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ReprintsNissan Cube coming to America
Lindsay Chappell
Automotive News
January 14, 2008 - 3:02 pm ET
DETROIT -- Nissan dealers in the United States will get the entry-level Cube, says the company's top global design executive. The Cube -- a boxy, small-engine car suggestive of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Scion xB -- has been sold in Japan since 1998. Nissan North America Inc. has been studying the car's sale here for the past two years but has officially remained noncommittal. "The Cube is coming to the U.S. market," said Shiro Nakamura, global design director for Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. "It will be a unique vehicle for Nissan. Visually, it is not like any other model," Nakamura said. "It's not for everybody. It's not aerodynamic. Some people in the United States will find it kind of strange." But unlike Toyota's equally quirky Scion, Nissan will not establish the Cube as its youth-oriented brand. Tom Lane, corporate vice president for product strategy and product planning, declined to discuss details of the plan here at the auto show, saying no official announcement has been made on the Cube. But he said that because Nissan's age demographic is lower than those of its competitors, the Cube need not be a youth brand. "Does Nissan need a youth brand? Nissan almost is a youth brand," Lane said. "This is not to say we wouldn't consider it in the future." |
You can reach Lindsay Chappell at lchappell@crain.com.
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Coming to America This Nissan Cube is coming to the U.S. after being sold in Japan for the last 10 years. |
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