Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute Gives Off-Road Cred To Sports Coupe

Watch out, Porsche 911 Dakar.

We love a sports car turned rally car, don’t we? For this year’s SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show, Nissan is showing up with a rally-inspired Nissan Z, similar in concept to the very cool Porsche 911 Dakar. Called the Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute, this car is inspired by the Datsun Z car that won the 1971 East African Safari Rally.

To make this tribute car, Nissan paired up with Tommy Pike Customs to add a smattering of custom Nismo parts made specifically for this car. Obviously, the coupe has been lifted – Nissan says two inches. That extra ground clearance allows the car to accommodate the new 17-inch wheels with chunky Yokohama Geolandr M/T 003 tires. The coupe now has a skid plate, bumper guards, and a fleet of LED lights that add to the Safari Rally Z Tribute’s off-road credibility.

The Z is still rear-wheel-drive, but it does have a few performance upgrades. It has an AMS-tuned engine that produces more than 400 horsepower and a cat-back Nismo exhaust. Nissan added a cold air intake, carbon fiber engine cover, and a street twin-disc clutch and flywheel.

It’s not clear if the Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute will go beyond just a one-off prototype, but we think that there’s potential here for a production model. The aforementioned Porsche 911 Dakar is already sold out; this could prove that there’s a real market for a lifted, off-road-ready sports coupe.

The Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute, a replica of the 1971 East African Safari Rally winning Datsun Z car, and Nissan’s other performance concepts will be on display at this year’s SEMA show.

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