Nissan URGE profile

The Nissan URGE concept, a minimalist sports car design exercise conceived and created by Nissan Design America, Inc. (NDA) in La Jolla, California, traces its genesis to a number of sources.

First, URGE is pure Nissan in its look, innovative features, spirited performance and, certainly, its sports car heritage. Secondly, its creators wanted to tap into the mindset of its intended audience – young, first-time car buyers with a gamer’s sense of adventure and who provided input to NDA through an online survey.

And finally, the designers wanted to capture in URGE the feeling of the bare, exposed look and driving experience of a high performance motorcycle, while also providing conceptual safety features.

The resulting concept, which makes its world debut at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, expresses all three ideas and much, much more. URGE is pure, quick, agile, and easily understandable at first glance – merging technology, performance, adventure and safety with pure fun. It offers freedom and excitement, along with the flexibility of two + alpha seating – with a unique third seat tucked behind the driver and passenger.

The URGE exterior is highlighted by an extensive aluminum “cage” structure, which includes an aluminum center structure that runs from the engine bay to the interior center console. The body itself features aluminum/composite construction, a glass hood with a view of the quick, small-displacement high-revving engine, 4-bar hinge scissor doors, see-through door panel cutouts, and a collapsible canvas top.

Nissan URGE with in-built Xbox 360

The URGE interior features lightweight mesh bucket seats, compact F1-style steering wheel, a driver information monitor with five customizable screens and a built-in gaming system, powered by Xbox 360, with fold-down display and steering wheel/pedal controls.

In addition to the responsive engine mated to a 6-speed manual sequential gearbox, URGE performance features include lightweight 9-spoke spun aluminum-alloy wheels, 350Z-style Brembo® brakes and 19-inch front/20-inch rear wheels and tyres.

Highlights of the Nissan URGE concept include:

Body
• Motorcycle-inspired styling – lightweight, minimal, exposed
• 104.3-inch wheelbase (same as the 350Z), 156.6-inch overall length (16 inches shorter than the 350Z)
• See-through glass hood, cutaway door panels
• Aluminum center structure that runs from the engine bay to the interior center console
• Recyclable aluminum and composite construction
• 4-bar hinge scissors-style doors with cutouts for easy ingress and egress
• Spun aluminum roof cage structure, triangulated A-pillars
• Collapsible, quick-close, manual (storable) canvas top
• 2400-pound target vehicle weight
• “Mirror Crystal” exterior color

Engine and Driveline
• Quick, small-displacement, high-revving engine
• 6-speed manual sequential gearbox
• Front engine/rear-wheel drive

Suspension and Braking
• Independent suspension
• 350Z-style Brembo® brakes
• 19-inch front/20-inch rear 9-spoke spun aluminum-alloy wheels with narrow Michelin tyres (195/45R19 front, 225/35R20 rear)

Interior Features
• Driver-oriented interior with compact, responsive F1-style steering wheel
• Racing-style lightweight mesh-and-leather bucket seats
• Billet aluminum center console
• Cell phone and mp3 player docking stations; cell phone acts as Intelligent Key to start vehicle
• Navigation system displayed in front of driver (not passenger)
• Five customizable driver info screens (including HVAC, navi, audio and suspension/performance tuning)
• Integrated gaming system powered by Xbox 360 and featuring a special Nissan edition of Project Gotham Racing 3
• Game screen folds down from the rearview mirror; steering wheel and pedals engage as game controls; gaming audio powered through the vehicle’s audio system
• Perforated metal mesh-covered silicone foam instrument panel material, visible passenger-side air bag, racing-style durable rubber flooring
• Two + alpha seating (third seat hidden behind driver and passenger seats)

Design and Assembly
• Designed by Nissan Design America, Inc. (NDA), La Jolla, Calif.
• Assembled by Metal Crafters, Inc., Fountain Valley, Calif.

Key Dimensions and Specifications

Engine: Quick, high revving, small-displacement engine
Transmission: 6-speed sequential manual gearbox
Drive Configuration: Front engine/rear-wheel drive
Wheels/Tyres/Brakes: 19-inch front/20-inch rear 9-spoke spun aluminum-alloy wheels with Michelin tyres (195/45R19 front, 225/35R20 rear), 350Z-style Brembo® 4-wheel disc
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches/2650 mm
Length: 156.6 inches/3979 mm
Width: 71.8 inches/1824 mm
Height: 49.6 inches/1260 mm
Target weight: 2400 pounds
Seating Capacity: 3 passengers

Select Exterior Features: Motorcycle-inspired styling, see-through glass hood, cutaway door panels, aluminum center structure, aluminum and carbon fiber construction, 4-bar hinge scissors-style doors, spun aluminum roof cage structure, collapsible quick-close, manual (storable) canvas top, “Mirror Crystal” exterior color.

Select Interior Features: Driver-oriented interior with compact, responsive F1-style steering wheel, racing-style lightweight mesh-and-leather bucket seats, billet aluminum center console, cell phone and mp3 player docking stations (cell phone acts as Intelligent Key to start vehicle), customizable driver info screens (including HVAC, navi, audio and suspension/performance tuning), integrated gaming system powered by Xbox 360

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