Nissan 370Zki concept is ready to shred some gnar
That's what you do on mountains, right? Shred gnar?
Nissan's got two different concepts lined up for the Chicago Auto Show . The first is the snow-prepped Armada Snow Patrol, and the second -- the 370Zki -- well, you'll just have to see it for yourself.
In an effort to one-up its prior track-equipped winter concepts, the Nissan 370Zki adds a new element to the formula -- skis. Up front, the 370Zki (pronounced "370-Ski") sports a set of American Track Truck skis, and out back the skis are complemented by a set of Dominator tracks from the same company.
It wasn't as easy as removing the wheels and bolting the new pieces on. To make everything fit, Nissan had to remove the entire drivetrain from the 370Z Roadster while the company fabricated a custom 3-inch lift kit, which required custom mounts for the rear suspension. The brakes are stock, but the lines had to be routed, and the rear wheels wells required additional work to have enough clearance for the tracks.
The work in the front wasn't as bad. The suspension was lightly modified for the taller ride height, and the automaker had to fabricate some adapters to make sure the front skis could actually turn -- it wouldn't be much of a fun ride if it only went in a straight line. The front end also has custom mounts for the engine and transmission, in addition to a front skid plate to help mitigate battle damage.
The rest of the concept is pretty mild. There's a vinyl body wrap and yellow tints on the headlights, and that's about it. The interior is stock, as is the 370Zki's 332-horsepower, 3.7-liter V6. Just make sure to bring a hat -- if you go "skiing" with the top down, it could get mighty cold.
