Tobias Nagel, designer of the Pivo, Nissan’s concept vehicle for urban life.

Most people who visit Nissan's Creative Box studio in Tokyo come away realising that to design a vehicle is no simple task, as designers must call on an accumulation of experience as they strive for perfection.

For Nissan, it takes about two years to design a vehicle. Car design for young consumers has changed rapidly with shifting fashions, while the demands of the adult market are relatively stable.

"Nissan develops around 10 models a year, but about 50 designs are created annually. Some products have been designed for sale in the US, some only for Japan and others for the global market," said Shiro Nakamura, vice president of design in Tokyo.

He has pictures of major cities on the studio walls so designers get a feel for different locations.

Nakamura said photos of tuk-tuks, temples, flower shops and markets represented Bangkok and the Thai way of life.

He said the characteristics of modern cities were taken into account when creating a vehicle to meet lifestyles. Designers' experience is also vital.

Nissan has design centres in London, California, Detroit, Taiwan, Shanghai, and two in Japan. The auto-maker has a total of 350 designers at these facilities.

The company sends its design staff around the world to boost their skills.

"It requires about US$170 million [Bt6.64 billion] to develop a model and about 10 per cent of that is spent on design," said Nakamura.

Takahiro Tone, manager of design strategy and communication, said that the team's goal was to establish a world-leading brand.

"In creating designs that are both attractive and powerful, we hope to blend the best of Nissan and Japan," said Tone.

Tobias Nagel, who designed the Pivo, said its innovations were futuristic and friendly.

The front and rear lights feature a clear, clean-looking design and the exterior has soft oval-shaped recesses, which make comfortable seats on the outside of a parked Pivo, which curiously means "beer" in Slavic languages.

As a showcase design vehicle, the Pivo represents the urban lifestyle in Tokyo.

"You find the same concept in the soft, organic interior that extends from the centre of the revolving egg-shaped cabin, which is the Pivo's most unusual feature. Because the platform has a symmetrical design, the driver's perception of the car's corners does not change even when the cabin is rotated 180 degrees."

Nagel, who took about 13 months to design the Pivo at Nissan's Creative Box studio in Tokyo, said that during the research period social trends, architecture and fashion had an impact on design. Four designers were involved in the Pivo's creation and about 200 others, including engineers and modellers, had an input.

"We digested cultural and social developments and even how people treat their children and

dogs. It also includes all inspirations we found in diverse urban landscapes and all information we collected in research to identify what customers wanted or what they will want in years to come,"

he said.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

The Nation