- Students from Nissan’s technical college have prepared a trio of concepts for the 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon
- The concepts include a Nissan Z station wagon that features elements from three separate Nissan vehicles
- The lineup also features a heavily tuned Nissan Bluebird and a modern interpretation of the Kenmary-era Nissan Skyline
Students from Nissan’s in-house technical college have prepared a trio of concepts for January’s 2025 Tokyo Auto Salon, and one of them is a Nissan Z station wagon.
Nissan’s technical college cultivates the next generation of automotive specialists and has five campuses located around Japan. It provides specialized programs like teaching how to repair crash damage or make modifications to cars, alongside more standardized automotive maintenance programs. The concepts bound for the Tokyo Auto Salon, a tuner fest on the scale of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas, were prepared by students participating in a bodywork course.
The Z wagon, officially the Z Lealia, is designed to deliver a sporty driving experience while still being able to offer some practicality. Nissan said it is for the parent who may aspire to owning a Z sports car but requires a vehicle that can carry around a family. Last year the students built a Z SUV.
The latest concept, whose name combines the word lead with familia, the Latin word for “family,” took six months to complete and is actually based on the M35-generation Nissan Stagea performance wagon built by Nissan between 2001 and 2007. For the modification, the rear track was widened to deliver the wide stance of the Z, while the rear hatch, which incorporates the latest Z’s black band with integrated taillights, was taken from a Leaf electric car. Once complete, the car was painted in the same Ikazuchi Yellow offered on the Z.
Nissan Z Lealia concept
Nissan hasn’t said what powertrain the concept uses, but the Stagea on which it is based was available with a variety of V-6 options, including a turbocharged 2.5-liter V-6. Drive went to the rear wheels as standard, but an all-wheel-drive option was available.
Additional concepts prepared by the students include the NEO Skyline and Bluebird Kiwami. As the name suggests, the NEO Skyline is a modern interpretation of Nissan’s Skyline nameplate, specifically the Kenmary Skyline era of the 1970s. It is based on the coupe version of the 11th-generation Nissan Skyline, a car that was sold in the U.S. as the original Infiniti G35 coupe, and features signature Skyline details like round taillights.
Nissan NEO Skyline concept
Nissan Bluebird Kiwami concept
The Bluebird Kiwami is based on the PU11-generation Nissan Bluebird sedan sold in the 1980s. Kiwami in Japanese means ‘ultimate,’ and it was chosen by the students for the concept to reflect their desire to perfect every aspect of the car, from its exterior to its interior and even its performance. Among the modifications is a widened track housed within pumped fenders, a deleted B-pillar (which required a custom roll cage), and a sports exhaust system.
The Tokyo Auto Salon is scheduled for Jan. 10-12 at Tokyo’s Makuhari Messe. Nissan will have additional concepts and production models on display, including an R32 Skyline GT-R turned into an electric vehicle by a skunkworks team of engineers.