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The Nissan Round Box, with its compact convertible design, represents
a new take on open-air motoring, providing exhilaration for all
passengers - not just the driver - through its uniquely shared
experience of fresh air stimulation, a sensation of speed and
easy-to-use high-spec features.
The Round Box features an environmentally friendly turbocharged direct
injection gasoline engine mated to Nissan’s advanced Xtronic CVT (Continuously
Variable Transmission). It is also equipped with a number of safety systems
based on Nissan’s Safety Shield concept, including Around View Monitor and
Distance Control Assist System (DCAS).
The inspiration for Round Box’s interior, which features the “right sized”
space to facilitate communication between the four occupants, was not another
vehicle, but a social environment. “The car was inspired by the lively
atmosphere of a sports bar,” explains Tatsuya Shiosaki of Nissan’s Exploratory
and Advanced Product Department. “In a sports bar everyone is focused on the
game for pure enjoyment. They are totally free of the pressure and tension felt
by the players who are actually playing the game on the field. A sports bar
affords an enjoyable, stress-free space where friends can experience a sense of
togetherness. Simultaneously, they can enjoy thrilling excitement like being on
a rollercoaster yet without any risk involved. That is the sort of emotive world
the Round Box is intended to provide.”
A Social, High-Spec Interior
The most striking aspect of the Round Box interior is the seating area - with
front bucket and rear bench seats designed to provide support with a sense of
relaxation. The design of the seating area is unique, with the comfortable
bench-style seat cushions creating a sense of oneness with adjacent passengers,
as well as front seatbacks that are separated to facilitate easy communication
between all occupants.
“The seats have a bench-style lower half and a bucket-style upper half.
Normally, such a combination would be impossible,” said Kaoru Sato, Associate
Chief Designer in the Product Design Department. “The seat design combines a
casual bench seat, offering exceptional ease of entry and lateral movement from
either side, with a supportive seatback that holds the body securely in place.
We believe this combination is perfect for young people who want to satisfy
their high-tech needs in a simple way. While the combination may appear
contradictory at first glance, when you actually combine the elements, it
produces a harmonious effect and represents a way of creating new value. The
Round Box is full of such experimentation.
Round Box’s relaxing ambience is enhanced by a mixture of flat and round
curved surfaces throughout the interior, a motif that includes the instrument
panel, steering wheel and other appointments. The name “Round Box,” in fact, was
inspired by these unique curved surfaces.
The Round Box interior also features an innovative, interactive “Play Catch”
system, which allows the driver and passengers - including those in the rear
seat - to share entertainment and driving information. The system utilizes a
large touch screen display positioned in the center of the vehicle and an
additional monitor located in the center of the instrument panel. The “Play
Catch” system encourages the driver and passengers to easily exchange
information with each other - just like “playing catch.” For example, passengers
can search for shops or restaurants through the Round Box’s navigation system,
then send the driving route and instructions to the driver’s monitor. It’s a
unique, enjoyable way of involving all the occupants, while allowing the driver
to concentrate on driving by carefully coordinating the two display systems.
A Unique Exterior Combining a Variety of Elements
The Round Box’s youthful design mixes a variety of design elements, from the
open upper cabin area to the rugged lower body - a combination that evokes a
sporty yet relaxed feeling, as well as a sense of substance. Round Box features
tires placed at each corner to maximize interior room, enhance stability and to
help create its unique “wide open” look. The open-air feeling is enhanced by a
three-section removable roof panel, which can be stowed away in Round Box’sample
boot. Contributing to the shared sensation of speed are unique “road surface
windows,” small glass panels placed close to the ground on both sides of the
Round Box. These windows provide passengers with a view of the rapidly passing
road surface, without the risks of road contact associated with a motorcycle or
other non-closed vehicles. The new Round Box is a social, exhilarating vehicle
design, combining value, style and a sense of speed and open-air freedom - a
totally new and unprecedented approach to the concept of enjoyable mobility.
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