Back in the 1960s and 1970s, two decades that have produced some of the most iconic shapes in the car industry, performance vehicle designers had the possibility of experimenting with streamlined add-ons that acted as aero shortcuts while gifting the vehicles they landed on with standout aesthetics. And one of the companies who took advantage of this is Nissan, with the pixel proposal we have here reviving the G-Nose conversion of the OG Z car, the 240Z, in the form of a widebody kit for the brand spanking new 2023 Nissan Z.
This is no average rendering, though. The stunningly photorealistic work before your eyes comes from Khyzyl Saleem (aka The Kyza), who is probably the most prolific digital artist on social media when it comes to turning pixels into actual aftermarket bits.
Now, we’re not saying this digital kit is being built, which would make so many enthusiasts happy, ourselves included. However, the fact that the London-based pixel master has returned with more images after introducing the G-Nose 2023 Nissan Z last month, brings us one step closer to the dream, even though it’s still a bit early for the Japanese sports car to get aftermarket bits (more on this below).
While Chrysler introduced the Dodge Charger Daytona and Plymouth Superbird NASCAR heroes in the late 60s, Porsche waited until 1976 to give the 911 a flatnose via the 935 racer.
The 1971 240ZG is the inspiration for this CGI widebody kit
Well, Nissan can be found somewhere in between, with the 1971 240ZG (this explains the G-Nose nickname) aero conversion it developed for the original Z car it had introduced in 1969 also being born out of motorsport ambitions (Group 5 racing). And you’ll find a review of a 240ZG from Jay Leno in our February article on Kyza’s work.
The aggressively-cut nose of the 240Z (this was known as the Fairlady Z in Japan and sold under the Datsun brand in the US) was replaced by a more aerodynamic one. The headlights got acrylic covers, while other changes involved a rear spoiler and fender-fitted rear-view mirrors, as well as the riveted-on overfenders that have inspired many of the aftermarket kits we see today.
And, given America’s dedication to top speed runs, Nissan also built salt lake velocity monsters by adding streamlined wheels to the ZG nose, as showcased by the Larry Chen YT video below, which talks about the Bonneville records the sports car achieved back in the day.
Since the 240Z is the main retro reference designers used for the new Z, Khyza built on the legacy of the 240ZG while striking a fine balance between the old-school approach and modern aero. And with these new images placing the vehicle in a real-world-like environment, our appetite for such a build has gone through the roof.
The 2023 Nissan Z is about to become an aftermarket sensation
While we’re on that topic, it’s time to discuss the new Z’s real-world timeline. You see, journos and vloggers have already been given access to the press cars, but they can’t deliver the driving impressions yet (you’ll find Matt Farah sharing some track test footage in an automatic Z in the YouTube vid below, with the aural side of the Infiniti-borrowed 400 hp 3.0L twin-turbo V6 being the main asset of the clip).
Nissan has yet to announce the U.S. release date and pricing for the 2023 Z, with these set to be announced this summer (Europe is unfortunately not getting it at all due to its stricer emission regulations). So, for now, we’re stuck with the $40,000 starting price estimation.
Well, in spite of the aspects mentioned above, Street Fighter LA has already produced a Street Hunter widebody kit for the new Z, albeit only for Chris Forsberg’s Formula Drift race car, with the company stating that the upcoming package for the street vehicle will be different, albeit without offering extra details.
Given the retro look of the Z, multiple of the Internet’s top artists have strived to give this a thorough makeover. And, aside from the work we have here, there was one piece that captured our imagination in particular. That would be Flathat3D’s aero Z, which skips the 240ZG heritage for the said Porsche flatnose look.
And we can only hope Nissan puts the 2023 Z on American streets quickly enough for builders to prepare some goodies for November’s SEMA show.