Currently reading: Nissan Sport Sedan Concept to inspire new Golf rival
The design themes shown on the Nissan Sport Sedan Concept will feature on the firm's new VW Golf rival as well the next Micra

The shapely Nissan Sport Sedan concept, a preview for its new American-market Maxima saloon shown at the Detroit motor show, debuts a variety of design flourishes that will feature in future Nissans, says design boss Shiro Nakamura. “Nissan was originally very sporty,” he says, “but we lost some of this. We want more character.

In future, all Nissans will feature the floating roof of the Nissan GT-R, the Sport Sedan’s cut-line through the D pillar, the muscular line defining the front wheel housing and what Nakamura calls the 'V-motion front grille design', which can be seen in more subtle form in the latest Nissan Qashqai.

This sportier, more sculptural design theme will take a while to work through the range, and the upcoming, VW Golf-rivalling Almera hatch “will get some elements, though not all,” says Nakamura, because it was largely finished before this theme took full root. “But it has got the face,” he says.

The next Micra will also be a beneficiary of the new look, and it will be bigger as well, to better compete with its European Ford Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Vauxhall Corsa competition. “We need to be more mainstream,” says Nakamura of the next iteration. “The current car is a bit small. We will now go for the main market in every segment, and not avoid the competition,” he says.

This shift is deliberate, and a sign of a stronger, more confident Nissan. The Qashqai and the Nissan Juke were conceived in a more difficult era, when a weaker Nissan had to find a way of competing away from its main competition. That strategy has been successful, explains Nakamura: “We are more credible now,” – and this will allow the company to once again compete head-on with its high-volume rivals.

Advertisement

Read our review

Car review
Nissan Micra
Its ambition is to be a world player, so will it show world-class ability?

The Nissan Micra is a supermini offering low running costs but in most other areas is below the class average

Join the debate

Comments
2
Add a comment…
Red Dress 16 January 2014

If you look at Nissan they

If you look at Nissan they are actually good at turning concept into reality.

Qazana became Juke
Hi-Cross became Mk 2 Qashqai
The list goes on.....

Peter Cavellini 16 January 2014

Concept, concept,concept!!!!

If they only got from concept to Road looking the same,but, they don't!