Making its world debut at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the six-passenger, three-row Nissan Xmotion concept fuses Japanese culture and traditional craftsmanship with American-style utility and new-generation Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology.
“In the Xmotion concept, we explored the more rugged and powerful side of Nissan Intelligent Mobility. Bold and powerful forms and proportions are, upon closer inspection, contrasted with aspects of traditional Japanese craftsmanship expressed in a contemporary way. The exterior’s combination of western and eastern concepts continues inside the Xmotion, where advanced connectivity and autonomous technologies mix with modern Japanese digital art and cultural craftsmanship. At a glance, Xmotion may appear to have a minimal design language, but a closer look reveals layers of detail that make this concept exceptional”, said Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president of global design at Nissan Motor.
Signaling the future of Nissan design, the Xmotion concept’s stunning exterior features a powerful dynamic presence with understated sculptural beauty, including unique U-shaped highlights and a bold evolution of Nissan’s signature V-motion grille. The visual simplicity of the Xmotion concept exterior is contrasted by the rugged, metal-crafted wheels and all-terrain tire design. Additional exterior features include a retractable “rooftop box” and a unique tail light design inspired by Japanese woodwork.
The interior itself was created with the imagery of a river on the floor, with the center console acting as a bridge. The console, the core of the interior design, uses a traditional Japanese architectural wood joinery technique, kanawa tsugi, found in the carpentry used to build religious temples and shrines. The Xmotion concept’s instrument panel design is a modern interpretation of traditional kigumi wood joinery. By using the kigumi structure in the instrument panel and console, the vehicle’s interior suggests a robust bone structure, creating a sense of strength and trust.
