An 80s Japanese TV series produced some of the most wild police cars ever to go on patrol.
Seibu Keisatsu, an action-packed cop series that ran in Japan for 236 episodes from the 1980s, was a great show. It was sponsored by Nissan, and the Heritage Collection provided some rare cruisers for a book that will be published in Japan. The show may not be well-known in other parts of the world but the custom police cars that were part of it are amazing and must be seen.
The most striking vehicle in the series is the customized Nissan 280ZX, which goes by the name Super Z. The unusual gullwing door configuration allows the lower section to open normally but also has a separate vertically hinged panel. This setup can even be functional as the key can turn the key to open and close the vertical section electrically. The hood also has machine guns. There are a variety of computers inside for high-tech police work.
The show also featured the contemporary Nissan Skyline. Although these coupes were a bit more basic than the Z car, they still featured some cool crime-fighting modifications. One has massive whip antennas, and a red light that extends from the side. One of them appears to be equipped with guns. All three have bronze-colored, basketweave-style wheels.
The fleet also included a droptop version the Nissan Gazelle. The inside contained a phone, which was quite high-tech by 1980s standards.
This video is in Japanese but the amazing Nissans transcend language barriers. These vehicles make it seem like Seibu Keisatsu was an amazing combination of Miami Vice, and Knight Rider. This is something America has never had.