Nissan Altima Coupe
Nissan Maxima
Nissan Sentra
The Road to Becoming a World-Leading Power BrandNissan aims to create a fusion of unique, original design sensibility and cutting-edge technology based on our design heritage and the inherent traditions of Japanese culture. Design is essentially the visual message transmitted by a company. Therefore, Nissan Design goes beyond the design of the vehicle itself. We are committed to presenting a coherent “Nissan-ness” at every single touchpoint where we come into contact with our customers, be it from a sales promotion to the interior design of our vehicles. Nissan Design creates motifs and styles that go beyond the expectations of customers, explicitly presenting Nissan’s inherent value to enhance the company’s brand power. New Skyline Coupe (Infiniti G37 Coupe) on the HorizonAt the New York Auto Show in April 2007, Nissan announced the new Infiniti G37 Coupe would make its debut in North America in August. In Japan, the car will be introduced in October as the Skyline Coupe. The introduction of the Skyline Coupe this year commemorates the Skyline’s 50th anniversary. The Coupe is already garnering praise from automobile enthusiasts worldwide. Global Design StudioNissan opened its new global design studio, located at the Nissan Technical Center in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, in December 2006. Under the “Collaboration & Communication” theme, the design center fosters an environment that allows the designers to maximize their creative capabilities and encourages collaboration among Nissan designers worldwide. The studio will serve as Nissan’s central design and development facility, working closely with design studios in the U.S., England and Taiwan, to deliver more attractive and innovative products to our customers. Cultivating Next-Generation DesignersNissan is exploring new ways to cultivate the next generation of car designers. In Japan, we initiated the Nissan Design Offsite Internship educational program for design students aspiring to become automotive designers. In 2006, we launched the Nissan Design Forum’s “Imagination Factory” to bring our designers into contact with design students across Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan and other countries. The new Skyline Coupe/Infiniti G37 Coupe The new global design studio offers the expansive freedom that inspires creativity. The Nissan Design Forum’s “Imagination Factory” MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO The global automotive industry has entered a new era – one that can be expected to change almost every facet of the car in the years ahead. This is an exciting time. In pursuit of environmentally sustainable mobility, we are now engaged in a great race – one of the greatest engineering competitions in history. The outcome will deliver significant benefit to humanity. And within our industry it will distinguish the winners from the rest. Where will the solutions be found? Will it be it fuel-cells, electric cars, bio-fuels, advanced diesels, hybrids – or something not yet invented? No one knows. As yet there is no “silver bullet” and no winner in sight. Still, we are confident that effective solutions are within reach. But when a winner does emerge the decision will not be made by engineers. Consumer demand is the most powerful force for global environmental progress. And it is very democratic: by exercising their right to choose, every new car buyer in every country gets a vote. So consumers will dictate both the pace of change and its direction. This poses a significant challenge. Since no one knows which solution will prevail, we must invest massively in R&D in pursuit of every viable alternative. Fortunately, Nissan is now ready to go the distance in this race. In 1999, when its finances were in perilous shape, Nissan could not afford sustained investment in technological innovation – the historic core of its brand identity. Today, with a much healthier balance sheet, our R&D budget is more than double the level of 1999. The impact is much more than double, however, because over the same period we have significantly increased the efficiency of our R&D activities. This allows us to intensively pursue a broad range of technologies under “Nissan Green Program 2010,” our environmental blueprint. And thanks to our alliance with Renault we are able to focus on our specific promising technologies – such as advanced lithium-ion batteries – and let our partner take the lead in other areas, such as clean diesels. Environmental progress is coming – and we are determined to be leaders. Along with “greenness” will come significant technological advances in many other areas such safety and interior comforts. Last but not least, in line with our belief that motoring can be both green and fun, you can expect new technologies from Nissan that will enhance dynamic performance.
|