Nissan's BladeGlider is a zero-emissions, high-performance...thing
It reminds me a bit of DeltaWing, but without the ridiculous difference in front and rear track.
Nissan's concepts are generally pretty awesome. Whether it's the Gripz crossover, the IDS EV or the Warrior pickup, Nissan's futuristic styling plays well to concepts. The company's got a new concept out, the BladeGlider, and not only is its name pretty wicked, it's got some sharp looks, to boot.
The goal of the BladeGlider (man, that's an awesome name) is to present an electric vehicle that's fun to drive. Simple premise, right? While the premise might be simple, its execution is actually the result of two years of design, engineering and development work.
Just like the DeltaWing racecar, BladeGlider features varied front and rear track widths. Reducing the front track helps it cut through the air better without affecting steering. That shape also lends to a McLaren F1-style interior, where the driver sits front and center, ahead of two rear seats. The doors are rear-hinged and look like something a person would put on his or her Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.
In fact, there's a whole bunch of racecar-inspired tech in here. The wheel and display arrangement looks like it's straight out of a Le Mans prototype. The two screens on either side of the central display are meant to replace the side mirrors, a common trope in new concepts.
It won't be confused for a racecar when it's speeding away, though -- 0-60mph is estimated at less than five seconds, with a top speed of just 118 mph. Then again, it comes with a specific drift mode, so straight-line speed isn't what this car is all about. Total electrical output is rated at 268 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque.
The vehicles will be on display for the media in Rio de Janiero this month. One of them will be for media drives, but if they could just drive it up to Detroit for me, that would be great.