Nissan’s teaser video suggests the Gripz will have a unique instrument-cluster design wherein the speedometer and tachometer are concentric rings, with smaller dials for oil pressure, battery voltage, and the transmission gear arrayed inside those elements. The speedometer reads to “only” 220 km/h, the equivalent of 136 mph.
Nissan, for its part, says the Gripz concept draws inspiration from the 240Z racing cars of decades past, as well as from road bicycling. The teaser video shows both clips of bygone 240Z racers battling it out in the desert, and a high-end Specialized S-Works road bike. The concept car’s hood is painted black in homage to the black hoods of classic Datsun 240Z racing cars.
While more details are still to come at Frankfurt, the Nissan Gripz concept likely previews the successor to the 370Z coupe and convertible. Those cars will likely be phased out by 2017, at which time a crossover like the Gripz should pick up the torch for Nissan performance cars.
Until the car debuts in Frankfurt, take a look at the Nissan Gripz in the teaser video below.
