Video: New Nissan Frontier Hardbody, Datsun 720, and Project Adventure: Which New Off-Road Concept is Your Favorite?

You can build them yourself!

2022 nissan frontier hardbody concept classic
images: Nissan USA

Nissan introduces three off-road-ready Nissan Frontier concepts ahead of the 2022 Chicago Auto Show. They are the Nissan Frontier Project 72X concept, the Nissan Frontier Project Hardbody concept, and the Nissan Frontier Project Adventure concept. Best of all, these Nissan Design America studio concepts use many Nissan Accessory and production parts, so you can get your Nissan Frontier customized in a very similar way.

Take a look and let us know which one is your favorite!

Project 72X Frontier

2022 nissan frontier project 72x 720 datsun concept chicago

This Project 72X concept truck honors the classic Datsun 720 pickup that first went on sale in the United States in 1979. The Datsun 720 pickup later became the first vehicle assembled by Nissan in the United States. The production launched at the Smyrna, Tennessee plant in 1983.

The classic Datsun pickup was small and relatively low to the ground. This new Nissan Frontier Project 72X has a 2.5-inch suspension lift a retro look thanks to painted “steelies” wheels and graphics. The painted white wheels you see on this concept are actually repurposed spare wheels from the production Frontier. If you want to replicate this concept on your 2022+ Nissan Frontier, it would be relatively easy to get additional spare wheels and paint them.

The Project 72X truck is wearing PRO-4X Hankook Dynapro AT2 265/70R17 all-terrain tires. The package is finished with Nissan Accessories sport bar and customized lettering plate, and a Nissan Accessories black exhaust tip.

Project Hardbody

If you think the Datsun 720 tribute is cool, feast your eyes on the Project Hardbody. This concept harkens back to the D21 Nissan Hardbody pickup truck with instantly recognizable Hardbody block-style wheels. These retro-style wheels are created by the Nissan Design America (NDA) in San Diego, California. The NDA created all three Frontier concept trucks you see here. The wheels are 17 x 8-inch and wrapped in BFGoodrich KO2 All-Terrain 285/70R17 tires. The exterior look features customized gloss-black front fascia, amber fog lamps, many production PRO-4X parts, Nissan Accessories parts, and Nissan Aftersales parts. 

The concept’s Nissan Accessories include:

  • Black hood graphic
  • Off-road step rails with removable bolt-on steps
  • Sport bar
  • Black exhaust tip

The Nissan Aftersales parts include:

  • Gloss black mirror caps
  • Gloss black door handles
  • Gloss black rear bumper

Customized parts are:

  • RiGID E-series 10-inch lights
  • Light bar mount
  • Spare tire mount in the bed
  • Tailgate and door graphics

Project Adventure

Finally, Project Adventure Frontier is NDA’s vision for an overland 4×4 pickup truck. This one is riding on a massive 5-inch Calmini suspension lift with adjustable upper control arms. It uses PRO-4X wheels that are wrapped in BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM# 285/75R17 tires. It’s basically rolling on 34-inch tall tires. A custom “U.S. Atlas” vehicle wrap make it stand out. The Nissan Accessories include: tailgate audio by KICKER, black Frontier tailgate lettering, and the off-road step rails with removable steps.

There are also the Yakima OverHaul System bed rack, Yakima LoadWarrior roof cargo basket, iKamper Skycamp 2.0 tent, RIGID E-series 50-inch light bar, customized carbon fiber snorkel (by NDA), and RotoTraX recovery boards with RotoPaX containers with mounts. 

TFLtruck team is in Chicago over the next couple of days, and we will bring you all the latest video of the most newsworthy trucks and off-roaders.