Nissan steals the show

’s Pivo concept car being shown at the

showcases several innovations for urban driving.

The 76th international Motor Show opening in Geneva this week promises motorised eye-candy to all its car-loving visitors. But few manufacturers are exhibiting quite as radical a model as Nissan’s Pivo.

First reported in The Engineer on 17 October 2005 when it debuted at the Tokyo motor show, the Pivo owes its cartoon-like appearance to a partnership with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. Although it is unlikely to hit the showroom in its current format, a number of innovations have the potential to ease the hassle of urban driving.

It is powered by a compact Lithium-ion (Li-ON) battery which drives two Nissan-designed Super Motors, one for each axle.

The Pivo is named after the ability of the cabin to pivot 360 degrees, putting an end to parallel parking and three-point turns, as the driver can always face the direction of travel. This is made possible by electronic connections removing the need for mechanical links between the body and the chassis.