The wraps have come off the Nissan concept announced for Beijing – the Nissan Lannia Concept is the name of the sedan version of the Friend-ME concept that made its debut at Auto Shanghai last year.
Where the Friend-ME concept was aimed at Chinese males in their mid-20s, the Lannia has a wider-looking scope, built around China’s digital lifestyle and tailored very much towards the country’s rising ‘Post-80s’ balinghou generation.
It’s the second model to come about from Nissan’s Design China office in Beijing, working in close cooperation with the Nissan Global Design Centre in Kanagawa, Japan, under the leadership of Nissan senior VP and chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura.
Still, the ‘sedan theory-breaker’ is primarily a local effort, being “designed by Chinese, built by Chinese for the Chinese people, and ultimately, for the world,” according to chief planning officer Andy Palmer.
The car features signature trademarks of Nissan’s next-generation design. These include a V-motion grille, boomerang headlamps, a distinctive kick-up pillar as well as a “floating” roof.
Also announced at the car’s unveiling was its Chinese name, which is lan niao, yin xiang, in honour of the legendary Nissan Bluebird. Suitable exterior shade too, yes.
