Nissan’s Raptor-rivalling Frontier (Navara) Desert Runner concept breaks cover at SEMA.

NISSAN HAS UNVEILED a wild Navara concept in the US that will head a lineup of custom concept cars at the 2019 SEMA trade show in Las Vegas this week.

Based on the US’ Nissan Frontier – essentially a rebadged Navara – the car already comes with a 4.0-litre V6 petrol engine in that market, but for this two-door Frontier Desert Runner concept, the brand has replaced the motor with the Patrol’s 5.6-litre Endurance V8.

Interestingly, that engine also comes in the Nissan Titan pickup truck, but rather than make a rival to the Ford F-150 Raptor, the brand has pumped up its smaller Navara that contends with the Ford Ranger.

Going one step beyond, the engine has been turbocharged to produce over 447kW and 950Nm.

Added to the bent-eight is a Garrett GTX3584RS turbocharger compressing air through a front-mounted intercooler, and an MA Motorsports custom header and exhaust system is attached. Inside the mill are Wolf Technology camshafts, pistons, and valves.

Power is sent to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission featuring a Jim Wolf Technology clutch and lightweight flywheel.

Built as a concept to compete in the Baja desert race (like Ford’s Raptor) the suspension has been majorly overhauled for long travel and repetitive abuse on bumps. BTF Fabrication built the long-travel front suspension and King Racing supply new coil springs and 2.5-inch front and 3.5 rear triple bypass shocks.

This king cab model, which retains leaf springs in the back, replaces those with Giant Motorsports’ Link Killer.

Outside, the body is heavily modified for tremendous approach and departure angles, and FiberwerX fenders front and rear fenders cover 17-inch Fifteen52 Block Bronze Turbomac HD alloy wheels wrapped in 37-inch BFGoodrich Baja T/A tyres.

Increasing structural integrity is an engine and bed cage from MA Motorsports, while the interior has been stripped out and fitted with Sparco racing seats, harness and steering wheel.

Don’t expect anything like this to ever make production, though Nissan Australia has built its own unique Navara with Melbourne engineering group Premcar that will launch later this year, the Navara N-Trek Warrior.

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