Nissan shows off three off-road focused vehicles at SEMA, including two Patrol models and an overlanding-ready Frontier.
Talk about forbidden fruit. Nissan is taunting fans with a trio of off-road focused vehicles for its 2025 SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show exhibit. Of the three, two look like something you could build yourself with reasonable ease, and the third is an all-out show-off rig from a racing and drifting legend who has turned his sights to 4x4s.
Nissan Dune Patrol
Okay, so it’s not entirely forbidden fruit; regardless, the Armada-based SUV carries a name that we in the USA aren’t fortunate enough to have the option of buying. They might share most of their mechanical and cosmetic aspects, but ours is still an Armada; Patrols are left for other, more fortunate markets.
Nuances aside, this Dune Patrol concept looks great. Nissan added a ton of kit to make it work, thanks mostly to Custom-designed 10″ 2.5 BILSTEIN M 9200 coilovers and 10″ 70mm BILSTEIN M 9200 bypasses, 37-inch Yokohama GEOLANDAR M/T G003 tires, Prototype NISMO Off Road AXIS true beadlock wheels, and FiberWerx Prerunner-inspired fenders that are four inches wider and two inches taller than factory. There’s also a ton of custom parts, like the control arms, bumpers, rock sliders, and light mounts.
Then Nissan turned to the accessory catalog, adding a bunch of lights and MOLLE panels, and incorporating goodies like an integrated on-board air compressor setup.
This Patrol is the whole package, and we hope to see some of the prototype parts make it to production in the future. For those interested, here’s the full build list:
Suspension
- Custom CJD Racing long travel race suspension system increasing the factory suspension up to 16 inches of travel
- Front:
- Custom-designed 10″ 2.5 BILSTEIN M 9200 coilovers and 10″ 70mm BILSTEIN M 9200 bypasses
- Custom-fabricated upper control arms
- Custom-fabricated lower control arms
- Custom-fabricated Front Spindles
- Custom-fabricated 4340 drive axles
- Custom-fabricated tie rods
- Custom-fabricated heims and uniballs throughout
- Custom-made misalignment spacers
- Custom-fabricated tie rods
- Extended brake lines
- Rear:
- Custom-designed 10″ 2.5 BILSTEIN M 9200 coilovers and 10″ 70mm BILSTEIN M 9200 Bypasses
- Custom-fabricated extended shock towers
- Custom-fabricated upper control arms
- Custom-fabricated lower control arms
- Custom-fabricated trailing arms
- Custom-fabricated 4340 drive axles
- Custom-fabricated heims and uniballs throughout
- Custom-made misalignment spacers
- Extended brake lines
Wheels and Tires
- Wheels:
- Prototype NISMO Off Road AXIS true beadlock wheels
- 18-inch x 9-inch +15 offset
- Black finish wheels with bronze beadlock rings and hardware
- Tires:
- 37×12.50R18 Yokohama Geolander MT G003
Exterior
- Custom FiberWerx Prerunner inspired wide fenders and quarter panels
- 4-inch bulge and 2-inch rise over factory
- Prototype NISMO Off Road high clearance front bumper
- Featuring 6-inch NISMO Off Road LED driving lights with amber covers
- Integrated front bumper skid plate attachment
- Front recovery tow shackles
- Prototype NISMO Off Road high clearance rear bumper
- Customizable swing-out spare tire carrier
- Customizable multi-use accessory mount with MaxTrax traction boards
- NISMO Off Road 3-inch square LED fog lights with amber covers
- Prototype NISMO Off Road low profile roof rack featuring:
- Prototype NISMO Off Road 40-inch LED light bar
- Prototype NISMO Off Road 6-inch LED flood lights
- Prototype NISMO Off Road storage cases and mounts
- Rear-facing 30-inch LED chase light bar
- Custom rack-mounted MOLLE panels for additional off-road essentials (RotoPax water canisters)
- Prototype NISMO Off Road frame-mounted rock sliders
- Prototype NISMO Off Road A-pillar mounts featuring NISMO Off Road 3-inch round LED driving lights with amber covers
- Prototype NISMO Off Road universal radio antenna mount with radio antenna
- Desert designed DUNE PATROL custom vehicle wrap
Interior
- Nissan Patrol integrated Air-On-Board compressor system
- Nissan Genuine Accessory all-season high wall floor mats
- Nissan Genuine Accessory interior door scuff protectors
- Nissan Genuine Accessory seatback organizers
- Custom interior MOLLE panels for off-road essentials
Performance
- Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil
Exhaust
- Prototype NISMO cat-back exhaust
Nissan Frontier Rapid Runner
The Frontier Rapid Runner isn’t actually a new truck, but it’s back and we still love it. This time around, Nissan reinvigorated the project, changing its motives from “the ultimate tailgating rig” to now the “thrill-seeking partner for white-water kayaking.” Underneath is a Frontier PRO-4X, on top of which Nissan has added Prototype NISMO 17-inch ASCEND wheels wrapped in 37-inch Yokohama GEOLANDAR X-MT tires.
