Nissan: Development and Technology News
#161
Holdin it down for MS
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I was just discussing this with a friend the other day. Smart move on Nissan's part, I'm not a big fan of the interiors at all. I'm interested to see what they can come up with.
#162
The sizzle in the Steak
Teaming up with the Brits...eh? Ergonomics just went out the window
#163
Suzuka Master
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
Teaming up with the Brits...eh? Ergonomics just went out the window
#164
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by SpeedyV6
If only they could get the Brits to design the electrical system.
#167
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by unlemming
I like Infiniti interiors almost as much as Honda interiors lately. They're certainly better than GM
#168
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Originally Posted by unlemming
I like Infiniti interiors almost as much as Honda interiors lately. They're certainly better than GM
#169
Conran’s treatment includes seat fabric with “patterns inspired by romantic shadows of spring leaves and flowers”...
#173
I'm the Firestarter
Originally Posted by West6MT
x14682 @ that interior pic.
#174
Team Owner
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Originally Posted by Belzebutt
You're laughing, but I bet you could find a lot of old ladies who would kill for that interior.
#175
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by phile
I googled a March+Conran interior...oh boy.
#176
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by phile
I googled a March+Conran interior...oh boy.
w/ Moog's first post.
#177
I think the March has the floral print since the car is marketed to the typical japanese office lady. If you looked at the Cube+Conran or LaFesta+Conran they do not have the floral prints. Besides, each model comes with a choice of interior between a red/black motif or beige/black motif...as well as two choices in exterior colors.
http://www.autospectator.com/modules...p?storyid=4534
http://www.autospectator.com/modules...p?storyid=4534
Last edited by BuddySol; 07-04-2006 at 10:47 PM.
#180
Originally Posted by 04EuroAccordTsx
Nissan should've hired Honda to make their interiors
#181
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by M TYPE X
Stop copying my smartass posts from Freshalloy
#182
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Nissan: Electric Vehicle Development news **Infiniti Sedan Speculation (page 1)**
Future Products — Nissan - - By AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - Source: Autoweek
Fuel cell vehicle: Nissan plans to deliver its first fuel cell vehicle to the United States in the 2008 or 2009 model year. It is unknown whether the fuel cell vehicle will be a separate model or a version of a new model, such as the small crossover vehicle.
#183
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Nissan Baby Boomer Vehicle News
Future Products — Nissan - - By AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - Source: Autoweek
Baby boomer vehicle: Researchers at Nissan's design center have identified a target of consumers in their late 50s to 60s who want a functional vehicle to meet nearly all needs. This person wants a comfortable vehicle that is not yet offered - a combination of the Murano crossover, Xterra SUV and Titan pickup. Seats positioned for a good view of the road are important. The designers are sketching a vehicle around these people. No timetable has been mentioned.
#186
Suzuka Master
Baby boomer vehicle: Researchers at Nissan's design center have identified a target of consumers in their late 50s to 60s who want a functional vehicle to meet nearly all needs. This person wants a comfortable vehicle that is not yet offered - a combination of the Murano crossover, Xterra SUV and Titan pickup. Seats positioned for a good view of the road are important. The designers are sketching a vehicle around these people.
#189
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by titan
I think they'll develop a MB R-Class type vehicle for the masses.
Nissan Presage?
#190
Safety Car
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Originally Posted by F23A4
#191
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Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura: Infiniti designs will be more about style
Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura: Infiniti designs will be more about style - - By LINDSAY CHAPPELL | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS - - Source: Autoweek
Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura actually has three job titles at Nissan Motor Co. He is senior vice president and design director at Nissan's Tokyo headquarters. He is president of Nissan Design America in San Diego, where the company turns out vehicle designs for North America and the world. And he is president of Nissan Design Europe, the center Nissan opened four years ago to design products for Europe.
Part of his work is managing design staff and resources around the world. And part of it is art. Nakamura, 55, turned out the Nissan 350Z and the Murano crossover. His new-generation Infiniti G35 sedan reaches U.S. dealerships this month. He spoke with Automotive News Staff Reporter Lindsay Chappell.
The redesigned Altima and Infiniti G35 are coming to the market about the same time. What can we see of Nissan in those two products?
It's a very significant moment for us. Each car represents the largest-volume vehicle in its brand. And they both represent the first full remodeling since our Nissan Revitalization Plan with Carlos Ghosn. The last Altima came out in 2001, just at the beginning of the revitalization. It was our first chance to show the world what we had in mind on how Nissan was to be positioned. Now in 2006 we're starting the second wave of new products. And following them will be the Maxima, a new Murano and new additional products that I can't talk about yet.
