Posted 10.08.2009 at 3:06 pm
11 Comments
The Nissan Land Glider Nissan's new concept car seats two passengers in tandem and leans into turns like a motorcycle.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a Nissan? Though limited to terrestrial travel, the concept Land Glider automobile from Nissan banks like an airplane, tilting into corners, giving drivers the sensation of flying. But, the likenesses to aviation don't end there. The two-seater orients driver and passenger in tandem -- one in front and one in back -- and rather than a steering wheel, the Land Glider has airplane-style, computer-guided yoke controls.
Inside the Land Glider: The controls of the Land Glider resemble those of an airplane rather than a car.
Inspired by glider aircraft and motorcycles, the Land Glider is a lean 3.6 feet wide and ultra-lightweight, allowing its zero-emissions, all-electric motor to whisk it along with decent pep. Though its tight profile and narrow frame should make it easy enough to park, video cameras replaced by cameras feeding to dashboard monitors give the driver plenty of perspective on the vehicle's surroundings.
But the coolest features by far are the tilting wheels and leaning fenders that allow it to lean up to 17 degrees as it negotiates turns, assisted by the steering computer that determines optimum tilt for the current speed and trajectory. The Land Glider goes on display at the Tokyo Motor show October 24, but you can sneak-peek it below.
[PhysOrg]
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Cool when can I buy one?
That is the all-time worst car promotion video I've EVER seen, no exaggeration! The music is creepy, it contains no information about the vehicle, and doesn't even show the interior! Booooo!
from Holland, Michigan
Now only if it could go fast.
Music is creepy.
This must be their trade-show video loop.
Video sucked
but I still have the exact same question as wowlfie
from Los Angeles, CA
I agree with the rest of you in that the video was too long to just be showing the car moving around unless it could have shown something more interesting, such as how it would perform "drifting"... sliding sideways... and there should have been some interior shots, and maybe some "x-ray"-type computer-generated images of its innards.
But I don't dislike the sound track, and I wish there were more data on it-- if they did not want voices for theme reasons, they could have had text at the bottom of the screen giving data such as height, weight, range per charge, etc.
Government regulations are not keeping up with the times. This is more akin to a motorcycle than a car, but because it has four wheels, it would be required to have lots of safety features, and undergo expensive crash tests. This is a hybrid machine in the sense that it's blurring the boundaries between cars and motorcycles and there should be special allowance for such concepts to be marketed without such expensive testing and safety considerations because it is safer that a motorcycle-- no body exposure to road rash or exposure to the elements-- so it should be able to be sold with the understanding that it does not provide all the safety benefits of conventional cars, but that it is safer than any two-wheeler.
I am literally crying I want one sooo Bad!!! Such elegance, such Beauty, so futuristic. Oh Oh I say please finish the concept so we can buy it.
Excellent concept, looks like lots of fun!
Now they just need to drive a Segway for comparison and get these leaning angles nice and smooth. And how about an active suspension?
But ok, either way I would buy one - can't wait so see more ...
"Learn to Live & Live to Learn"
Alexander von Humboldt
The design flaws are easy to spot. There is not a rear hatch or lift to make easy to load and unload something as basic as a couple of bags of groceries. At least the vehicle seems tall enough for the average driver. Far better design than the too low 2 passager, 3 wheel electric car that a Ohio based company is talking about building.
I echo "cool". I have to admit that I would like to see GM re-visit the Lean Machine. Combine today's technology and that design from the early 1980's and they could sell them like popcorn.
I would NOT be caught DEAD in these silly contraptions--they are inherently unsaft. And they are ridicously overpriced for the range & speed.