Nissan Frontier Forsberg Raises Off-Road Chops with Bolt-Ons

At the Chicago Auto Show later this week, Nissan will unveil a special-edition Frontier pickup that celebrates the brand’s class victory at last fall’s NORRA 500 desert race. The Frontier Forsberg Edition will get a bevy of factory-backed bolt-ons to increase the midsizer’s off-road chops and can be fitted to any four-wheel-drive-equipped Frontier from the 2022 model year or newer.

So, what does the $9999 MSRP Frontier package get you? Visually, truck owners will gain access to special 17-inch beadlock wheels, rock sliders to protect rockers, a new low-profile roof rack with integrated LED lighting, Forsberg Racing decals for the bodywork, and a special Forsberg Racing Limited Edition badge inside the truck.

Functionally, the Forsberg package delivers a NISMO off-road kit that features a slight lift, forged upper control arms, high-performance shocks, a NISMO cat-back exhaust, and knobby Yokohama Geolandar X-AT off-road tires size 265/70 to wrap those beadlock wheels.

The package is the result of a collaboration that took place last year in which Nissan partnered with Chris Forsberg, one of the brand’s factory-backed drivers for Formula Drift, to develop a Frontier outfitted with the NISMO parts mentioned above that would take the flag at the grueling NORRA 500 off-road race. Forsberg, along with Yokohama teammate Leticia Bufoni, entered the 2023 race in the stock production class and wound up taking first in class. It also happened to be the only vehicle in the class, although plenty of race entrants in other classes didn’t make it to the finish.

“We took a stock truck outfitted with NISMO Off-Road parts and drove it from the shop in Southern California to the event, raced across the Baja desert for 500 miles, and drove it back home without an issue,” said Forsberg. “It’s thrilling to know that more drivers will be able to experience a taste of the rugged performance that propelled our success in the NORRA 500.”

The kit looks the business, particularly on the Pro-4X trim pictured here. When we first got a taste of the new Frontier, which was completely redesigned for 2022, we were charmed by the way it retained a utilitarian, workhorse vibe while the competition seemed to be increasingly striving towards high-tech and luxury-oriented concepts.

With the Forsberg Edition kit, the buyers will be able to take delivery of a seriously capable machine right out of the box. It’s the second special edition that Nissan has bestowed upon the Frontier, the first being the charming, retro-cool Hardbody Edition that scores heritage-styled 17-inch wheels, retro decals, a sport bar for the bed, and more for $3890. Whether you want to splash 10 grand for real capability or less than half that for some throwback charm, Nissan’s doing a superb job keeping its midsize pickup interesting in a market that’s perhaps never been more competitive.

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