Even though most rally cars are considered street legal, you
don't necessarily want to drift them over to Starbucks every morning. Unless,
of course, the car in question is the Nissan Gripz crossover, recently unveiled
at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. It claims to be equal parts hybrid, sport
coupe, ORV, and rally car. What's truly amazing, though, is that an iteration
of this wacky, yet appealing vehicle might soon be available for purchase.
Crossovers, which ostensibly deliver larger bodies on car frames (as opposed to SUVs, which use truck chassis), have permeated a consumer marketplace that demands it all, including roomy interiors and plenty of cargo space paired with comfort and economy. The Gripz meets the criteria for the crossover category, but it's truly something else. The model revealed in Frankfurt looks a bit like Batman's Tumbler (the tank-like version of the Batmobile) got a shiny new coat of paint and some fancy rims.
But it's the features you can't see that make this concept truly
remarkable. The mechanics of this uber-vehicle give drivers a plethora of
options when it comes to driving styles. Inspired by Nissan's 240Z Safari Rally
car, the Gripz features a drift mode that rally racing aficionados will no
doubt be familiar with. You might not be able to pull off the sweet Gymkhana
moves that made Ken Block an internet sensation, but you will feel like you're
zipping around in a rear-wheel-drive rally car thanks to the electric motors.
The Gripz also has an EV mode for economy that will work for your morning
commute, as well as 4-wheel drive if you want to go off-roading or you live in
a region that gets copious amounts of snow in the winter.
Of course, the Gripz is just a concept car, so any claims of this
model showing up in Nissan's production line are somewhat dubious. But the
design features are likely to appear in future iterations of their other
crossover vehicles, including the Juke, or possibly even across their vehicle
lineup. Although details of the "Pure Drive e-Power" hybrid
power-train are sparse, it was revealed that technology from the all-electric
Nissan Leaf was used in the power-train. And this is slated to be the future of
other Nissan vehicles.
Anyone who frequents auto shows knows that features from the
coolest concept cars can take years to reach market. But with all the hype
surrounding this combination sports/crossover concept, let's hope the
technology becomes available sooner rather than later.
