Special Coverage
Tokyo
Auto Show
TOKYO – Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. will present four concept cars, plus hold the world premiere for the long-awaited GT-R performance coupe, at the Tokyo Motor Show on Oct. 24.
In addition to the Pivo2 detailed earlier by Nissan, the list of concepts includes the Round Box, Intima and NV200. The auto maker also will display its latest lithium-ion battery technology, a 3-dimensional magnetic motor for in-wheel application and a new popup engine hood.
Powered by a 1.6L gasoline 4-cyl. mated to a continuously variable transmission, the Round Box is aimed at young men who want to have fun. A convertible with a detachable top, the model seats four.
The car is designed to offer a relatively large cabin like the Cube but perform like the 350Z, says Chief Designer Kaoru Satoh.
The roomy interior features bench seats in the rear and buckets up front. A large center display built into the new-style dashboard offers a treasure trove of driver information.
Although Satoh declines to reveal the platform underpinning the Round Box, he does say it is equivalent in size to the Cube’s current B platform.
“It’s still just a study model,” he says, adding the car could be production-ready in two to three years depending on the public reaction at the show.
A possible future addition to Nissan’s upscale sedan lineup, the Intima features bold yet graceful lines.
Chief Designer Kinny Saito says his team attempted to create a car that combines “elegance” with “modern living” both in terms of styling and packaging.
Measuring 192.0 ins. (487.6 cm) long, the Intima is equipped with a front passenger seat that swivels 80 degrees to the outside (enabling easy entry and exit) and reclines back much like an airline first-class seat. The car’s attractive instrument panel, illuminated via blue light-emitting diodes, provides a wealth of information and, in the evening, can create the ambience of a candlelight dinner for two.
Nissan fits the front-wheel-drive model with a clean V-6 diesel, the same powerplant available on the remodeled X-Trail cross/utility vehicle.
Saito says the plan is to test reaction to the Intima at the show with an eye toward using “parts of the design” in the next couple of years.
The NV200 is a near-production minivan designed for a wide range of business applications including use as a mobile research lab, mini sandwich kitchen or wood-working shop.
Nearly 72 ins. (183 cm) high and 174 ins. (442 cm) long, the vehicle features a customized “cartridge” built into its rear storage compartment that can be extended when parked. The result is space for a small lab or office equipped with a computer terminal, workbench or any number of high- and low-tech accessories. The vehicle’s passenger seat moves around the rear compartment on a track.
Powered by a 1.5L clean diesel, the NV200 is built on the same platform as the FWD Cube. The Tokyo Motor Show model is equipped for oceanographers.
The car’s chief designer says the van could be market-ready in two years.