The coolest part remains the tube doors, the likes of which are usually reserved for Wranglers and Broncos. POWERNATION sponsored the build, which also added the suspension from a Nissan Titan, Bilstein suspension, a two-inch body lift, and as many bolt-on accessories as you can think of.
Needless to say, it’s a wild build we enjoy looking at. Here’s the full build sheet:
Suspension
- Nissan TITAN suspension components and complete rear axle swap
- BILSTEIN adjustable coilovers
- BILSTEIN front upper control arms
- BILSTEIN rear shocks
- Two-inch body lift
Wheels and Tires
- Prototype NISMO 17-inch x 8.5-inch +20 Ascend wheels
- 37×12.50R17 Yokohama GEOLANDAR X-MT tires
Exterior
- NISMO Off Road high bed rack
- NISMO Off Road roof rack
- Prototype NISMO Off Road 40-inch low profile light bar
- Prototype NISMO Off Road 6-inch roof rack flood lights
- NISMO Off Road A-pillar light mounts with 4-inch NISMO Off Road driving lights
- Custom open/tube door concept
- Steel front and rear bumpers
- Custom fender flares
- Storage for up to four kayaks
- Bed storage system featuring pull-out drawers and shelving system for additional gear and accessory storage
- NISMO Gear rack shower
- NISMO Gear solar panels
- NISMO Gear ratchet straps
- NISMO Gear tow straps
- NISMO Gear power cubes
Interior
- Covercraft® waterproof seat covers
- All-purpose lined floor and interior space
- NISMO Off Road All Season floormats
Engine
- Prototype NISMO cold air intake
- Prototype NISMO snorkel
- NISMO exhaust
- Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil
Forsberg Racing Patrol
Last but not least– at least on the off-road and 4×4 side of things– is the Forsberg Racing Patrol, which is a build completed under the watch of racing legend Chris Forsberg. They took an “ordinary” two-door Y60-generation Patrol and turned it into an absolute monster, with the 4.8-liter inline six-cylinder engine tuned for 1,000 horsepower thanks in part to a Garret G42-1200 turbocharger and all of the accompanying goodies.
This is by far the biggest tease of the bunch, considering we never got the Y60 here in the US and have always had to admire from afar. But with the truck (produced 1989–1998) now available for legal import in the USA, Forsberg & Co have whipped up what is effectively the ultimate in fun-forward builds.
Naturally, the build sheet for the Forsberg Racing Patrol reads like a fantasy list of parts and upgrades. Take a look:
Suspension
- Custom NISMO Off Road-inspired suspension with remote reservoirs
Wheels and Tires
- Custom NISMO 17-inch x 9-inch +0 offset AXIS Beadlock wheels
- 35-inch Yokohama GEOLANDAR tires
Exterior
- NISMO Off Road / Mobil 1™ / Forsberg Racing livery design
- NISMO Off Road 6-inch round driving and flood lights
- Forsberg Racing front light bar
- Holley RetroBright LED headlights
- STEEL-IT® coated chassis
- Billet aluminum battery tie-down
- OPTIMA Red Top battery
Interior
- Recaro Sportster seats
- Forsberg Racing seat brackets
- Grip Royal leather steering wheel
- OMP quick-release steering wheel mount
- NRG steering wheel adapter
Engine
- TB48 engine tuned for 1,000 horsepower
- Mobil 1 Extended Performance oil
- Garrett Motion G42-1200 turbocharger
- Garrett Motion GVW-60 wastegate
- Link Fury ECU
- Link Lambda
- Link engine sensors
- Link CAN gauge
- NGK spark plugs
- PWR 3-inch intercooler with 3.5-inch piping
- PWR dual pass radiator with brushless fans
- Hypertune billet intake manifold
- DC Power Alternator
- Radium catch can
- Radium coolant expansion tank
- 6boost turbo manifold
- ACT dual plate clutch
- K&N 5-inch intake filter
- 411 Works clamps
- 411 Works silicone coupling
- 411 Works hose clamps
