Nissan might be preparing to give its iconic Z sports car an off-road twist, with a recent trademark filing for the “Z Warrior” nameplate in Australia. This suggests a rugged, off-road-focused version of the Nissan Z could be on the horizon, potentially following the path of high-end off-road sports cars like the Porsche 911 Dakar
The concept of an off-road Z isn’t entirely new. Last year, Nissan hinted at this possibility with the Safari Rally Z Tribute, a custom build inspired by the Datsun 240Z’s victory in the 1971 East African Safari Rally. Built by Tommy Pike Customs, the Safari Rally Z featured a two-inch lift, 17-inch prototype Nismo Safari wheels, and Yokohama Geolander off-road tyres, along with extra lighting and rugged exterior modifications. Its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 was tuned to deliver over 400hp.
If the Z Warrior becomes a reality, it could join the ranks of high-riding sports cars equipped with features like raised suspension, underbody protection, and more durable bumpers. While the production Z Warrior might not include the engine upgrades seen in the Safari Rally Z Tribute, it could adopt some of the hardware and performance tweaks from the recently released Nissan Z Nismo.
While niche, an off-road-ready Z Warrior could offer an exciting new option for enthusiasts, combining the thrill of sports car performance with off-road capability.