14 Jan 08
Nissan has a neat new MPV concept. The Forum has wide-opening, trackless sliding side doors, no B-pillars, and front doors that open by up to 90 degrees, all giving easy access to the roomy cabin and a light, airy interior. Its second-row seats swivel and rotate, and it features the latest entertainment and communications technology.
Nissan says that there are two distinct, but linked, 'zones' for adults and children, with an emphasis on a sporting feeling for the driver as well as keeping the kids happy. The Forum is also designed to be gender-neutral, rather than looking like a traditional 'soccer mom' minivan.
The adults can keep an eye on the children with the help of rear-seat camera monitors, tell them off with the help of a microphone broadcasting to all the speakers, and keep them entertained with the DVD entertainment system.
Other features include a 'moonroof' with hidden sunshades, a cabin finished in aniline leather, LED ambient lighting, thick wool carpets, a console-mounted microwave oven, Bluetooth phone kit, controls with infra-red proximity sensors, and aluminium/wood trim.
Exterior details include LED headlights and taillights, a wide rear hatch and dual exhaust outlets for the full sporting effect, and there's the Around View Monitor with sensors and cameras, as in the latest Infiniti EX35.
Nissan is remaining coy on full powertrain details for the Forum, but suggests that it could use a clean diesel engine - as promised for production ranges in the US next year - and CVT gearbox; a hybrid would also be possible.
While the Forum is very much a show car, it does look pretty production-ready, and signals Nissan's intentions for a replacement for the ageing Quest MPV in the US and the Serena offered in Europe.
Check out the rest of our Detroit Motor Show coverage
