The automotive world’s biggest combined toy and candy store is about to commence with the SEMA show’s imminent and jaw-droppingly massive weeklong run in Las Vegas. SEMA is heaven on Earth when it comes to the welter of concept vehicles that manufacturers commission, many built by specialty shops such as Ida Automotive in Morganville, New Jersey, just for this all-important celebration of the billion-buck automotive aftermarket. One of the prototypes that Nissan is planning to display include the Nissan Project Overland Pathfinder and Project Overland Frontier, both high-stance, lifted-suspension specialty pieces that obviously could easily make it to volume production, given the immediate availability of what goes into them, which is what SEMA’s all about.
Project Overland Frontier is essentially a 2022 Frontier midsize pickup that stands as an out-the-door study of an adventure pickup, improved by addition of a NISMO Off Road Performance Suspension Kit that incorporates a two-inch lift. A NISMO cat-back exhaust system is another part of the package, along with a NISMO heavy-duty bumper that incorporates auxiliary lighting, a roof rack and jack mount, plus fitted storage cases. A rooftop tent and onboard air compressor are also parts of the Overland mystique. It’s not a big leap in terms of either concept or execution for Nissan to sell something like this, or its Overland Pathfinder stablemate, as a one-stop package right out of its showrooms. A very nice effort typifying the endless welter of cool stuff that every edition of SEMA positively oozes. Full disclosure: As an author for PRI Magazine, I now work for one of SEMA’s operating units.
Jim Donnelly On Wheels 