Custom Nissan Xterra with V8 and Frontier Parts Set for SEMA Debut

• Nissan fan swaps V8 into Xterra and installs 2025 Frontier parts without modification.

• Project X revives discontinued SUV using compatible components from Nissan’s latest Frontier platform.

• Custom build will make its public debut on November 3 at the 2025 SEMA Show.

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A custom-built Nissan Xterra featuring a V8 engine, six-speed manual transmission, and parts from the modern-day Frontier will debut at the 2025 SEMA Show on November 3.

Named Project X, the vehicle is the work of Nissan enthusiast Nick “Nismo Nick” Scherr. Based on a second-generation Xterra (2005-2015) shell originally equipped with a six-speed manual, the build replaces the stock 4.0-litre V6 engine with a custom-built 6.2L V8 powertrain. The exact specifications of the engine have not yet been disclosed.

Scherr integrated a range of components from the 2025 Nissan Frontier into the SUV. The Xterra, which shared a chassis with the Frontier during its production, impressively but not surprisingly accepted several modern parts without modification. The 2025 Frontier’s headlights and front core supports were installed directly, as was the vehicle’s dashboard.

According to Scherr, no structural changes were needed to fit the Frontier components. The compatibility reflects the enduring similarities between the Xterra and Frontier platforms, despite the Xterra’s discontinuation in 2015. More specifically, the current Frontier is built on a very old platform…

“I got tired of waiting for a new Xterra,” said Scherr. “So I decided to build one myself with encouragement and support from Nissan and NISMO.”

Scherr refers to the vehicle as a personal project aimed at enthusiasts seeking character and capability in their builds. The full specifications of Project X remain unreleased ahead of its official unveiling at SEMA.

The project has been documented on Scherr’s YouTube channel. Nissan has indicated that a new Xterra model may be scheduled for release in 2028.