The 2023 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show is set to begin at the Las Vegas Convention Centre tomorrow, and to build up anticipation for its booth, Nissan has previewed some of its coolest vehicles that are expected to make an appearance at the annual trade show. The SEMA Show is world-renowned for bringing together automotive aftermarket trade groups and going by Nissan’s display of products, the key theme in focus for the Japanese carmaker will be Nismo’s (abbreviation for Nissan Motorsports International) array of aftermarket accessories. Nismo, for the unaware, is Nissan’s motorsport division.
Safari Rally Z Tribute & replica Datsun 240Z Safari rally car
One of the biggest attractions at the Nissan booth that highlights the carmaker’s motorsport heritage is going to be the Safari Rally Z Tribute. As the name suggests, it’s a re-imagined version of the Nissan Z sports car that pays homage to the original Datsun 240Z rally car that won the 1971 East African Safari Rally. To highlight the remarkable similarity in the exterior styling of the Safari Rally Z Tribute, Nissan will also have a replica Datsun 240Z Safari rally car on display.
Custom-built by South Carolina-based Tommy Pike Customs (famous for its builds like the EV-converted Nissan Sunny pick-up), the standard Nissan Z gets raised ride height, toughened suspension, and additional durability and performance enhancements to become the Safari Rally Z Tribute. For example, custom-made KW Safari suspension and Nismo suspension parts have raised the coupe’s ride height by two inches, which allowed Nissan to fit 17-inch Nismo Safari wheels shod with off-road spec Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tyres. The Safari Rally Z Tribute also features an AMS-tuned version of the standard Z’s VR30DDTT engine.
Project Rugged Rogue
Project Rugged Rogue is based on the recently updated 2024 Nissan Rogue SUV. The concept re-imagines the SUV for ‘family adventures’, especially for off-road use and camping. The vehicle features numerous Nismo Off-Road components, like a three-inch suspension lift kit, 18-inch wheels shod in Yokohama Geolandar M/T G003 tyres, auxiliary lights, carbon fibre body panels, roof rack, rock rails, and roof-mounted kayak and mountain bike racks.
Sentra DET Concept
The Nissan Sentra DET Concept takes its inspiration from the cars used in the Sentra Cup racing series in Canada and is a good reminder of the Sentra’s old souped-up SE-R versions, and, of course, the Nismo heritage. The DET name, which is an acronym for ‘Dual overhead cam, Electronic fuel-injection, Turbo’, has been previously seen on the engines of some thrilling Nissan models like the Silvia, Skyline, and Stagea – it basically gives a good idea about the Sentra DET Concept’s performance aspirations.
Speaking of performance, the Sentra DET concept houses a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine (MR20DD) mated to a six-speed manual gearbox and gets tons of Nismo goodies like a performance exhaust, coil-over suspension featuring twin-tube shocks and linear-rate springs, and 18-inch LM-RS6 wheels.
There will also be a Forsberg Frontier Off-Road Race Truck on display, built in collaboration with Forsberg Racing and multi-time Formula Drift champ Chris Forsberg.