Skip advert
Advertisement

Nissan reveals six new concepts for SEMA show

The group includes an electric pick-up truck, a retro SUV and a purpose-built racer

The SEMA Show in Las Vegas usually features some wacky concepts, and Nissan has certainly indulged us this year with a sextuplet of new show cars. It includes electric, performance and off-road vehicles that Nissan says “will inspire owners to customise their own vehicles for next-level excitement”.

One of the new concepts is based on our current car of the year, the Nissan Ariya, but it has been treated to a “woodie” makeover. Called the Ariya Surfwagon concept, Nissan claims it’s a California-style surf wagon, providing a glimpse of what electric car customisation could look like in the future. 

The Surfwagon features a custom vinyl wrap with wood panelling, chrome exterior trim, white wall tyres, 20-inch wheels and a custom roof rack for surfboards. Despite the wild look, Nissan claims the concept retains all the utility and functionality of the standard car. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Elsewhere, the 1987 Nissan Sunny pick-up has been brought into the 21st century with power taken from the Leaf. The conversion sees a 40kWh battery swapped in with 147bhp and 320Nm of torque, meaning the concept has more than three times the power of the original. 

The list of modifications is comprehensive. Nissan has somehow managed to mate the factory-original manual transmission to the electric motor, there’s a “Hakosuka” Skyline body kit, it uses a custom driveshaft, while there’s also LED headlights, heavy-duty leaf springs, 17-inch Rotiform wheels and a Nissan 240SX front suspension conversion. 

Nissan’s mid-size pick-up truck for the American market is the Frontier. The Nismo Off-Road Frontier V8 concept is a pretty extreme interpretation of it, featuring a 5.6-litre V8, custom wide-track suspension with Bilstein shocks and a wide body kit with carbon fibre front wings. 

Another Frontier has been used to create the Frontier Street Truck Project. It’s a lowered truck inspired by the 1990s truck scene in the US. It features custom suspension, a wide body, a MagnaFlow cat-back exhaust, Alcantara upholstery and 20-inch alloys. 

Nissan’s performance car sub-brand NISMO has created plenty of new accessories for the new Z Coupe sports car, which we don’t get in the UK. The list includes NISMO coilover suspension, strut tower bar, camber links, traction arms and tie rod ends. There’s also a NISMO big brake kit and new 19-inch alloy wheels. There’s also a revised cold-air intake, a stainless steel exhaust and a clutch and flywheel kit designed to cope with up to 800bhp and 1019Nm of torque. 

SEMA will also host the public debut of the new Nissan Z GT4 - a new race car that will compete in GT racing around the world in 2023.

Now read about the Jeep CJ Surge concept...

Skip advert
Advertisement
Senior news reporter

A keen petrol-head, Alastair Crooks has a degree in journalism and worked as a car salesman for a variety of manufacturers before joining Auto Express in Spring 2019 as a Content Editor. Now, as our senior news reporter, his daily duties involve tracking down the latest news and writing reviews.

Find a car with the experts

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best electric car deals: today's top discounts and incentives on new EVs
Best electric car deals - header image

Best electric car deals: today's top discounts and incentives on new EVs

Making the switch to an EV? These car brands have an offer (or two) for you
Best cars & vans
28 Apr 2025
Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans
Future of Nissan in the UK - header with Phil McNamara

Future of Nissan in the UK: new Gigafactory to power bold EV plans

Nissan is about to go from building the Qashqai hybrid to three fresh EVs in the UK over the next three years – all powered by a new gigafactory
Features
19 Apr 2025
Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond
Best new cars coming soon - header image

Best new cars coming soon: all the big new car launches due in 2025, 2026 and beyond

These are the most important new cars headed our way, from brands including Audi, BMW, Dacia, Ferrari, Ford, Skoda and more
Best cars & vans
8 Apr 2025
Confirmed: Renault Twingo-based Nissan EV incoming
Nissan A-segment EV

Confirmed: Renault Twingo-based Nissan EV incoming

Online investors’ call confirms Nissan will build a “derivative” of the Renault Twingo from 2026
News
31 Mar 2025

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025