Tokyo show: Intima previews next Maxima

THE next-generation GT-R supercar might have been Nissan’s biggest unveil at today’s Tokyo motor show opening, but alongside it were two further global debuts, led by a concept that could herald a redesigned Maxima flagship from the Japanese giant.

Nissan says the same interior design language, dubbed Modern Living Concept, that graced the Teana, Tiida and Sylphy production models enters a new dimension with the Intima saloon, which “invites passengers into a stimulating world of artistic forms, materials and illumination”.

Powered by a “clean diesel” V6, the Intima combines a number of systems into its Nissan Safety Shield concept, including Distance Control Assist System (DCAS) and Around View Monitor (AVM), which features camera-enabled sensors on all four corners of the car and will make its production debut on the Infiniti EX35 in the US in December.

“We designed Intima as a car that expresses the interior attractiveness Nissan proposes in the Modern Living Concept,” said Nissan’s product chief designer Kinichi Saito.



Left: Round Box concept and NV200 Van concept (below).

“The inspiration came from imagining a situation where a person who has accumulated many life experiences and successes now wants to spend his or her own time, or time together as a couple, in an elegant environment.”Interesting Intima features include instrument panel padding that appears to “float” in between woodgrain panels, a “wave pattern” in the centre console, large door armrests with “assist grips”, a full-length glass roof, four-zone climate-control and a rear cool storage compartment.

A bold grille, deeply sculpted bodysides, generous front and rear legroom, and a front passenger’s seat that swivels 80 degrees to the outside “as if to welcome and escort a passenger into the car” also stamp Intima as Nissan’s next-generation premium sedan.

At the other end of the model scale is Nissan’s quirky Round Box concept, a compact convertible that is claimed to offer a new take on open-air motoring.

Technical details remain scarce but the Round Box is powered by a turbocharged direct-injection petrol engine, mated to Nissan’s Xtronic CVT transmission. It offers the “right-sized” space for four occupants and also features AVM and DCAS.

“The seats have a bench-style lower half and a bucket-style upper half,” said Kaoru Sato, associate chief designer at Nissan’s Product Design Department.

“Normally, such a combination would be impossible. We believe this combination is perfect for young people who want to satisfy their hi-tech needs in a simple way. While the combination may appear contradictory at first glance, when you actually combine the elements, it produces a harmonious effect and represents a way of creating new value. The Round Box is full of such experimentation,” he said.

Finally, the small NV200 van concept is a joint-venture design between the Nissan Design Center (NDC) in Japan and Nissan Design Europe in the UK.

The NV200 concept was inspired by renowned marine biologist and underwater photographer Dr Alex Mustard, who travels with enough gear to fill a small van like the “radical, futuristic but entirely practical” NV200.

In a design that Nissan says could revolutionise the small van market, the NV200 combines a mobile office and van in one package and features a sliding cargo ‘pod’ that extends to reveal an IT workspace and living quarters.

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Tokyo show: Nissan unveils new GT-R