|
|
. 
. .
..
. . . .
Related Topics:
© 1998 - 2004Copyright
& |
Nissan: Evalia Concept
Nissan’s innovative family car concept proves there can be life after babies
The onset of parenthood need no longer mean the end of driving fun, thanks to Nissan. The Nissan Evalia concept car, being given its world-wide debut at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, combines all the practicality expected from a family car with the excitement more usually associated with a hot hatchback. Christopher Reitz said: “The inspiration for Evalia actually came from within our design team. One of the designers on the project has a two-year-old child and is faced with exactly the dilemma we identified early on: how to find a car that fulfils the practical needs of a young family and the same time as satisfying the emotional needs of a driving enthusiast. We also created Evalia for him…”
Evalia, created by Nissan Design, is as roomy as a conventional mini MPV but looks – and drives – more like a compact coupé. This innovative marriage between space and emotion creates a unique design as the high window line and flowing roof structure of the exterior enhance the dynamics of the car without compromising the interior space. A possible direction for a future competitor in the C-segment, Evalia has a versatile interior packed with advanced yet easy to use technology. It has ample space for a young family and their luggage and features practical parallel opening doors to make entry and exit to and from Evalia as easy as possible.
Both electrically operated front and rear doors have unique rotating hinges. When first opened, the entire door moves outwards a few centimetres to clear the muscular wheel arches before sliding forward or backwards parallel to the body of the car. Each door has its own individual electric motor. With specially strengthened doors sills, A-pillars and curving roof line and a strong central backbone structure, the design does away with the traditional B-pillar. The result is unrivalled access to the passenger compartment – a real boon for parents with young children who need to be strapped into child seats in the rear.
Led by Christopher Reitz, Studio Chief Designer, Nissan Design Europe, the design team has also used a rising waistline and narrow back window to disguise the proportions of the wide opening rear hatchback. The result is a remarkable fusion of style and function. The bold exterior is dominated by the aggressively extended wheel arches, large 19-inch wheels with Michelin run-flat PAX tyres and the purposeful stance which is accentuated by the long wheelbase. There are countless Nissan styling cues, too, including the flared door sills and stylised headlamps inspired by the 350Z, the three dimensional bonnet edging from the Primera, an aggressive interpretation of Nissan's flying wing grille, and the ‘surf-tail’ pioneered on the current Almera. Inside the feeling is of space. The large glass house is augmented by a twin strip glass roof: glazed panels, flanking a central metal band, run the entire length of the car.
Storage and luggage space is generous. The seats appear to float in the interior but are secured on their inside edge to a rail hidden under the full length central console. No space is wasted: the usually ‘dead’ area at either end of the dashboard houses Evalia’s fuse box at one end and a compact first aid kit at the other. Evalia has four individual and deeply sculpted sport seats for adults and comes with a specially designed child seat. The child seat also doubles as a baby buggy: it can be removed from the car and locked onto a three wheeler chassis frame for use at the car’s ultimate destination. The luggage area is covered by no fewer than 99 translucent spheres which pop up whenever the rear hatch is opened, allowing luggage to be rolled easily into place: the spheres can also be found on the backs of the rear seats which fold forward to increase luggage space. Once the rear door is closed, those spheres not covered by luggage remain proud of the floor to hold the luggage in place when Evalia is on the move. The deep dashboard also holds a unique storage solution, with space for a series of storage cartridges that slot into a combined fridge/microwave unit. The cartridges can be filled with provisions such as fresh fruit, drinks or baby food enabling parents to ensure babies and toddlers can be fed at the correct times when on a long journey. When travelling long distances, provisions would be ordered online from the car via a Nissan website and then collected at specified outlets. The passenger-facing glovebox cooler keeps the food fresh, ready for heating in the mini microwave at the appropriate time while a matching storage space beside the driver houses cartridges for a CD library and other items. In the lower centre console, cup holders have been specially designed to accommodate baby feeding bottles. Central to the Evalia concept is its fun-to-drive attitude. Its sporting pretensions are encapsulated by the cream leather upholstery and the avant-garde mix of materials – including aluminium, smoked Perspex, resin and steel blue leather with 3D ‘spoon’ patterned cut-outs – covering the various fixtures and fittings. Evalia, however, does not rely on traditional materials to create an aura inside the car. Instead, ambient lighting is employed to change the character of the cockpit to suit the driver’s disposition. The use of diffused white light from the centre console, roof and doors creates a ‘calm’ mood but this can be changed to a more sporting and assertive attitude by switching to red-orange ambient lighting. The creative use of lighting, now common in interior architecture, has yet to be fully exploited in automotive interiors and so adds another sensory dimension to Evalia. The fully working concept model is powered by X-TRAIL’s 2.5-litre petrol engine, coupled with a seven-speed CVT transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, which leaves the central console free for an advanced version of Nissan’s pioneering N-Form IT interface. Ahead of the driver lies a sports car inspired chrome-ringed three-dial instrument binnacle with chronometric dials which moves with the steering wheel as the latter is adjusted - another cue from the 350Z. But in the centre of the dashboard can be found a future generation N-Form system. As in the current Primera, the main focus of attention is the central full colour monitor on which is displayed the required information – everything from navigation maps to the rear parking camera. Access to the various modes and functions is via a computer mouse-style trackball ergonomically located at the leading edge of the rising centre console. Despite the vast amount of information and the number of functions that can be accessed, the system is easy to use. The panel housing the trackball slides fore and aft to allow the driver select one six modes – navigation, audio, air conditioning, diagnostic, integrated telephone and tyre pressure monitor. The chosen mode is then displayed on the screen allowing the driver to navigate through the menu using the trackball. A simple push on the ball then enters a command. N-Form is supplemented by instant access buttons for certain functions: the three spoke steering wheel houses basic audio controls – volume, station pre-set and band – while rear seat passengers have their own remote control for the entertainment system, which includes a DVD player and roof-mounted fold down screen for movies and games. Rear headphones are fitted so those in the front are not distracted Switches beside the trackball allow the driver to change from radio to CD player to TV more quickly than would be the case if he or she had to scroll through the N-Form display. Similarly, some satellite navigation functions can also be accessed directly for when speed is of the essence. The audio system makes extensive use of active speakers. Resonating panels use cutting edge technology to create sounds: the upper parts of the dashboard and even the door armrests function as loudspeakers. Other functions found on the central console include gear selection switches – park, reverse, drive and manual or automatic modes – plus controls for the heated seats and heated rear window. As pioneered on the Primera, Evalia has a rear view camera designed to make reversing as easy and safe as possible. Mounted in the tail light assembly, the wide angled camera lens also benefits from infrared technology so that it can be used successfully at night as well as during daylight hours. The brake lights also pioneer new technologies and are designed to give even clearer information to following motorists, increasing safety. The circular pattern LEDs appear to rotate when illuminated, with the speed of rotation becoming more intense the harder the brake pedal is pushed. Other safety features include the cut away front head rests which permit greater rearward visibility, intelligent cruise control plus the expected array of electronic driver control and stability aids, including ESP. Despite its overall dimensions, Evalia drives more like a coupé than a people carrier. The lowered sports suspension and driving position, race-proven brakes and sporting engine/transmission layout translate into an exhilarating drive.
March 2003 photos: Nissan
|
.
.
|
)
)
)
)
)
)