the Gripz has been designed as a "lifestyle SUV," a car created for people living in cities who like to escape the city limits for a spot of kayaking, skiing or mountain biking. This is something which the team has tried to work into the design with, for example, the inclusion of 22-inch wheels designed by Bridgestone that emulate the wheels on lightweight track bicycles. There's also matte black cladding and carbon fiber scattered around the orange paintwork to make the car look more "rugged" and "sporty."

Up front, the square headlamps and boomerang shaped daytime running lights carry echoes of the oddball Juke SUV, while the shape of the taillights is closely related to the design on the 370Z. Beyond the corporate design cues, the Gripz has a steeply raked roofline and scissor doors, designed to give easy access to its 2+2 interior.

The Gripz' interior has been designed to remind drivers and passengers of Tour De France bikes
The Gripz' interior has been designed to remind drivers and passengers of Tour De France bikes

Moving inside reveals four individual bucket seats and a steering wheel designed to reflect the design of those massive 22-inch wheels on the outside. It also reveals one of the Gripz' more interesting features – an inbuilt action camera to stream and record all the action if you take your car adventuring.

Power comes from a series hybrid powertrain that combines the LEAF's electric motor with a small petrol engine.

As you may have gathered the Gripz is just a design study, and most of its over-the-top detailing won't ever see production. Have a flick through our gallery to take a closer look at the car's craziest details.

Source: Nissan

Below is Nissan's introductory video for the Gripz.

Introducing the Nissan Gripz Concept, a Radical Sports Crossover

View gallery - 58 images
2 comments
2 comments
Bob Flint
Great onboard cameras to capture the traffic jams, or those rare occasions when things do get more wild, and this pig rolls over trying to take an off ramp too quickly...
Robert Meurant
Firstly...how does the interior remind one of a TDF bike? Nothing even remotely does that. Wheels don't remind me of racing bike wheels....maybe carbon spoked ones used on track or in triathlons...at a pinch!. The Z race car was never a "cross over" it was just a rally car based on the Z sports car,nothing remotely like a "crossover" vehicle. I think the writer was taking extreme use of artistic license...or the PR blurb was way off. Apart from that it looks like a great design.