• this 2022 nissan frontier wears a livery inspired by the brand's '80s off-road race trucks, and what's more, it will compete in the all-women 2021 rebelle rally.
• based on the already rugged pro-4x model, this one-off version has off-road parts from nissan's motorsports division, nismo.
• the roster includes 4.0-inch cowl-mounted lights, a performance exhaust, unique wheels, and an upgraded suspension.

after undergoing a generational transformation, the 2022 nissan frontier will also appear as a one-off rally truck that pays homage to the brand's hardbody off-road race trucks from the 1980s. it'll compete in october in the all-women's 2021 rebelle rally, which is said to be the longest off-road rally in america.

for anyone who's unfamiliar with the nissan hardbody trucks that raced in the '80s, they were very successful and had a distinctive red, white, and blue livery. a very similar visual treatment is seen on the new frontier racer, with a wrap that covers the front end and rooftop in red and splits most of the sides and the rear with white and blue colors. a smattering of decals call attention to its nissan branding and assortment of parts from nismo, the company's motorsports division.

among the myriad parts courtesy of nismo are 4.0-inch lights mounted high on the frontier's cowl, a performance exhaust system with a chome-tipped tailpipe, and an off-road-oriented suspension kit. the rally-ready mid-size pickup truck also rides on special 10-spoke, 17-inch wheels shod with bfgoodrich all-terrain t/a k02 tires.

the '22 frontier used for the rally is based on the already rugged pro-4x model. we drove one in utah and appreciated the new truck's much improved interior, enhanced features, and overall refinement compared with its predecessor. every frontier features a 310-hp 3.8-liter v-6 and a nine-speed automatic transmission. the pro-4x comes standard with all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels, an electronically locking rear differential, bilstein dampers, underbody skid plates, and four-wheel drive (the pro-x is a similar-looking rear-drive version).

nissan's team wild grace will race the retro-themed frontier in the 2021 rebelle rally that spans eight days and covers more than 1500 miles of desert between nevada, arizona, and california. the rally starts on october 7 at the hoover dam in nevada and ends on october 16 in california's imperial dunes.