INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Concept cars are always a good bet if you’re a trying to drum up a bit of attention and get the crowds flocking to your booth
And, at Tokyo Motor Show this year there were plenty of them vying for pole position.But while many of these weird and wonderful visions of
the future are nothing more than designer dreams, Nissan was showcasing its Ariya Concept, which is actually a lot more developed than just
being a funky creation on wheels
This is a car that could actually happen.In fact, Nissan had two new concepts on display at the show, with the Ariya being presented
This dinky little all-electric offering draws its main inspiration from the tiny Kei cars that proliferate Japan’s packed inner city
streets, but adds a whole lot more inside the bijou box design.Nissan Ariya concept interior(Image credit: Rob Clymo)While the shag pile
carpet might not be for everyone, the IMk looks undeniably cool and would sit nicely at the compact end of the growing EV marketplace
The car is designed with Japan firmly in mind, and its main purpose would be for shorter journeys
Simple, but effective.While the Nissan IMk remains a pure concept for the time being, its larger relative the Ariya, suggested company
executives, is in a much more advanced stage of development
A crossover EV, which is set to feature twin electric motors, the imaginative new model has evolved from the Nissan IMx concept that debuted
in Tokyo back in 2017.The Ariya Concept revolves around the core values of Nissan’s Intelligent Mobility thinking
As a result it would feature a host of new and improved technology with Nissan’s ProPilot 2.0 sitting at the heart of it all.The beefed up
package of driver aids would include the ability to enjoy hands-off highway driving, complementing Nissan’s already handy Door to Door
The much more sophisticated navigation system would benefit from a raft of cameras and sensors that cover a full 360 degrees around the
car.Meanwhile, your smartphone is meant as a key piece of the controls puzzle
For example, getting the car ready for your departure with seat position and heater controls adjusted before you’ve even got in could be
carried out using your handset
There’s a party trick thrown in for good measure too
ProPilot Remote Park lets the car park itself once you’ve got out
Pretty useful if you’ve found a particularly tight space that makes getting out of the car itself nigh on impossible.A celebration of
Japanese designAlfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s senior vice president of global design seemed particularly excited about the car as he stood in
He explained that both the exterior and interior are meant to celebrate the Ariya’s Japanese DNA
It’s definitely got more attitude than the similarly-sized X-Trail for example.The striking front end is dominated by the traditional
grille-replacing ‘shield’, which instead of being a conventional affair hides a lot of the tech that makes the car tick including Lidar
Another high point, quite literally, is the way the interior can accommodate even the tallest of occupants, despite the fact that the Ariya
has its batteries in the flat floorpan.Based on what you can see from Nissan’s images, once you’re sitting inside that Japanese
influence is obvious, while less immediately spotted aspects such as seats with thinner frames means that the car should feel roomier.(Image
credit: Rob Clymo)It’s all Japanese minimalism too, with a 12.3-inch display monitor that features haptic controls offering a definite air
of less-is-more for occupants.And, if you want a premium feel then you should get that too from the seat coverings, door trims and natural
wood flourishes that deliver an almost living-room-on-wheels experience.The Ariya Concept sounds like it might have performance to match
those dynamic looks too, with CHAdeMO quick charging via a port at the back of the front wing a la the Audi e-tron
Dual front and rear electric motors should promise lots of torque and Nissan executives hinted that its capabilities could be boosted with
handling tweaks pulled in from the inspirational and legendary GTR
Concrete facts and figures on the eventual specification are pending, but the Ariya does sound like it could be a very exciting prospect to
drive.Wild looksIt isn't just Nissan that has been busy on the design front though as several other flamboyant concept vehicles dominated
the Tokyo Motor Show floorspace
Toyota unveiled its mad-looking e-Racer concept, along with the similarly zany LQ.Meanwhile, Lexus also had a solid pop at creativity with
the outlandishly OTT design lines of its LF-30
Next to that the Mercedes-EQ looked mild by comparison
Meanwhile, Mitsubishi had a pretty wild concept offering in the shape of a plug-in hybrid SUV called the Mi-Tech.Image 1 of 4(Image credit:
Rob Clymo)Image 2 of 4Suzuki Hanare(Image credit: Rob Clymo)Image 3 of 4Suzuki Waku SPO(Image credit: Rob Clymo)Image 4 of 4Honda e(Image
credit: Rob Clymo)Elsewhere, the rather likeable Hanare from Suzuki brought the living room on wheels theme back to life and this oddball
creation doesn't get hindered by the sort of silly accoutrements you get in regular cars
In the case of the Harare that includes a lack of steering wheel and driver’s seat
Whether or not you’d actually ever see one on the road remains to be seen, but unlike the Ariya that's concepts for you.Suzuki also had
another bright idea on its booth – the shapeshifting Waku SPO two-seater PHEV that can morph into a pick-up or van
Its less radical Hustler looked modest close by as it draws inspiration from existing Kei cars.Away from pure concepts, Mazda took the
covers of its first proper EV in the shape of the MX-30, which is far more sensible
That’s not to forget the loveable and out soon Honda-e too of course, which made the revised and hugely practical Jazz look slightly tired
by comparison.So then, lots of EVs, and one or two concepts that might actually make it into production…6TkwYyq8eg9vyvDvbttXQe.jpg?#
