First we had the Skyline from Nissan, if all goes to plan we will be seeing the BladeGlider
Supercars have pretty much remained the same for the past twenty years, oblong in shape with four wheels, sleek lines, low profile front end and extra added styling to the body to create brand individuality. For much of the time the leading manufacturers have concentrated on increasing performance, adding driving aids and upping the level of comfort. Enter Nissan, the company that created the astonishing Skyline, a car that combined supercar beating performance and excellent value for money. Nissan once again plan to revolutionize the car market with the almost indescribable BladeGlider. This new vehicle is more than just a concept vehicle, it is the proposed future direction of the companys electric vehicle division, a completely new vision of what a supercar could be with peerless technology and some of the most exotic styling seen to date.
BladeGliders shape alone, with its narrow front track, challenges the orthodoxy that has dominated the roads since the earliest days of the internal combustion engine. The revolutionary nature of the car is more than skin deep. New possibilities for the designers and engineers were opened up by the unique characteristics of electric vehicles. BladeGlider has its conceptual roots in two aerial images: the soaring, silent, panoramic freedom of a glider and the triangular shape of a high performance swept wing aircraft. It is therefore fitting that, in terms of engineering, BladeGliders developmental focus was aerodynamics: achieving low drag (cdA) while generating road-hugging downforce. Disruptive and challenging to the status quo, BladeGlider shares sustainable engineering values with both Nissan LEAF, the best-selling EV in history, and the Nissan ZEOD RC (Zero Emission On Demand Racing Car), which will make its debut at next years Le Mans 24 Hour race.
With its narrow, 1.0 meter lightweight front track and wide, stable rear track, BladeGlider looks as if it could have sprung from a skunk works project. But the radical architecture all boils down to aerodynamics and balance. Having the front wheels close together reduces drag and enhances maneuverability for high G cornering power, assisted by its 30/70 front/rear weight distribution ratio. Aerodynamic downforce is created by the highly rigid yet lightweight carbon fiber under body, hence the lack of drag inducing wings.
As a rear drive performance car, BladeGlider exhibits a coherent and linear handling that enables it to consistently hug road curves, providing feedback for intuitive and exhilarating steering control when cornering under threshold conditions. Augmenting BladeGliders aerodynamically engineered precise feedback and control, the canopy visibility of the driving position engenders a synchronized feeling of oneness with the machine and the road. The result is a free soaring experience, which the driver can share with two passengers in the V-shaped seating configuration. Passengers sit at the longitudinal center of gravity to maintain the cars balance at all times. The center driving setting of the cabin space is designed to enhance the drivers sensory experience.
As a final touch, the drivers seat automatically slides laterally when you open the door, enabling easy access to passenger seats.