NISSAN DEBUTS XMOTION CONCEPT AT 2018 DETROIT AUTO SHOW
January 2018: Detroit MI: At the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, Nissan revealed the Xmotion Concept, a design exploration for a potentially groundbreaking compact SUV, building on the company’s long history of cutting-edge crossovers and SUVs.
The six-passenger, three-row Nissan Xmotion (pronounced "cross motion") concept fuses Japanese culture and traditional craftsmanship with American-style utility and new-generation Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology.
The Xmotion Concept features strong hints of a traditional SUV – the high stance, high-utility proportions and bulked-up fenders, stuffed with all-terrain-ready wheels and tires. In a nod to that past, Nissan invited craftspeople from Kyoto, Japan’s GO ON project to demonstrate several ancient techniques during the show.
The visual simplicity of the Xmotion concept exterior is contrasted by the rugged, metal-crafted wheels and all-terrain tire design. Like the rest of vehicle, the mechanical tool-inspired wheels and all-terrain tires coexist as one piece, with the tire tread physically laminated over the 21-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Additional exterior features include a retractable "rooftop box" and a unique tail light design inspired by Japanese woodwork.
With its long wheelbase, with wheels and tires pushed out to the extremes of the corners, the Xmotion concept allows for the creation of a fresh, "4+2" passenger layout. Featuring three rows of side-by-side individual seats, it's designed to provide a perfect space for a young couple, another couple and two children or pets in the third row.
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.
