Nissan released a handful of factory-modified cars for this year’s industry-only SEMA show held in Las Vegas. Taking center stage ahead of the modified production cars on display was a one-off, 300ZX-powered ’32 Highboy hot rod built up by a team of Nissan employees. Nissan also showed a hybrid Altima race car and a lifted Pathfinder SUV.
The ’32 Highboy – actually based on a ’32 Ford hot rod – packed a classic 300ZX powertrain under the hood, according to Nissan. In addition to the modern powerplant, which echoed a similar hot rod using a Lexus V8 from several years ago, the customized Nissan hot rod showed off a rich yellow paint job. The Z Highboy Roadster was built by Nissan North America employee Jack Taylor.
Nissan showed off its green side with a race-modified Altima Hybrid put together by Braille Battery. The Altima Hybrid is powered by E85 and uses an electric supercharger to improve performance. Looking like a race car both inside and out, the Altima Hybrid shows off the potential future for performance hybrids.
The 4×4 Parts Pathfinder features 12 inches of lift – nine courtesy of a suspension lift and an additional three thanks to a body lift that separates the body from the frame. The custom truck’s 35 inch tires and numerous off-road bits show that Nissan isn’t afraid of continuing to target the off-roader market – even as sales of truck-based SUVs continue to dwindle.
Nissan SEMA customs
