Toyota's Scion youth brand unveiled its Hako Coupe concept, designed by Toyota's Tokyo Design Division. Taking its name from the Japanese word for 'box', the design was directly inspired by the American vintage style revived by Japanese trendsetters.
"We thought it was a very interesting point that Japanese and American culture can influence one another like this," lead exterior designer Thomas Bergeron told CDN. "The Hot Rod was one of the influences but we wanted to modernize this without falling into the 'retro' cliché or stereotype," said Bergeron.
At the front of the concept are trapezoidal LED headlights and a pronounced rectangular grille giving the face a "sinister looking" appearance, while the 'box' is strikingly apparent in profile, with a bolt upright windshield that blends into the roof around the A-pillar. "This is a safety feature so people can look at signal lights." The proportions of the car and its short overhangs give the concept a powerful stance, with flared fenders that contrast to the concept's boxy shape and smooth surface planes. The rear LED taillights echo the shape of the headlights and an integrated fog and back up light balance the exhaust opening on the right.
Inside, the Hako is divided into three 'zones': a driver's 'gaming' zone, an 'entertainment' zone for the passenger and a 'lounge' zone in the rear. The front urethane surfaced seats are finished in contrasting gray and orange while the instrumentation is draped over the IP in front of the squared-off steering wheel, "We wanted to enhance the meter so we came up with a new solution," Bergeron said. Large video screens in the IP are controlled via a device in the center that can be twisted and pushed, Bergeron explained, while video monitors in the doors and on the side of the rear seating area project images from cameras mounted beneath the A-pillars.
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The seventh generation of Nissan's flagship Maxima sedan revives the four-door sports car (4DSC) moniker coined by the company nearly two decades ago.
Said to impart a feeling of 'liquid motion', the exterior design of the new car is conservative, but as Bruce Campbell, Vice-President of Design at NDA told CDN, it is unmistakably a Maxima. Designed initially by Giovanni Arrobia at NDA in La Jolla, California, the exterior also features input from Campbell and Doug Wilson. "It's a group effort," said Campbell, "Giovanni showed me his initial design and I did a couple of sketches and we compared notes."
"The design is fluid but controlled, it's not overstated." Campbell continued, "I think you can capture this as if a child could draw this car, he'd probably strike a couple of lines that would make this a very wheel-oriented car, but not in a traditional round way. And then have these mysteriously disappear into a very fluid body section, punctuated by a striking front and iconic rear."
Riding on a wheelbase that is 48mm shorter, the new car is 38mm wider and has a 36mm/30mm wider front and rear track than the previous generation Maxima. It features a distinctive front face, accentuated by the unique headlamps. "It's a very purposeful front headlight," said Campbell. "The form follows the function here, the turning lamp has to be on the front." The swooping curves over the hood and the mass volume of the front and rear are complemented by a taut shoulder line running the width of the car, accentuating the rear haunch.
The interior is a very personal space that seeks to emphasize the 'sport car' aspect. Designed at Nissan's Atsugi Design Center in Tokyo, Campbell is quick to point out that the designers worked closely together with the exterior designers in California. "Both new exactly how to reflect each other."
Acura's entry-level TSX is virtually identical to the European-market Honda Accord unveiled in Geneva earlier this month, but features a brand-specific grille and additional luxury appointments.
Designed at Honda's Design Center in Wako, Japan, the TSX features Acura's signature front face, standard power-operated leather seats, Acura-specific interior lighting and floating dials in the instrument cluster. The suspension had also been revised for American roads. The IP and other interior details remain identical to the Euro Accord as do all the exterior body panels and the rear end design.
The new car does, however, differ significantly from the model it replaces, with decisively sportier flair. In addition to being 76mm wider, the new TSX has a 33mm longer wheelbase and is 61mm longer than the vehicle it replaces. Acura claims outward visibility is improved with a slimmer A-pillar design, while functionality and refinement have also been elevated.
Additional features include steering-wheel mounted controls, a premium sound system, dual-zone automatic climate control, Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and AUX jack music interface. An available Technology Package adds a voice recognition navigation system with real-time traffic and weather updates and Acura's own Satellite Communication System.
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