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For those of you that don't recognize, Autech is Nissan Japan's very own in-house tuning and customisation arm. By regulation, JDM auto manufacturers have to offer a customisation solution to provide for disabled motorists, therefore this solution develops a huge part of what Autech does. But for many years, Autech has actually additionally turned its attention to efficiency vehicles from time to time, the most notable ones being hand-built R32 and also R33 Horizon 4dr sedans with GT-R running equipment (as well as the Stagea RS260 terminal wagon with the very same), and performance variations of the Silvia. Obviously there is the hazardous opportunity of Autech overlapping with the good work that Nismo does, and so Autech has over the years mostly limited itself to the high end things.

And high-end absolutely does describe Nissan's huge overindulgence of the 1980s: the Autech Zagato Stelvio.

There is an indisputable romance about the old Italian coachbuilding residences that has always had a specific beauty with the Japanese (and the rest people!). Up till the late 60s, it was still possible to take a bare chassis, as well as take it to Pininfarina, Ghia or Bertone and have it rebodied in something totally special. Clearly this service never ever came affordable, yet in the 1980s, these one-of-a-kind or limited-run 50s as well as 60s developments fetched crazy rates in the classic car boom.

This really did not escape Nissan's focus and so it took the plunge as well as commissioned its own coachbuilt cars. By the 1980s, the bigger Italian homes like Pininfarina and also Bertone had moved onto larger and far better things, even large things, like agreement production for Fiat (Bertone made the X19 and Pininfarina the 2000 Roadster for several years). However one old school design home that was still ready to do whatever you wanted was Zagato.

Zagato was always one of the smaller coachbuilders, but over the years had actually made a sprinkle with some really daring designs. Some might suggest that for each appealing cars and truck Zagato made, they would certainly likewise make three really unsightly ones (and also we'll get to that in a 2nd ...) however it was an old-fashioned name with a lot of prestige back in Japan.

So the plan was hatched out, for Y31 Leopard sports car (our United States buddies would certainly know it as the Infiniti M30) framework to be shipped to Italy. There, a handbuilt body would be draped onto the JDM frame, as well as inside the cabin would certainly be located a typical over the top handstitched Italian inside.

Power would certainly be from the Leopard's 3.0 L DOHC turbo V6, modified to 320ps as well as driving with a car transmission.

The outcome was ... fascinating to claim the least. Historically, Zagato styles have a tendency to either hit or miss and also it's reasonable to say that the Stelvio is not a very happy cars and truck stylistically. Several of the details are really extremely strange, like those huge cases in the front fenders. They are actually fender mirrors, but faired-in to the bonnet line, and also as a result, protrude a mile and also spoil the line.

Then there are those weird looking single-vent wheels, and that strange stepped flare over the rear arches.

Yet to top everything off, the Stevio retailed for a sticker of 18million yen. Currently, to give you some perspective on that particular, when the R32 GT-R debuted a year or two later on, it was a 5million yen automobile. Also automobiles with baller price like the 9million yen NSX-R are economical in comparison to an Autech Stelvio.

Nevertheless the worst point was that Zagato was likewise simultaneously contracted to Aston Martin to create a limited-run auto also, and when that cars and truck was revealed as the Aston Martin V8 Zagato (heaven automobile below), there were some instead surprising similarities to the Stelvio, yet minus the ugly bits. I can not envision Nissan being as well pleased concerning that ... Today, the Stelvio is a really rare sight on the roads, but there were 200 made therefore they are absolutely available. In the past, driving a Stelvio would have provided you instant baller status in Japan, but if you desired one today, they periodically turn up for sale at about 4million yen.

In the last analysis, whatever we might think of the styling, in the late 80s, it was a very one-of-a-kind mix of premium workmanship as well as JDM turbo power. You definitely don't obtain a hand-stitched, leather as well as timber interior like that in any kind of various other Grand JDM (web) automobile.