Nissan Kino

October 20, 2001 – A six-seat compact minivan designed for young families and providing a host of "living-room comforts", the Kino is aimed at young families with children.

The Kino concept was designed by Nissan Design Europe, Germany, and built by Stola, Italy. Stephane Schwarz, studio chief desiner of NDE and the author of the exterior of the new Primera, was in charge of this design.

The Kino aims to provide a level of comfort equal to a living room. Six monoform seats suggestive of home furnishings are arranged in three rows on the low floor that allows exceptionally easy entry and exit. To ensure effective use of the interior space, the seats adopt a unique construction that folds up compactly. Rails in the floor allow two seats to be stowed under the instrument panel. The seating system versatility enables the Kino to be used in three different modes.

Limousine mode: When two seats are stowed under the instrument panel and only the first and third-row seats are used, for a large passenger space.

"Living-room" mode: Two seats are folded away under the instrument panel and the front passenger's seat is swiveled around to face the third-row seats. Two tables can be taken out from the center console and moved on the rails to the center of the vehicle.

Cargo mode: Stowing away the first-row passenger's seat and the second-row seat behind it creates ample space for carrying mountain bikes, a wheelchair or other equipment. Cargo can be easily loaded through the large opening provided by the B-pillar-less construction.

The Kino abounds in thoughtful storage places, including cabinets built into the door trim panels. Storage compartments that can be opened and closed from outside the vehicle when the doors are open are also provided on both sides of the roof.

The Kino adopts a sliding instrument panel cover that opens toward both sides from the center, allowing the dashboard to be used selectively in a "driving mode" and a "parking mode".

In the driving mode, the instrument panel cover opens toward both sides to reveal the large-size screen and control panel housed inside. The vehicle speed and other information needed for driving are displayed on the driver's side of the screen while navigation information is presented in the center. The passenger's side of the screen can be used as a rear-seat monitor that shows the faces of children or other passengers riding in the rear seats. It can also display detailed information about places in the surrounding area. The instrument panel cover closes automatically in the parking mode.

The surfaces of the instrument panel and the upper part of the door trim are made of cork. The metal floor is covered by a transparent plastic. The contrast of materials is one of the key factors to create a comfortable interior environment, says Mr. Schwarz.

The exterior design of the Kino expresses the spaciousness of the interior while also taking into account good aerodynamics. The "flying wing grille" that distinguishes Nissan cars has been adopted at the front. The arched glass roof curves back as far as the third-row seats, enhancing interior comfort by bringing natural light into the passenger compartment. The unique fender line treatment draws a clear contrast between the sharp edges and the rounded surfaces, giving the Kino a stable and sporty look.

The door layout is asymmetrical between the two sides of the car. The driver's side has three doors, with the rearmost one being a rear-hinged center-opening door that enhances ingress and egress ease for the third-row seat passengers. Two doors are provided on the passenger's side. The rear one is a sliding door, which, together with the absence of a B-pillar, provides a large opening.

The rear hatch is split into two sections, with the lower part lifting up over the top glass to facilitate easy opening and closing even in tight parking spaces. The rear bumper can be lowered and used as a step, if necessary, for easy loading and unloading of heavy items.

	Nissan to show multi-mode Kino concept at the Tokyo Motor Show
	Click for larger images	October 20, 2001 – A six-seat compact minivan designed for young families and providing a host of "living-room comforts", the Kino is aimed at young families with children. The Kino concept was designed by Nissan Design Europe, Germany, and built by Stola, Italy. Stephane Schwarz, studio chief desiner of NDE and the author of the exterior of the new Primera, was in charge of this design. The Kino aims to provide a level of comfort equal to a living room. Six monoform seats suggestive of home furnishings are arranged in three rows on the low floor that allows exceptionally easy entry and exit. To ensure effective use of the interior space, the seats adopt a unique construction that folds up compactly. Rails in the floor allow two seats to be stowed under the instrument panel. The seating system versatility enables the Kino to be used in three different modes. Limousine mode: When two seats are stowed under the instrument panel and only the first and third-row seats are used, for a large passenger space. "Living-room" mode: Two seats are folded away under the instrument panel and the front passenger's seat is swiveled around to face the third-row seats. Two tables can be taken out from the center console and moved on the rails to the center of the vehicle. Cargo mode: Stowing away the first-row passenger's seat and the second-row seat behind it creates ample space for carrying mountain bikes, a wheelchair or other equipment. Cargo can be easily loaded through the large opening provided by the B-pillar-less construction. The Kino abounds in thoughtful storage places, including cabinets built into the door trim panels. Storage compartments that can be opened and closed from outside the vehicle when the doors are open are also provided on both sides of the roof. The Kino adopts a sliding instrument panel cover that opens toward both sides from the center, allowing the dashboard to be used selectively in a "driving mode" and a "parking mode". In the driving mode, the instrument panel cover opens toward both sides to reveal the large-size screen and control panel housed inside. The vehicle speed and other information needed for driving are displayed on the driver's side of the screen while navigation information is presented in the center. The passenger's side of the screen can be used as a rear-seat monitor that shows the faces of children or other passengers riding in the rear seats. It can also display detailed information about places in the surrounding area. The instrument panel cover closes automatically in the parking mode. The surfaces of the instrument panel and the upper part of the door trim are made of cork. The metal floor is covered by a transparent plastic. The contrast of materials is one of the key factors to create a comfortable interior environment, says Mr. Schwarz. The exterior design of the Kino expresses the spaciousness of the interior while also taking into account good aerodynamics. The "flying wing grille" that distinguishes Nissan cars has been adopted at the front. The arched glass roof curves back as far as the third-row seats, enhancing interior comfort by bringing natural light into the passenger compartment. The unique fender line treatment draws a clear contrast between the sharp edges and the rounded surfaces, giving the Kino a stable and sporty look. The door layout is asymmetrical between the two sides of the car. The driver's side has three doors, with the rearmost one being a rear-hinged center-opening door that enhances ingress and egress ease for the third-row seat passengers. Two doors are provided on the passenger's side. The rear one is a sliding door, which, together with the absence of a B-pillar, provides a large opening. The rear hatch is split into two sections, with the lower part lifting up over the top glass to facilitate easy opening and closing even in tight parking spaces. The rear bumper can be lowered and used as a step, if necessary, for easy loading and unloading of heavy items.	.