First look: Nissan Pixo to premiere at Paris show

NISSAN will present an all-new sub-Micra micro-car dubbed the Pixo at the Paris motor show next month, along with an even shorter concept car that represents the Japanese manufacturer’s vision of a 2015 urban runabout – complete with an electric drivetrain that will enter production on another vehicle in 2010.

Both vehicles are designed to show off some of Nissan’s latest environmental work, with the five-door four-seater Pixo – which is a joint-venture vehicle with Suzuki and will be built in Delhi, India, from next year – featuring efficient design, packaging and performance.

The latter will be demonstrated via a clean and economical 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine (paired with a four-speed automatic gearbox) and lightweight construction.

Some 565mm shorter than the Pixo, the as yet unseen Nuvu – or “new view” – is a 3000mm-long three-seater vehicle with a high roof that takes overall height to 1700mm (making 230mm taller than Pixo). It has a 2+1 seating configuration, with the foldable rear seat designed for occasional use.

Other than the production-oriented electric powertrain, green tinges on the Nuvu include small solar panels (shaped like leaves) across the all-glass roof, which power a battery using a “tree trunk” within the car as a conduit.

It also uses natural, organic and recycled materials inside the cabin.

“Nuvu is a concept car, for sure, but it is an entirely credible vehicle,” said Nissan’s exploratory and advanced planning general manager Francois Bancon.

“It is light, clean and easy to drive. It is practical and a sensible size, yet it also embodies an element of fun.

“The future doesn’t look so bad, after all.”

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