Nissan Bevel concept

By Phil McNamara

Motor Shows

08 January 2007 11:59

Nissan Bevel: the lowdown

This is the Bevel, a concept car that makes a Swiss Army knife look one-dimensional. This versatile vehicle is more suitable for tradesmen than a van, has the interior flexibility of an MPV and looks that blend SUV- and people carrier-cues. Nissan's designers claim to have spotted a contemporary demographic – a group of 45-60-year-old males, who allegedly go bob-a-jobbing around the neighbourhoods helping others – and created a futuristic-looking van for these 'everyday heroes'. Their kids have left home, and they need a practical vehicle they'll usually drive alone, as they go around cleaning up the community – with a leaf blower rather than a Batsuit. For more, click 'next'.

At 4.4m-long, the Bevel is shorter than a Murano in both length and height. The Bevel's clean, flowing appearance feels anti-designed, and that chocolate colour makes the concept resemble a half-finished clay model, to which the stylists must add the crisp lines so beloved of Audi, BMW et al. The Nissan also bucks (geddit?) another convention – that of symmetrical design. Like the Cube, the boxy supermini sold in Japan, the Bevel has irregular panels. The driver's side has one long aperture for easy access, and almost a panel van finish punctured only by a strip of glass, while the passenger side has two, suicide doors making for easy loading.

By Phil McNamara