Nissan Extrem Concept

Making its debut at the Sao Paulo Show, the Nissan Extrem is a design study of a rugged and dynamic 2+2 urban crossover targeted to a young audience

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The Extrem Concept is a compact, urban sportscar concept developed by Nissan Design America (NDA) in San Diego, California, in collaboration with Brazilian designers and produced in Brazil.

From the official Press Release:

Exterior Design

Although strictly a concept car with no immediate plans for production, elements of EXTREM’s styling offers a glimpse into future Nissan products, for Brazil and beyond.

Right from the early stages of its development, the design team behind EXTREM was clear about the direction the concept should take.

“We call it Baby Beast,” said Robert Bauer, Senior Design Manager for the project at NDA. *”We see it as an urban rally car, a tough little street fighter that can handle the urban jungle with agility and confidence.”

From the outset it was considered vitally important that design inspiration should come from Brazil itself.

The creative time on the project was spent mostly in Sao Paulo. The NDA designers managed the project remotely from San Diego and developed clay and digital models using local resources in Sao Paolo.

The result is an exotic and distinctive concept for a new genre of compact sport vehicle with a unique silhouette.

The lower half of the body and raised ground clearance expresses its strength, while the sharply sloping roof line suggests its sporting intention.

The combination of innovative elements such as the wraparound glass, floating roof rails and detached C pillars enhance the feeling of an open, airy cabin.

The body’s shape and surfaces exude a feeling of strength and agility with muscular fender volume defined by sharp creases. Overlapping panels and unique surface interplays create a feeling of layered armored toughness.

The roof rails incorporate cleats for load carrying, while the unique see-through A-pillar structure provides enhanced outward visibility.

Both the headlamps and tail lamps feature Nissan’s signature graphics and advanced LED technology.

Bracketing the glass hatch, the rear lights have high-tech layered fins, showcasing an airy, lightweight structure. A prominent aluminum skid plate, embossed to add strength, houses the centrally mounted exhaust.

Although clearly a tough little street fighter, quality craftsmanship and attention to detail can be found throughout the car.

Refined details include the flush mounted door handles, integrated side marker lamps, lightweight fender-mounted mirrors and the flush A- and B-pillars which create a seamless canopy.

The luggage space at the rear benefits from a clever two-tier system provides secure storage, where items can be hidden beneath an exposed and removable cargo bin which is accessed via the rear hatch.

The bin is designed for day-to-day items and fits neatly underneath a structural cross brace that adds extra stiffness to the shell and accentuates the sporting nature of the car.

The exclusive Solar Cortex body color, a deep metallic orange with radiant highlights, pays homage to Brazilian nature.

The roof pattern, a mix of gloss and matte textures, is inspired by iconic Brazilian graphics.

Six-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels are double layered with a dark inner and brushed metal outer and provide enhanced cooling to the brakes.

“Brazil is a country of great natural beauty and it has a passionate, rich culture. But this is not always reflected in the cars on its streets, especially the more affordable locally produced vehicles which tend to be conservative in design, color and specification,” said Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer.

“EXTREM, with a dynamic, high-character design, is far from conservative. It was created to appeal to the country’s growing band of city-based young professionals who are passionate about design and want to make a personal statement. The lightweight two-door 2+2, has a dynamic stance, fresh surfacing, and a clear rugged ability to tackle the urban jungle everyday,” he added.

“EXTREM suggests that exotic and exciting design need not just be reserved for expensive cars. It shows that innovative, sophisticated design can be made in a clever, attainable way. EXTREM is one of our answers to this possibility and it opens an exciting new chapter in our design relationship with Brazil,” said Nakamura.

Technical Features

Showcasing the versatility of Nissan’s acclaimed V-platform – used by the Nissan March – dimensionally EXTREM is taller, wider and longer than the global city car.

EXTREM’s power would be provided by Nissan’s advanced direct injection and turbocharged (DIG-T) 1.6-litre gasoline engine which shares its technology concept with the powertrain in the innovative Nissan DeltaWing Le Mans race car. EXTREM could also be offered with a choice of front or four-wheel drive with Torque Vectoring for enhanced handling capabilities.

Dimensions

• Wheelbase: 2450mm
• Height: 1530mm
• Length: 3850mm
• Width: 1765mm