The vibrancy of Brazil has been captured in the Nissan Extrem, a radical concept car aimed squarely at young (and young-at-heart) car enthusiasts, keen to make a statement on the roads.
Extrem has been created especially for Brazil. Designed by Nissan Design America (NDA) in San Diego, California, in collaboration with Brazilian designers and produced in Brazil, the concept previews a new breed of car. By blending versatility and toughness with the agility of a compact 2+2, Extrem is a new genre of urban compact sports car. 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. From the outset it was considered vitally important that design inspiration should come from Brazil itself. Although the NDA design team is based in San Diego, 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 armoured toughness.
Although clearly a tough little street fighter, quality craftsmanship and attention to detail can be found throughout the car. Examples include flush mounted door handles, integrated side marker lamps, lightweight fender-mounted mirrors and the flush A- and B-pillars which create a seamless canopy. A compact 2+2, Extrem has a dedicated luggage space in the rear. A clever two-tier system provides secure storage, where items can be hidden from prying eyes 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 colour, a deep metallic orange with radiant highlights, pays homage to Brazilian nature. Brightly coloured accents provide ‘pops’ of energy and can also be found on the gas cap, tow hook and the wheels, adding to the urban rally car theme. 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.
Overall this is an exquisite machine and we can only hope it becomes a production vehicle in the not too distant future.
