IndiaAIFounders — SEMA 2026: This Datsun S30 was revived with the modern Nissan Z’s V6

Beautiful blue paint, tasteful bronze rims, and immaculate bodywork. This Datsun S30 is gorgeous, isn’t it? But this isn’t a typical restoration job—this machine was put together by Formula Drift champ and Z superfan Chris Forsberg, and there’s some real power lurking underneath that hood.

The old-school straight-six was swapped out for a VR30DDTT twin-turbo V6 hooked up to an FS6 six-speed manual transmission. You read that right: those parts were ripped straight from an RZ34 Nissan Z and transplanted into this JDM classic. Oh, and Forsberg went ahead and upgraded the motor with Nismo parts and Garrett PMAX turbos. No official power figures, but it’s probably fair to expect numbers north of the Z Nismo’s 420hp and 521Nm.

PHOTO BY Nissan

And underneath that gorgeous blue finish—that’s the discontinued Seiran Blue from Nissan, by the way—is custom carbon-fiber bodywork. The hood, air dam, bumpers, front fenders, hatch, and spoiler have all been replaced with the good stuff. And nobody would have known, had Nissan not told us about it in the build sheet. No doubt the new panels shave more than a couple kilos off this S30’s weight.

OTHER STORIES FROM THIS YEAR’S SEMA SHOW:
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SEMA 2026: This slammed Toyota Crown Signia SUV is one wicked wagon

Equally cool is the hardware that this Datsun rides on. The suspension (coilovers, sway bars, and all) is a fully custom setup courtesy of Techno Toy Tuning. As for the wheels, Forsberg went with 17-inch Nismo LM-RS6 rims wrapped with X Comp H/P tires.

PHOTO BY Nissan

The restomod treatment continues inside with OMP Silverstone seats (with custom-made matching door cards to boot), a Grip Royal steering wheel, and an aluminum Nismo shift knob. Retro Nismo logos are also scattered throughout the interior—a playful contrast with the modern logos seen elsewhere in the build.

This Datsun S30 Concept, as Nissan calls it, is lining up alongside a souped-up Sentra concept and a one-off T-Top Z at this year’s SEMA Show. Nissan says its booth this year is a hat tip to the enthusiast community that’s gathered around its nameplates. More than that, this Datsun restomod bridges the first chapter and the current iteration of the Z legacy—a pretty cool concept for a build, if you ask me.

More photos of Chris Forsberg’s Datsun S30 Concept:

PHOTO BY Nissan

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