Thought the Nissan Juke R was wild? Essex-based SB Motorsport has announced plans to shoehorn an R35 GT-R’s powertrain into a Navara pick-up. Responsible for some of Europe’s most successful drift machines, the firm is using its COVID-19-induced workshop downtime to work on its most extreme creation yet.
Full details are yet to be disclosed, however we do know that the GT-R’s VR38DETT twin-turbocharged V6 will take the place of the Navara’s standard four-cylinder diesel, sending in excess of 1000bhp to all four wheels. As you might imagine, the model’s standard running gear wouldn’t take kindly to such power, and so it will adopt the suspension setup from the GT-R.
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First renders of the model reveal that it will be equipped with aggressive, bespoke bodywork, substantial aero kit throughout, rear side-exit exhausts, a large ducktail spoiler and a drift-inspired wheel and tyre setup.
Despite its extreme performance, the Navara R will sport number plates and as many of the pick-up’s standard components as possible. Company founder, Stephen Biagioni, said: 'With this build, the aim is to keep the Navara road-legal, all the mod-cons of the vehicle, rather than creating a race-car chassis with minimal extras.'
Biagioni holds a number of accolades to his name, having seen success in a number of drifting events across the globe, and being the first English driver to compete in the famous Japanese D1 series. He said: ‘With racing currently on hold this was the break we needed to re-visit the idea and bring it to fruition.’'
A completion date for the build hasn’t been announced, but to stay up-to-date with its progress, SB Motorsport will be running a series of livestreams on the build, beginning on June 10th.
