No recounting of Nissan racing heritage is complete without noting the success of driver Edgar Herrmann and navigator Hans Schüller, who placed first over the 3,800-mile 1971 East African Safari Rally in the #11 Datsun 240Z race car.
It's a milestone for the company that the new, twin-turbo Safari Z Tribute is intended to celebrate.
Notably, the 240Z victory marked the second consecutive win for a Datsun racer, with a Datsun Bluebird 1600SSS scoring the overall win in the grueling off-road contest's 18th year, 1970.
Bringing this racing heritage to life for SEMA attendees, Nissan is showcasing a vintage replica of the rally-winning 240Z, offering a side-by-side look at the through-line of the company's racing and sports car legacies.
On loan from collector Randy Jaffe, the car was restored in 2013 to drivable, period-correct condition.
Eagle-eyed fans will recognize the vehicle from the recent Nissan commercial, "60 Years in 30 Seconds," with star Brie Larson piloting numerous heritage Nissan and Datsun vehicles.
