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The Nissan URGE concept, a minimalist
sports car design exercise conceived and created by
Nissan Design America, Inc. (NDA) in La Jolla, California,
traces its genesis to a number of sources.
First, URGE is pure Nissan in its look, innovative
features, spirited performance and, certainly, its
sports car heritage. Secondly, its creators wanted
to tap into the mindset of its intended audience – young,
first-time car buyers with a gamer’s sense of
adventure and who provided input to NDA through an
online survey.
And finally, the designers wanted to
capture in URGE the feeling of the bare, exposed look
and driving experience of a high performance motorcycle,
while also providing conceptual safety features.
The resulting concept, which makes its world debut
at the 2006 North American International Auto Show
in Detroit, expresses all three ideas and much, much
more. URGE is pure, quick, agile, and easily understandable
at first glance – merging technology, performance,
adventure and safety with pure fun. It offers freedom
and excitement, along with the flexibility of two +
alpha seating – with a unique third seat tucked
behind the driver and passenger.
The URGE exterior is highlighted by an extensive aluminum
“cage” structure, which includes an aluminum
center structure that runs from the engine bay to the
interior center console.
The body itself features aluminum/composite
construction, a glass hood with a view of the quick,
small-displacement high-revving engine, 4-bar hinge
scissor doors, see-through door panel cutouts, and
a collapsible canvas top.
The URGE interior features
lightweight mesh bucket seats, compact F1-style steering
wheel, a driver information monitor with five customizable
screens and a built-in gaming system, powered by Xbox
360, with fold-down display and steering wheel/pedal
controls.
In addition to the responsive engine mated to a 6-speed
manual sequential gearbox, URGE performance features
include lightweight 9-spoke spun aluminum-alloy wheels,
350Z-style Brembo® brakes and 19-inch front/20-inch
rear wheels and tires.
Highlights of the Nissan URGE concept include:
Body
• Motorcycle-inspired styling – lightweight,
minimal, exposed
• 104.3-inch wheelbase (same as the 350Z), 156.6-inch
overall length (16 inches shorter than the 350Z)
• See-through glass hood, cutaway door panels
• Aluminum center structure that runs from the
engine bay to the interior center console
• Recyclable aluminum and composite construction
• 4-bar hinge scissors-style doors with cutouts
for easy ingress and egress
• Spun aluminum roof cage structure, triangulated
A-pillars
• Collapsible, quick-close, manual (storable)
canvas top
• 2400-pound target vehicle weight
• “Mirror Crystal” exterior color
Engine and Driveline
• Quick, small-displacement, high-revving engine
• 6-speed manual sequential gearbox
• Front engine/rear-wheel drive
Suspension and Braking
• Independent suspension
• 350Z-style Brembo® brakes
• 19-inch front/20-inch rear 9-spoke spun aluminum-alloy
wheels with narrow Michelin tires (195/45R19 front,
225/35R20 rear)
Interior Features
• Driver-oriented interior with compact, responsive
F1-style steering wheel
• Racing-style lightweight mesh-and-leather bucket
seats
• Billet aluminum center console
• Cell phone and mp3 player docking stations;
cell phone acts as Intelligent Key to start vehicle
• Navigation system displayed in front of driver
(not passenger) • Five customizable driver info
screens (including HVAC, navi, audio and suspension/performance
tuning)
• Integrated gaming system powered by Xbox 360
and featuring a special Nissan edition of Project Gotham
Racing 3
• Game screen folds down from the rearview mirror;
steering wheel and pedals engage as game controls; gaming
audio powered through the vehicle’s audio system
• Perforated metal mesh-covered silicone foam
instrument panel material, visible passenger-side air
bag, racing-style durable rubber flooring
• Two + alpha seating (third seat hidden behind
driver and passenger seats)
Design and Assembly
• Designed by Nissan Design America, Inc. (NDA),
La Jolla, Calif.
• Assembled by metal Crafters, Inc., Fountain
Valley, Calif.
Nissan URGE
Key Dimensions and Specifications:
• Engine: Quick, high revving, small-displacement
engine
• Transmission: 6-speed sequential manual gearbox
• Drive Configuration: Front engine/rear-wheel
drive
• Wheels/Tyres/Brakes: 19-inch front/20-inch rear
9-spoke spun aluminum-alloy wheels with Michelin tires
(195/45R19 front, 225/35R20 rear), 350Z-style Brembo®
4-wheel disc
• Wheelbase: 104.3 inches/2650 mm
• Length: 156.6 inches/3979 mm
• Width: 71.8 inches/1824 mm
• Height: 49.6 inches/1260 mm
• Target weight: 2400 pounds
• Seating Capacity: 3 passengers
Select Exterior Features:
Motorcycle-inspired styling, see-through glass
hood, cutaway door panels, aluminum center structure,
aluminum and carbon fiber construction, 4-bar hinge
scissors-style doors, spun aluminum roof cage structure,
collapsible quick-close, manual (storable) canvas top,
“Mirror Crystal” exterior color
Select Interior Features:
Driver-oriented interior with compact, responsive F1-style
steering wheel, racing-style lightweight mesh-and-leather
bucket seats, billet aluminum center console, cell phone
and mp3 player docking stations (cell phone acts as
Intelligent Key to start vehicle), customizable driver
info screens (including HVAC, navi, audio and suspension/performance
tuning), integrated gaming system powered by Xbox 360. |
