Take A Look At The Datsun Z Batman Would Probably Drive
Every once in a while, the line between a real car and a 3D-rendered image gets pretty blurry. Of course, the rapidly improving quality of AI images only makes things more difficult. However, when that blurred line becomes a reality, and a gnarly widebody car goes from an artist's rendering to reality, you're typically in for a treat. That is, assuming you've got the right people on the project.
In this case, it's safe to say that is indeed the case. The rendering was originally born courtesy of the mind of artist Ash Thorp. If you're not familiar, Thorp designed the Batmobile for the 2022 movie The Batman. If his design work is good enough for movie producers and Robert Pattinson, it's definitely good enough for the rest of us. He teamed up with Carlos Pecino to perfect the design. On top of the killer design work, the project was brought to reality with help from Timothy Hicks of Industry Garage, who is no stranger to custom car builds and Datsun Z cars.
Wide, Sleek, and Fast
Though the chassis started life as a standard Datsun Z car, hardly any of it is left. However, it was important for Thorp, Hicks, and Pecino that they retain the essence of the Z while still making it their own.
"What we wanted to do was, like, not take anything away from the Z...but I also wanted to evolve the conversation of what a Z can be," says Thorp in an interview with photographer and YouTuber Larry Chen.
We'd say that goal was meticulously achieved. It's all hand-made carbon fiber body components strung end to end seamlessly to create a wildly attractive overall appearance that blends modern and vintage. It has no headlights or mirrors, yet it still manages to look like a complete car.
However, one thing that is inarguably modern about this remarkable Z build is its powerplant. Sorry, purists. If completely disassembling and re-designing the car didn't already upset you, the fact that the legendary Datsun L-series inline-six engine is gone just might. It doesn't even have an engine!
A modern drivetrain for a modern classic
Instead, this Datsun is sporting a Tesla-based full EV swap. There are a couple of batteries where there would usually be an engine. In the back, though, a Tesla Model S Large drive unit powers the rear wheels. With 400 horsepower, this carbon-laden and lightweight beast is a rocket ship.
Hicks reveals that the entire floorplan has been replaced with a flat carbon undertray. Two full Chevy Bolt battery packs line the car from the center to the front, keeping the weight and center of gravity low and evenly distributed. The swap was completed using AEM EV components, which hicks describes as "plug and play."
This almighty little Z would be a handful at only 2,500 pounds, even with all the battery and electric components. Thankfully, its ferociously wide BBS wheels offer plenty of space to slam some sticky rubber on them.
This build really proves two points. One is that the Z car is undoubtedly one of the most timeless designs in vehicle history. Two, the electric future doesn't have to look bleak for modifying cars.