Nissan has now moved most of the body for the design study of a new generation Pathfinder from behind the veil of secrecy surrounding it until now. And so we can now say with total confidence that the car that will officially bow at 2012 NAIAS in Detroit next week is miles ahead of the current generation in terms of design.
To show us not only how the shape has changed at the front and back, but also how the light moves across the surfaces, two videos and two photos were released by the Japanese automaker. It’s also abundantly clear that this isn’t really a concept or a design study, as many details look like they came off the assembly line.
Nissan says that the more streamlined design "takes all of Pathfinder’s traditional SUV hallmarks and wraps them in a new platform and dramatic new aerodynamic design.” This probably means that the body-on-frame construction has been changed to make it more compliant on the road. However, Nissan claims that the vehicle will keep it’s off-road capabilities and won't have its spirit diluted by efforts to reduce fuel consumption.
The new Pathfinder will use a new chassis and will be able to accommodate up to seven passengers. Sales are scheduled to start from the autumn of next year, but the pricing hasn't been announced yet.
Also on display in Detroit will be an concept version of one of their vans study previews a future production version of a pure electric model.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News