Far away from the surf breaks and volleyball courts, the Frontier team from San Diego-based Nissan Design America is venturing to the heartland to display three unique concept trucks at the 2022 Chicago Auto Show in February.
Based on the 2022 Frontier Crew Cab S 4×4 grade, Project 72X is a modern take on one of Nissan’s most popular trucks, the Datsun 720. First introduced in fall 1979, the 720 eventually became the first vehicle assembled by Nissan in the United States when it rolled off the line of the new Smyrna (Tennessee) Vehicle Assembly Plant in 1983. Known as the “Lil Hustler,” it was a bare-bones, affordable truck designed for fun and was advertised as ideal for outdoor enthusiasts.
For the 2022 interpretation, the design team used gray exterior tones and graphics for a sense of modern, cool attitude – a look reinforced by the white-painted steel wheels, which are actually 2022 Frontier spare wheels, with PRO-4X tires. Other key modifications include a 2.5-inch lift kit with adjustable front upper suspension arms and a sport bar behind the cab.
Project Hardbody, as the name suggests, pays homage to one of the most iconic Nissan trucks ever, the Nissan D21 “Hardbody.” It was the first truck design completed at NDA.
Project Hardbody is built on a 2022 Frontier Crew Cab SV 4×4. It features a 3-inch lift kit with adjustable upper control arms, overfenders from the current PRO-4X model, classic Hardbody block-style wheels designed and milled at NDA mounted with 33-inch tires, bed-mounted spare tire carrier, sport bar with modern 10-inch rectangular LED lights, blacked-out front end and door graphics with ’80s-style shadow outlining.
The last of the three is Project Adventure, the NDA’s take on the popular overlanding trend. Based on a 2022 Frontier Crew Cab PRO-4X, Project Adventure features a 5-inch lift kit, 34-inch mud terrain tires, Yakima bed rack system and Yakima LoadWarrior roof basket, sky tent and Bluetooth bed audio system by KICKER. The special carbon fiber snorkel was designed and crafted by NDA.
A key feature of the Project Adventure is the custom body wrap depicting an atlas of the U.S., which makes the statement, This is a big country, why don’t you take your Frontier somewhere?
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