Nissan Eye on Design

Written By: MyRide.com
Reprinted under license.

From Dat to Cube, Nissan vehicles have evolved into sharp, futuristic designs

Introduction

Back in April of 2002, when Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's president and chief executive officer, launched "Nissan 180," the goal was to sell a million more cars and trucks globally in 2005 than Nissan sold in 2001, to have an 8 percent annual operating profit, and zero debt.

Little more than two years later, the 180 is complete. Nissan has, indeed, done a 180 in terms of sales results - a success that has the company poised for greater success, driven at least partially by the sharply futuristic design theme used for all Nissan vehicles -- from Infiniti luxury to Sentra practicality.

The Dat

Indeed, what started as a mere "dat" (pronounced "dot") in 1914 as Nissan's first vehicle, their vehicles have grown from mere specks on the automotive industry's radar to an influential design leader on the world market. With 800 designers worldwide and dedicated studios in Tokyo, London and San Diego, Nissan is also investing over 40 million to expand headquarters in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

"At its heart, Nissan is a Japanese company. therefore the designs reflect the most alluring aspects of the culture: rediscovering the spirit of our heritage and distilling it to make it recognizable, concentrating on the essence and translating its genes into future elements," said Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President and Design Director at Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.

The Actic Concept

The Actic concept vehicle provides an example of these elements. The idea for the Actic's interior resulted from the design team's camping adventure in aluminum Airstream trailers. One designer noticed how the aluminum interior of the camper reflected her green sleeping bag. As a result, the Actic has aluminum interior panels that reflect the color of the occupants inside the vehicle and a towable two-person sleeping trailer designed by Airstream for sleep overs. The Actic also incorporates roof mounted LCD screens, tires that mimic the soles of running sneakers, a dashboard mounted dial to change the internal mood or vibe, a roof that is all windows and a bright orange interior with seats that seem to float.

Influenced by the Airstream project, a team of designers from Nissan Design America (NDA) in La Jolla, California also took on furniture. Claiming to be the first car company to exhibit at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York City, Nissan displayed two living environments and a lamp at the fair in May.

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