Nissan Gripz Concept Teased Ahead of Frankfurt [Pictures and Video]

Nissan’s new concept car is called the Gripz, and as had been widely rumored, it appears to show how a sporty crossover can take the place of today’s Z coupe and convertible. Though we won’t see the Nissan Gripz fully until it debuts at the Frankfurt auto show next Tuesday, September 15, a teaser video provides an early look at the new model.
The Nissan Gripz concept appears to build on the style of today’s Nissan Juke, with a nose dominated by a tall version of Nissan’s popular V-Motion grille, angular headlights, and front fenders that rise above the level of the contrast-colored hood. The next Nissan Juke is likely to go into production next year on the company’s CMF-B modular platform, and a future Gripz could be based on that model.

Nissan’s teaser video suggests the Gripz will have a unique instrument-cluster design wherein the speedometer and tachometer are concentric rings, with smaller dials for oil pressure, battery voltage, and the transmission gear arrayed inside those elements. The speedometer reads to “only” 220 km/h, the equivalent of 136 mph.

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Nissan, for its part, says the Gripz concept draws inspiration from the 240Z racing cars of decades past, as well as from road bicycling. The teaser video shows both clips of bygone 240Z racers battling it out in the desert, and a high-end Specialized S-Works road bike. The concept car’s hood is painted black in homage to the black hoods of classic Datsun 240Z racing cars.

While more details are still to come at Frankfurt, the Nissan Gripz concept likely previews the successor to the 370Z coupe and convertible. Those cars will likely be phased out by 2017, at which time a crossover like the Gripz should pick up the torch for Nissan performance cars.

Until the car debuts in Frankfurt, take a look at the Nissan Gripz in the teaser video below.