Apart from a few stickers and aftermarket wheels, this Nissan 370Z appears completely normal - but delve beneath its orange bodywork and this factory-prepared sports car is hiding a raft of potent secrets.
Built by Nissan Motorsport USA and Nissan tuning specialists MA Motorsport, the theme for this 370Z was simple: create the ideal dedicated track-only vehicle.
Dubbed 'Project Clubsport 23' in its current state, the two-door coupe now features a range of OEM, aftermarket and custom fabricated parts that 'may appear alone or packaged together' at Nissan dealerships in the near future.
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Project Clubsport 23 borrows performance parts from many of the most respected motorsport suppliers, but the biggest change found under the hood is an in-house effort.
The build started with Nissan Motorsports finding a donor body and engine, in this case, a 2012 Nissan 370Z Nismo. The first modification was swapping the original 3.7-litre V6 engine with a 'baby GT-R' 3.0-litre VR30DDTT twin-turbo V6, now rated at over 400hp (299kW) thanks to a new AMS Performance Cold Air Intake kit and Z1 Motorsports blow-off valve. The new powerunit is mated to a factory Nismo 6-speed gearbox - the first time this engine has ever been coupled to a stick shift.
This meant a new clutch disc, cover and flywheel assembly had be be built to mate with the Nismo GT LSD Pro-Carbon 2-way differential in the rear. Nissan Motorsport say much of their time was spent to ensure the VR30DDTT engine properly communicated with the manual transmission.
MA Motorsports fabricated a bespoke dual exhaust system measuring 76 mm in diameter to ensure there was no disruption in airflow from the new engine. The exhaust exits through the rear license plate body panel, which gives the Project Clubsport 23 a unique, motorsports look and feel.
To help keep the new powerplant running cool, the factory cooling and steering systems were upgraded with an AMS Performance heat exchanger, MA Motorsports power steering cooler and Z1 Motorsports radiator and intercooler silicone coolant hoses.
The braking system was upgraded using soon-to-be released Nismo HC Street/Track brake pads, Z1Motorsports 2-piece slotted rotors and Nismo stainless steel brake lines.
The suspension modifications included a combination of newly released Nismo front and rear suspension components, Nismo 3-piece body brace set, KW Variant 3 coil-over shock kit and Eibach rear springs.
Project Clubsport 23 sits on RAYS cast aluminum-alloy 18x10.5-inch wheels and Hankook RS4 285/35R18 high performance tires. The wheels utilize the latest in RAYS "flow-forming" technology and are 'expected to be available through Nissan dealerships at a future date.'
The body now features a pairing of factory Nismo bumpers front and rear (rear bumper was modified to allow better air flow and cooling), a APR honeycomb carbon fiber splitter, MA Motorsports air dam, Selbon TS-style carbon fiber hood with Aerocatch hood pins, JDM rear fog light and Nismo carbon fiber mirror covers and pillar garnishes.
The cabin is dominated by new-for-2018 Sparco QRT-R competition seats, Sparco 6-point competition harnesses and Sparco R383 steering wheel. Also featured is a Cabin and Engine Bay fire suppression system and full custom welded-in roll cage. The custom upholstery was stitched in a diamond pattern by MA Motorsports, a throwback to the diamond pattern vinyl used in the original 240Z from 1969. Finishing off the project is a custom Gloss Burnt Orange body wrap.
Project Clubsport 23 is officially labelled as 'an ongoing parts development platform' by Nissan Motorsport, but there's a chance we could see a lot more of this car in the near future.
Nissan will debut at the build to the public at SEMA in America this weekend and, depending on interest levels, Nissan may offer a "builder's kit" that consist of either individual parts or full packages 'to assist customers with building their own ultimate track Z car.'
So if Project Clubsport 23 is something you're interested in, be sure to let your local Nissan dealership know.
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