From the front this concept sure is an odd duck. The side profile gets better and the rear view is all French (Renault Avantime / Megane).
Now the Avantime was a crazy car. I remember when Renault first shacked up with Nissan. They studied the idea of bringing the Avantime here as an Infiniti. Uh, it didn't go over very well. The Avantime didn't go over so well in Europe either. I saw one on a used car lot in rural France last year, they were still asking a pretty Euro for it.
My first reaction wasn't so favorable but I have warmed up to the car. I still don't like the grill however. Funky stuff indeed.
The Nissan Round Box, with its compact convertible design, represents a new take on open-air motoring, providing exhilaration for all passengers - not just the driver - through its uniquely shared experience of fresh air stimulation, a sensation of speed and easy-to-use high-spec features.
The Round Box features an environmentally friendly turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine mated to Nissan’s advanced Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). It is also equipped with a number of safety systems based on Nissan’s Safety Shield* concept, including Around View Monitor and Distance Control Assist System (DCAS).
The inspiration for Round Box’s interior, which features the “right sized” space to facilitate communication between the four occupants, was not another vehicle, but a social environment. “The car was inspired by the lively atmosphere of a sports bar,” explains Tatsuya Shiosaki of Nissan’s Exploratory and Advanced Product Department. “In a sports bar everyone is focused on the game for pure enjoyment. They are totally free of the pressure and tension felt by the players who are actually playing the game on the field. A sports bar affords an enjoyable, stress-free space where friends can experience a sense of togetherness. Simultaneously, they can enjoy thrilling excitement like being on a roller-coaster yet without any risk involved. That is the sort of emotive world the Round Box is intended to provide.”
So what happens in Tokyo stays in Tokyo or can we expect to see this car on a showroom floor somewhere in the world?
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