With the unveiling of a new concept today at the Tokyo Motor Show, Nissan proved once again that it’s not done innovating. The new IDx – offered as either the flashy and sporty NISMO, or the more pedestrian Freeflow – is so unlike anything else currently offered by the company, that you’d be hard pressed to know it was a Nissan were it not for the logo. In fact, aesthetically speaking, the IDx is a throwback to its roots, resembling the Datsuns of the 1980’s much more than the Nissans of today.
And yet, Nissan has stuck with its propensity to use one similar platform to create multiple cars that drive to different ends of the spectrum. While both cars share similar dimensions and modestly sized engines (1.2-1.5-liters for the Freeflow,1.6 for the NISMO), they are drastically different in identities. The Freeflow is indeed pedestrian, though not boring; it features Nissan’s well-evolved continuously variable transmission, which makes for a very smooth drive, and even comes with 18-inch chrome wheels, which make the car certain to be noted, if not lusted after.
The NISMO, on the other hand, tips the other side of the scale. It is completely symbolic of Nissan’s foray into the next generation of automobiles; the engine is turbo-charged for performance, but also eco-friendly. The continuously variable transmission offers a crisp manual mode for those who love to drive. And the design, unlike the Freeflow, is flashy enough to turn heads, while still being practical.
It’s clear that with the IDx, Nissan is stamping its card for the next-generation of vehicles.
Photo Credit: Nissan