We've had a full cycle to perfect our vision. The changes are not revolutionary. We kept the same design language. It's more modern, more solid and more expressive. This might be hard to see in only one model. But you'll see it as it spreads over all the new models.
What is the fundamental difference now between Nissan's styling and Infiniti's?
We want to clearly separate Nissan and Infiniti. We have Infiniti moving toward a more emotional styling. Infiniti should be, in some ways, unpredictable. Nissan is clear. For Nissan, simplicity is important because it's a mainstream product. It has to be accessible to be understood by a lot of people. Customers don't want to feel something mysterious.
For Infiniti, the styling is more like art. It is functional, of course. But functionality is what you drive at 60 miles an hour on the freeway. The expressiveness of the car is what moves your heart. The Altima is like a pair of comfortable jeans. An Infiniti is like a nice suit. You pay a bit more for it, but there is something about the way it makes you feel when you wear it.
Are there any internal debates about what Infiniti design should be?
There's no disagreement about what Infiniti is or what it should be. It's perfectly clear to everyone at Nissan.
But that wasn't always so.
No. Before 2000, it was terrible. On some models, there was almost no vision. The sedan, the I30, was pretty good. But there was not a clear mission for the brand. Now we're completely clear. There's no debate.
Bruce Campbell, the vice president of your U.S. design center, designed the new Altima. But to do it, he lived and worked in Japan for a year. How come?
The U.S. is the primary market for the Altima, so it should be designed with U.S. sensibilities in mind. But it is still a global product, and it was a global project. There are other models based on the platform. It was important that Bruce be where the larger project is taking place to create the Altima.
Collaboration is critical for us in Japan and the U.S. and Europe. We're one company operating globally. But we still operate under a common vision.
But that's not true of every model you do.
No, it depends on the project.
The routine seems to differ by the model.
We have a limited amount of design resources. Determining where we do a project is my responsibility. We're always changing design schedules and moving work. I come to the U.S. design center every two months. I travel to Europe to see how it's going. If I see things need help, I can move work around.
Do you need to hire more people?
We now have 1,000 people in design around the world. In terms of quantity, we're big enough - although the expansion continues. If you come to the Atsugi technical center, you'll see buildings under construction.
But I don't want to get any bigger than this. What I'd rather focus on is quality, not quantity, getting our people to do better work on whatever project they're doing.
How do you do that?
Through more education, through more experience, and sometimes rotating people into other assignments.
What is influencing Nissan's design today?
I don't want to be influenced. I want to be inspired. And what inspires me might not be direct. It could be the line of a wine glass. It might be the feeling of a movie. This iPod (he pulls from his jacket pocket a white device the size of a business card) is very interesting-looking to me. And this cell phone (he pulls a small white phone from another pocket). I just bought the phone. It looks just like my iPod, but they're from different manufacturers. Something about the two of them together intrigues me. Every time you are impressed by something around you, it makes your design better.
Part of his work is managing design staff and resources around the world. And part of it is art. Nakamura, 55, turned out the Nissan 350Z and the Murano crossover. His new-generation Infiniti G35 sedan reaches U.S. dealerships this month. He spoke with Automotive News Staff Reporter Lindsay Chappell.
The redesigned Altima and Infiniti G35 are coming to the market about the same time. What can we see of Nissan in those two products?
It's a very significant moment for us. Each car represents the largest-volume vehicle in its brand. And they both represent the first full remodeling since our Nissan Revitalization Plan with Carlos Ghosn. The last Altima came out in 2001, just at the beginning of the revitalization. It was our first chance to show the world what we had in mind on how Nissan was to be positioned. Now in 2006 we're starting the second wave of new products. And following them will be the Maxima, a new Murano and new additional products that I can't talk about yet.
We've had a full cycle to perfect our vision. The changes are not revolutionary. We kept the same design language. It's more modern, more solid and more expressive. This might be hard to see in only one model. But you'll see it as it spreads over all the new models.
What is the fundamental difference now between Nissan's styling and Infiniti's?
We want to clearly separate Nissan and Infiniti. We have Infiniti moving toward a more emotional styling. Infiniti should be, in some ways, unpredictable. Nissan is clear. For Nissan, simplicity is important because it's a mainstream product. It has to be accessible to be understood by a lot of people. Customers don't want to feel something mysterious.
