We live in a funny world. Despite almost every car manufacturer saying that electric cars are our future and that soon we will all live in a perfect, sustainable society where CO2 emissions from vehicles are a thing of the past, the good old internal combustion engine (ICE) is still the drives most new cars.
Especially the ones that are of particular interest to us here at Speedhunters, such as the new RZ34 Nissan Z.
There’s still no shortage of buzz around EVs, but is the world ready for an EV revolution when the charging infrastructure in almost every country, including Japan, can currently only (only) support early adopters? The war in Ukraine has increased energy costs by a factor of five or more, and renewables are in their infancy at best. And that’s all before we get into the discussion of lithium-ion battery manufacturing…
Then, of course, there is charging. Yes, it may seem “clean” when you’re sitting in your electric car waiting for the battery to charge, but that electricity has to be generated somewhere, and that means more emissions.
So where am I going with all this? Well, all I’m trying to say is that in this modern world full of uncertainties and unrealistic visions of the near future, you and I can count on one thing. Petrol. Petrol. Whatever you want to call it.
We use the gas in combination with a sweet motor like the VR30DETT that powers the Zt and it’s a lot of fun. Your senses will be tickled and you will know exactly how much dirt is coming from your tailpipe. And in the case of the RZ34, the rear tires too.
Then there’s the tuning aspect. Nowadays, it’s fairly easy to modify, upgrade and improve our ICE engines to make them more responsive and deliver more power and torque. Can this be done with an electric car?
The RZ34 could be the last real Nissan Z. Much like the upcoming GT-R, which could come as a hybrid – like the brand new Lamborghini Revuelto – or even fully electric, the next Z will follow suit. Which really means we should embrace this generation while we have it.
These were the thoughts I had as I shot the Trust-built Z with the Rocket Bunny Pandem kit, which was unveiled at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show in January.
This is by far my favorite aftermarket body kit for the new generation Z car, and it happens to be the wildest conversion on the market.
Kei Miurathe visionary behind the Rocket Bunny didn’t just massage a few of the Z’s lines here and there – he completely overturned the idea of Nissan’s designers, resulting in an aesthetic transformation with attitude.
The design is on par with Miura-san’s popular Toyota 86 conversion, with more angular profiles built into the wheel arches. But it is like that “Overfenders 2.0”, a more refined treatment that looks modern but also brings aggression through the extra width.
To tie it all together, the bumper and rectangular air dam have been separated for a much more elongated and pointed nose. It matches the lines of the original S30 Z much better and fits smoothly with the OEM hood.
For me, the real magic is at the rear, where Miura-san designed a smooth fender transition that kicks up along the door at a 45-degree angle and wraps around the entire fender in one piece.
There are no visible screws or bolts, making it almost look like – dare I say – OEM.
As I went over all the details, I couldn’t help but think back to the original Scion FR-S that Miura-san built over 10 years ago to start the Rocket Bunny series. Today this kit looks almost crude compared to what they did with this new style.
It just lifts the whole car and the custom offset Work Meister wheels complete the look so well.
We can’t forget that signature Miura touch, the on-board ducktail spoiler that wraps around the rear.
As with almost all cars with aftermarket fenders, the effect is only really noticeable when the suspension is dropped. In this case, this is achieved by Air Lift performancenew RZ34 aircraft kit.
The white Z that I shot at the Trust late last year continues to serve as its R&D vehicle. There are some interesting things coming from GReddy this year and plenty of owners looking to realize the RZ34’s full performance potential.
This blue (wrapped) show car is a collaboration between a couple of brands to showcase the initial aftermarket products. For now, the VR30DETT remains stock, with only a cat-back Trust exhaust helping the twin-turbo V6 really sing.
The result is almost delicious in its extreme.
The AZ’s cabin looks fresh enough to make owners feel like they’re really getting a brand new car, despite the fact that most of the chassis is almost identical to the Z34.
I love how the Air Lift Performance digital controller perfectly coordinates the colors with the interior trim.
Trust fitted a pair of edrib (Bride) seats with GReddy harnesses to enhance the look and feel of the interior.
While most new Z owners wouldn’t even entertain the idea of cutting off their car’s fenders, it’s still nice to see Miura-san offering the option. And if you’re going to do something that drastic, you can go all out and do it properly, which this Pandem conversion does quite well.
Now that the aesthetics are on point, I think it’s time to get excited about the engine tuning side of things. Am I the only one who would love to try a 650hp RZ34?
Dino Dalle Carbonare
Instagram: dino_dalle_carbonare
dino@speedhunters.com
