Formula Drift champion Chris Forsberg has built Nissan a Datsun S30 concept with a very modern heart. Under the long hood sits the twin-turbo V6 from today’s Nissan Z, tuned with NISMO parts. Nissan revealed the car on October 28 as one of three enthusiast builds for this year’s SEMA Show.
The idea is simple to explain and hard to execute. Take the shape of the original Z car, keep its proportions, and give it the drivetrain of the current one. Then rebuild nearly everything else so the chassis can handle the extra power.
Nissan calls the car a restomod, and the parts list backs that up. Here is what Forsberg and his team changed, what we know about the engine, and what we don’t.
Who built the Datsun S30 concept
According to Nissan’s SEMA announcement, Forsberg and his team built the car. The release describes an S30 body paired with the current Z’s twin-turbo V6. It also lists NISMO engine upgrades, carbon-fiber body panels and custom suspension and brakes.
Forsberg already knows these old cars well. Japanese Nostalgic Car notes that he has previously drifted a Datsun 280Z. That background shows in the build, which reads like a drift driver’s wish list rather than a show-only paint job.
Nissan’s own 2027 Z press kit also points back to this era. In fact, it says one of the new Z’s colors draws on a green seen on the classic S30-generation car. Clearly, the old shape still matters inside the company.
The twin-turbo V6 from today’s Z
The Datsun S30 concept build sheet names the engine as the VR30DDTT. That is the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 in the current Z. However, this one runs Garrett PMAX turbochargers instead of the factory units. NISMO cold air intakes and a NISMO heat exchanger handle breathing and cooling.
Nissan does not give a power figure for the concept. For reference, its 2027 Z specifications rate the stock engine at 400 horsepower in Sport and Performance trims. The NISMO version is rated at 420 horsepower. Since the concept’s turbos and intakes are different, you shouldn’t assume either number applies here.
Fuel comes from a Radium Engineering 10-gallon fuel cell and a DeatschWerks 450-lph pump. That setup is common in serious track and drift cars, because a cell resists fuel starvation in hard cornering. Even the engine cover is carbon fiber.
A six-speed manual and a NISMO differential
The gearbox is the Nissan Z’s FS6 six-speed manual. Behind the engine, a NISMO twin-disc clutch and flywheel handle the torque. Power then reaches the rear wheels through a NISMO R200 limited-slip differential.
For a car built by a drift champion, that combination makes sense. A manual and a proper limited-slip diff give the driver direct control over the rear tires. Better still, every major drivetrain part comes from Nissan or NISMO rather than a mix of brands.
Carbon body, billet suspension and Wilwood brakes
The body looks familiar, but much of it is new material. The build sheet lists custom carbon-fiber front fenders, hood, air dam, bumpers, hatch and spoiler. Over all that carbon, Nissan Seiran Blue paint wears a NISMO 40th decal set.
Underneath, Techno Toy Tuning supplied its Evolved Billet Suspension Package with coilovers at both ends. That kit also includes a new front crossmember, a steering rack, billet tie rods and GTX2 front control arms. Front and rear sway bars and strut tower bars complete the chassis work.
Wilwood handles the braking. Up front, six-piston calipers squeeze 300mm two-piece slotted rotors on billet hats. Meanwhile, the rear uses four-piston calipers and 280mm rotors. The wheels are forged NISMO LM-RS6 units, 17 by 9 inches, wrapped in 245/40/17 X-Comp HP tires.
Inside Forsberg’s Datsun S30 concept
The cabin mixes racing hardware with period flavor. Forsberg’s team fitted OMP Silverstone racing seats and a Techno Toy Tuning harness bar. There is also a Grip Royal steering wheel and a NISMO aluminum shift knob.
Speed Hut built a custom gauge set for the dash. Finally, custom door cards match the rest of the interior. Nothing here looks like an afterthought, which is the mark of a builder who plans to drive the car.
Where it fits in Nissan’s SEMA plans
Nissan will show the Datsun alongside a Sentra Spec V concept and a Z race car built by employees. All three will appear at booth #21521 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. According to autoevolution, the show runs from November 3 to 6.
Nissan’s fine print also says this kind of modification could affect performance, safety, emissions and warranty coverage. So treat the car as a showpiece of what is possible. If you want that V6 from the factory instead, Nissan’s pricing for the 2027 Z starts at $44,480 before destination.
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