Nissan Moon city-car concept
Designer Robert Hoffmann drew up this Nissan concept for an auto magazine. The futuristic conveyance is not intended for production, but it's an interesting exercise just the same.
The oversized rear wheels are slanted inward, and move backward for highway cruising, optimizing space when retracted for city driving and enhancing stability in conjunction with a deployable rear wing at higher speeds.
The "car of tomorrow" would theoretically employ a hybrid or electric power plant if it were actually built. Kinda looks like a cross between an alien and an iPod.
(Follow the jump for more pics.)
[Source: MotorPasion via Motor Authority]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
rwdmtparkingonly 5:05PM (9/27/2006)
Oh lordy, first the Renault/Nissan Alliance tries to take over GM, now it's trying to take over the moon. When will it stop? What about all the poor moon babies?
Reply
Jeff Gilleran 5:05PM (9/27/2006)
Another interesting design from Nissan.
Personal transportation, Im liking it more and more.
Some dont want to be on a bike, but like the exhilaration of being on one.
But it offers much better protection in an accident.
Couple this with high effiency and low operating costs and you have a great way to save money.
We need more of this stuff.
:)
Reply
Chargedup 5:26PM (9/27/2006)
Anyone notice that the only place it says moon is on the rearend?
Reply
Los 5:32PM (9/27/2006)
least it doesn't say Uranus
Reply
tekkenking 5:43PM (9/27/2006)
anyone else think it kind of a rip off of the Moovie concept by peugeot :
http://www.peugeot-concours-design.com/en/01_vainqueur/
Reply
Richard Warren 5:51PM (9/27/2006)
If it dosen't make it to the moon it's a great concept for a vacuum cleaner.
Reply
Los 6:41PM (9/27/2006)
Sure the Moon looks like a more practical and actually feasible design of the moovie.
Just like an Accord looks like a Camry and a Fusion, and an Altima, etc.
cars are all going to look the same at some point.
Reply
cacho 10:39PM (9/27/2006)
That's an AIBO.
Reply
DPC car videos 8:20PM (9/27/2006)
Great car for vampires that want to lay down and drive.
Reply
J MAYS 1:07AM (9/28/2006)
Since when does Autoblog post horrendous sketches like kids do in Cardesignnews forums? The thing doesn't even have a round rear wheel! This is supposed to be a car enthusiast site, but crap like this makes me wonder...
Reply
Paulo Becker 10:10AM (9/28/2006)
Won't this throw in the trash all the ecological considerations, since it'll need a LOT of torque to move those gargantuan rear wheels?
Reply
Tom 6:11AM (9/30/2006)
When did they start making tractor tires for highway speeds? I wouldnt want to the tire store for a new set.
Reply
Bo 6:53AM (9/30/2006)
It looks like a kid's toy designed by Godzilla.
Reply
Sharon 6:58AM (9/30/2006)
I know it's not really going to be produced...but where the heck do you keep the spare/ spares since they are totally different sizes? I could see that getting stuck on road debris or curbs, etc easily too with the extremely low wheel cover on the front...maybe you can just pop a wheelie if you do get stuck.
Reply
bert 6:59AM (9/30/2006)
so Tom, why did i see you at the tire store buying a vastly overpriced set of 20-inch rims and tires that will adversely affect your car's handling, get an unrepairable 'snakebite' in the sidewall when you run over a stick bigger than your thumb, and make your car look like the toys we played with as kids??
oh, i'm sorry, those were vastly overpriced giant 'monster-truck' wheels and tires, guaranteed to produce a 'rollover' when punctured at highway speeds, or kill kids in the back seat of the car that you backended because you were following too closely and now your bumper is now four feet off the ground.
Reply
LostCause 8:03AM (9/30/2006)
I would like to drive that "Moon" off a cliff....Yup thats it, just drive it off a cliff.
HaHa
Reply
Rex Kriedler 9:06AM (9/30/2006)
Looks like an iPod doorstop to me!
Reply
observer 9:00AM (9/30/2006)
it looks like a mouse!
Reply
grouch41 9:07AM (9/30/2006)
I KNEW I recognized this design. Its actually called "Mouse". It was created when my grandson added Tonka Truck wheels to a defunct Logitech wireless mouse. Ive tried to contact Nissan to get him on their creative team, but they have some sort of prohibition against hiring eight year olds.
Reply
JP 9:26AM (9/30/2006)
Put a handle straight up the back and you have a combination car, carpet shampooer, and vacuum cleaner. Regardless of whether or not it's a concept, somehow, I think acceptance will be just about NONE.
Reply