Nissan Makes A New, Interesting Looking Car

[Seil]

The "Nissan Land Glider EV."

So is this the direction we're heading in? I always thought we wanted to get away from cars that looked like 'The Homer.'

Why yes, it IS happy to see you.

Originally Posted by http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/07/tokyo-2009-preview-nissan-unveils-land-glider-concept-w-video/

Nissan is pulling out all the zero emission stops at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. In addition to the expected Leaf electric vehicle, the Japanese automaker will also be showing off a new concept called the Land Glider. Intended to be an urban runabout, the two-seat Land Glider is fully electric and is extremely narrow to ease congestion in dense city centers and make it easier to find suitable parking spots.

Inside the cockpit, the Land Glider's pilot sits front and center behind a suitably futuristic instrument cluster and a steering wheel that looks like twin joysticks. According to Nissan, the steering operations are computer controlled through a drive-by-wire arrangement, so there doesn't seem to be a direct connection between the steering wheel and the car's four contact patches.

Perhaps the most interesting bit Nissan pioneered with the Land Glider is the ability to lean into turns like a motorcycle. While this isn't an entirely new concept, it's a first for Nissan and the technology seems to be very well implemented in the Land Glider, as you can see in the video after the jump.

Iuhnno - the Smart car looks pretty silly, and this looks like a thinner version 'o one. But the tipping like a motorcycle is pretty neat, I guess. What do you guys think?