370Z Coupe

Make
Nissan
Segment
Coupe

Nissan's family of 'Z' cars has a rich and successful history in the United States which stretches back over half a century. It all started with the introduction of the 240Z, a two-door, rear-wheel-drive sports coupe that proved that the Japanese could build an exciting driver's car. Since then, Z cars have gone on to excel in the world of motorsport, and continue to sell well in the US. With the upcoming 400Z set to arrive soon, the motoring world is experiencing a renewed interest in modern Z cars such as the 350Z and 370Z, and in the following video we get a glimpse at a very unique build that pays tribute to the rally-racing pedigree of the original 240Z.

Chris Forsberg's 370Z Rally Car is a purpose built racing machine that runs as good as it looks, and pays tribute to the historic Nissan Safari Rally Z that dominated in the East Africa Safari Rallies of the early seventies. "We weren't trying to make a replica car, but rather a tribute car. We used the latest Z body (the 370Z), and the idea actually came from Nismo USA who wanted to build this car for SEMA," says Forsberg.

The car has been built up to modern rally specifications, including a full roll cage, rally tires, Recaro bucket seats and massive spotlights on the hood. The car also features a ton of carbon-fiber parts which the original car did not have.

The 370Z's 3.7-liter V6 engine has remained relatively untouched, but now features a set of AEM filters, a Magnaflow exhaust, resulting in a power output of around 350 horsepower. Power is sent to the rear wheels via the standard manual transmission. The suspension setup has also been tweaked with BC coilovers and PBM control arms for added adjustability and an increased ride height for that classic rally-prep look. This is truly a fitting tribute to the original, and with the 400Z incoming, we can't wait to see if Forsberg and his team will build one into something even wilder.