Dai Yoshihara is a Formula Drift champion who recently found an interest in off-road racing. To scratch the itch, he and his sponsor, ENEOS, partnered with R/T Tuning in Philadelphia to create this wild Frontier, which was presented for the first time at SEMA.
The team was tasked with creating a unique “Nismo-spec” 2006 Nissan Frontier Pre-Runner with the same VR30DDTT engine that powers the newly released Nissan Z. The tuner rebuilt the engine with JE pistons, Manley Turbo Tuff rods, an R/T Tuning V2 turbo kit, MBRP Armor Pro exhaust, and AMS Performance downpipes.
The result of all of those additions, plus custom ECUTEK RaceRom ECU calibration, is an engine that can now produce a hearty 600 hp (447 kW/608 PS) and 650 lb-ft (881 Nm) of torque, which should be plenty to get the truck up and hustling through the dirt.
Read: Nissan And NISMO Bring Off-Road Ready Frontier To SEMA 2022
After the engine was in place, the suspension needed to be considered. For that, the Frontier was shipped to Eimer Engineering, which worked with Yoshihara and his Formula Drift crew chief to create a race-ready suspension set-up.
Designed by CJD Racing, the truck uses Bilstein M 9200 coilovers, Eibach springs, a CJD long-travel kit, and a custom nine-inch locker axle assembly. Yokohama Geolander M/T tires, meanwhile, are mounted to Weld Racing Cinch beadlock wheels. Braking duties are handled by front calipers from a Nissan Titan, DBA rotors, and Power Stop pads.
“Ever since attending my first King of the Hammers event, I’ve wanted to get behind the wheel of a capable off-roader,” Yoshihara said. “So, when we heard about the Z-swapped Frontier, we couldn’t resist. And with Eimer’s suspension expertise, we had the perfect team to build this awesome vehicle for the 2022 SEMA Show. Nobody will expect this from me but SEMA isn’t the goal; it’s only the beginning. I’m excited to see where I can go in off-road racing and hopefully fans will be too!”
With a livery designed by Jon Sibal and Sparco racing seats inside, the truck looks ready to carry Yoshihara into the world of off-road racing.
