The Nissan Ellure has today made its world debut at the 2010 LA auto show.
What is the objective behind the Ellure?
Nissan’s senior vice president and chief creative officer, Shiro Nakamura states that ‘it’s not intended as a preview of any upcoming production model’ and that ‘the Ellure confirms Nissan’s intention to be a strong player in the sedan segment for many years to come’
An interesting u-turn, as Nissan has steadfastly pioneered niche markets over the last decade, whilst turning their back on the traditional sectors.
So, it’s not bound for production, so what else does it showcase?
Well, the drivetrain’s worth a mention: the Ellure boasts a supercharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder with Intelligent Dual Clutch Control (one motor/two clutch design with lithium-ion battery) and 25 kW electric motor.
The Ellure also wears Nissan’s Pure Drive branding, which is the company’s name for its range of low CO2/low fuel consumption internal combustion engine or hybrid vehicles.
Inside design features include touchscreen interfaces, transparent red seatback panels and low, shoulder height front seats with floating headrests. These reduce the usual ‘barrier’ between front and rear passengers. Other interior touches include recessed lighting, an all-glass roof plus hidden audio system speakers embedded in the doors and headrests.
Is this the new face of Nissan?
Nissan says not, but we’ve certainly heard that one before. One thing’s for sure though: had the Primera looked as good as this, odds are Nissan wouldn’t have turned its back on this sector.