Nissan release 'IDx' concepts
Using input from those digital natives, Nissan integrated their feedback into the creation process for both IDx. Nissan believes this approach could have real-world applications in the near future, ie. to production models, rather than concepts.
Described as "case studies" by Nissan, the 'IDx' concepts (read on for an explanation of the name's meaning) were presented at Tokyo in two versions: the IDx Freeflow casual/lifestyle-focused vision; and the competition-spec IDx NISMO.
Nissan says that both the IDx NISMO and IDx Freeflow are aimed at younger consumers (the aforementioned "digital natives"), with the NISMO hinting at a future challenger to Toyota's wildly popular 86 sports coupe and its companion model Subaru BRZ.
IDx: A fresh start
In explaining the concept's name, Nissan says the "IDx" acronym comes from "identification" (ID), relating to the things all individuals relate to on a personal level in a car, while the "x" is the variable representing the new values and dreams born through communication.
Nissan said that engaging with members of the digital native generation created an opportunity to learn new insights and creative possibilities. The co-creation dialogue reached far and wide, from the basic framework of cars to the last details and finishing touches. The final versions of the two concept cars, both inside and out, were born from the engagement with separate co-creation communities, with the digital natives' input creating a form of ultimate simplicity in a compact sedan.
Both concepts feature compact dimensions, approximately 4.1 metres in length, 1.7 in width, and 1.3 metres in overall height.
IDx Freeflow
The IDx Freeflow reflects the sensibilities of its co-creators - with the interior featuring a "carefully selected mix of fashionable functionality and comfort in a design brimming with creative originality." Nissan say the interior is meant to feel like a living room, where the owner and friends can relax.
Interior features of note include thick surfacing material on the dashboard and console, and the unusual choice of denim for the seat coverings and certain trim areas, which more than any other element, add to the 'casual' appearance of the Freeflow.
Externally, the car's "floating roof," created by the screen-coloured A-pillar and truncated C-pillar, is another design twist that accentuates the simple box form of the body.
Exterior colour continues the casual ethos of the Freeflow, with combination of white and flax (a light brown shade), invoking the venerable white T-shirt with khaki chinos, according to Nissan. The contrast is stylish 18-inch chrome wheels, which bring a bit of 'bling' to the laid-back design.
Nissan expect that a car of this type would be powered by an economical, yet potent engine of 1.2-to-1.5-litre capacity, mated to an automatic transmission.
IDx NISMO
For those unaware of it, the IDx NISMO borrows elements from Datsun/Nissan's motorsport past, particularly the livery, which is evocative of the Datsun 1600s run with great success by Brock Racing Enterprises in the USA.
Nissan said that many of the co-creators involved with the IDx NISMO are people who grew up playing racing simulation games that feature cars of the past, like the BRE racing Datsuns.
Though sharing the same overall length and height of the Freeflow, a 1.8 metre width gives the IDx NISMO a low, wide stance that emphasizes its sporty proportions.
The front end design features carbon panels, while side-exit exhausts, front/rear and right/left aerodynamic spoilers are other features, along with larger (19-inch) wheels than the Freeflow.
The IDx NISMO's imagined powerplant is an eco-friendly 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, combined with a sportier auto than the Freeflow that incorporates a 6-speed manual shift mode and synchronized rev control.
Interior touches include crimson alcantra seat covers, with bright red suede trim in other areas, augmented by contrasting blue stitching. Minimalist meters and gauges are race-inspired and pick up on the other bright metal trim elements of the interior.
How much of either IDx concept translates into a real-world production car remains to be seen, but Nissan seem determined to follow the path of bringing "cool" and "fun" back to motoring (a common theme at the Tokyo Motor Show), offering the same sort of affordable, enjoyable, personal sports and recreation vehicles that consumers are looking for.