For Infiniti, the styling is more like art. It is functional, of course. But functionality is what you drive at 60 miles an hour on the freeway. The expressiveness of the car is what moves your heart. The Altima is like a pair of comfortable jeans. An Infiniti is like a nice suit. You pay a bit more for it, but there is something about the way it makes you feel when you wear it.
Are there any internal debates about what Infiniti design should be?
There's no disagreement about what Infiniti is or what it should be. It's perfectly clear to everyone at Nissan.
But that wasn't always so.
No. Before 2000, it was terrible. On some models, there was almost no vision. The sedan, the I30, was pretty good. But there was not a clear mission for the brand. Now we're completely clear. There's no debate.
Bruce Campbell, the vice president of your U.S. design center, designed the new Altima. But to do it, he lived and worked in Japan for a year. How come?
The U.S. is the primary market for the Altima, so it should be designed with U.S. sensibilities in mind. But it is still a global product, and it was a global project. There are other models based on the platform. It was important that Bruce be where the larger project is taking place to create the Altima.
Collaboration is critical for us in Japan and the U.S. and Europe. We're one company operating globally. But we still operate under a common vision.
But that's not true of every model you do.
No, it depends on the project.
The routine seems to differ by the model.
We have a limited amount of design resources. Determining where we do a project is my responsibility. We're always changing design schedules and moving work. I come to the U.S. design center every two months. I travel to Europe to see how it's going. If I see things need help, I can move work around.
Do you need to hire more people?
We now have 1,000 people in design around the world. In terms of quantity, we're big enough - although the expansion continues. If you come to the Atsugi technical center, you'll see buildings under construction.
But I don't want to get any bigger than this. What I'd rather focus on is quality, not quantity, getting our people to do better work on whatever project they're doing.
How do you do that?
Through more education, through more experience, and sometimes rotating people into other assignments.
What is influencing Nissan's design today?
I don't want to be influenced. I want to be inspired. And what inspires me might not be direct. It could be the line of a wine glass. It might be the feeling of a movie. This iPod (he pulls from his jacket pocket a white device the size of a business card) is very interesting-looking to me. And this cell phone (he pulls a small white phone from another pocket). I just bought the phone. It looks just like my iPod, but they're from different manufacturers. Something about the two of them together intrigues me. Every time you are impressed by something around you, it makes your design better.
#193
I can't wait to see the revamped Q45. I hope they retain the gatling gun headlights, but go the LED route with it.
#194
Three Wheelin'
Originally Posted by phile
I can't wait to see the revamped Q45. I hope they retain the gatling gun headlights, but go the LED route with it.
The Q has been overshadowed by the post-Ghosn era success of the G35, FX35/45, M35/45 and others. I can't wait till the crazy SOB's who gave the M45 a big thumpin 335 horse V8, lane departure warning, and cooled seats, and styled the G35 coupe to drop jaws, come out with the all new Q45.
#195
The new g35 sedan looks really nice, but the m-series is over styled with the supersized tail lights etc. Infiniti needs to learn how to build great looking cars without going over the top, classic example is the new x5 interior vs the new MDX. Bmw is class, while the Acura is a space ship for kids. Acura did the same thing Infiniti did.
#196
styling on you
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eh... I think the M looks terrific, but I know what you're talking about with the tail lights. At night however, those tail lights shine! The LEDs forming the 2 circles are just gorgeous.
#197
Burning Brakes
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Originally Posted by heyitsme
classic example is the new x5 interior vs the new MDX. Bmw is class, while the Acura is a space ship for kids.
more like the x5 interior looks like ass.
typical boring bmw interior
#198
Midnight Marauder
Originally Posted by iNteGraz92
more like the x5 interior looks like ass.
typical boring bmw interior
My housemate's 750IL looks great from the outside, but the inside doesn't look anything like a 100 grand car. BTW, its a 2002 so its the older design not the wierd looking new one. I mean it looks ok, but when put next to say an S-class interior or a Jaguar XJ, it doesn't really compare. Hell the 2002 LS430 has a better interior and its what 30k less expensive? Just my
#199
The sizzle in the Steak
Originally Posted by SeCsTaC
eh... I think the M looks terrific, but I know what you're talking about with the tail lights. At night however, those tail lights shine! The LEDs forming the symbol for infiniti are just gorgeous.
#200
Originally Posted by Moog-Type-S
fixed