What would happen if the new Nissan “FAIRLADY Z” became an SUV?
Many amazing custom cars were entered at the Osaka Auto Messe 2023. Let us introduce the “FAIRLADY X”, an SUV with the face of the new “FAIRLADY Z” created by students of Nissan Automobile Technical College Kyoto.
The car is dedicated to car-loving dads
The concept of FAIRLADY X, created by the fourth-year students of Nissan Automobile Technical College Kyoto’s customization department, is “a car dedicated to a car-loving dad who cares for his family. The idea was to ask, “What would an SUV look like if there was an SUV in the lineup of the blue blood sports car, the FAIRLADY Z?”
The difficult part was creating the front mask. How could the sharp and aggressive design of the FAIRLADY Z be integrated into the Murano? This required a lot of design ingenuity.
Parts from the FAIRLADY Z were used such as the engine hood, fenders, and bumpers. This involved cutting the center of the Murano’s front bumper and extending it 150mm vertically. Since the FAIRLADY Z’s stock grille could not be adjusted without modification, an R35 GT-R grille net was used to solve this problem.
The engine hood was cut in the center to match the dimensions of the original hood while maintaining the curvature of the hood. The engine hood should have been made with a longer nose, but that was the limit for the Murano base model.
The headlights are also from the FAIRLADY Z’s stock, but they were mounted without modifying the core support. It’s amazing.
The overall balance of the vehicle meets all legal requirements
Wide fenders have been added to the front and rear fenders. The wheels that fit into the rear fenders, which have been widened by over 100mm on each side, are 12J with 345mm wide tires. The wheels are 10J front & 12J rear “Volk Racing G025” and the tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S (F: 285/35-20, R: 345/30-20).
The bodywork around the rear was done with urethane foam and putty. Not only was the Fairlady Z’s tail and wing properly installed, but the overall balance was also taken into consideration.
Other modifications included changing the rear end and B-pillar badges for the FAIRLADY Z. In the interior, the steering wheel was replaced with one for the FAIRLADY Z. Also, as enthusiasts will notice, the doorknobs were replaced by the R35 GT-R.
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The FAIRLADY X is a concept car, but it’s great because it’s been built to meet legal requirements. The “X” in FAIRLADY X stands for crossover and unknown in algebra, X.
