Autech Gavia

The Autech Gavia marked the second joint effort between Nissan’s in-house tuning division, Autech, following their previous collaboration on the flamboyant Stelvio AZ-1 alongside Carrozzeria Zagato. Contrary to the Stelvio’s audacious styling, the Gavia adopted a more subdued approach, opting for conventional rear-view mirrors instead of integrating them into the wings. Development commenced in 1993, utilizing the Nissan Leopard (known as the Infiniti M30 in the US) as its foundation, enhanced with a 3.0-liter VG30DETT engine sourced from the contemporary Z32 300ZX. Though officially rated at 280bhp, in adherence to the Gentlemen’s Agreement among Japanese automakers regarding power output disclosures, whispers suggest the Autech Gavia churned out closer to 300bhp. Power was transmitted to the road via a four-speed automatic transmission. Zagato handcrafted the aluminum body, incorporating headlights from an S13 Silvia. Amidst speculation of a Nissan-Autech mid-engined supercar to rival the NSX, economic downturns, particularly in Japan, halted these aspirations and further collaborations between Nissan and Zagato. Consequently, the Gavia’s fate differed from its predecessor’s relative success; while the Stelvio found 88 buyers, only 16 Gavias were sold. Despite its more restrained demeanor, the Autech Gavia boasted intriguing design details, such as disc-type wheel covers featuring a NACA duct for brake cooling and valve stem access. Subsequently, legal disputes arose between Zagato and Nissan concerning the usage of the “Z” logo in the 350Z.