Nissan Automobile Technical College Kyoto at the Osaka Auto Messe 2024.

Osaka Auto Messe (OAM) 2024 was held at Intex Osaka from 10-12 February 2024. Amongst the customized cars created by manufacturers, shops, and other professionals, the customized vehicles created by students, who were not bound by preconceived ideas, also attracted a lot of attention. In this issue, we introduce the Nissan Automobile Technical College Kyoto exhibition booth.

The new Elgrand is imagined by the students

While the quality of exhibits from automotive colleges, where future automotive engineers are enrolled, has increased in quality and attention every year, Nissan Automobile Technical College Kyoto took the quality to the next level by inviting Nissan’s current designers.

The Elgrand Gracia, based on the concept of “Students’ idea of the new Elgrand”, is targeted at families of six who enjoy camping and outdoor activities, and is based on the E52 Elgrand, with the front mask of the current X-Trail and the rear tail lamps and rear The rear is a transplant of the Ariya’s tail lamps and wing.

The front bumper was extended vertically to match the thicker front face of the Elgrand, and the wings were based on those of the X-Trail and Elgrand, with new parts added where they were lacking.

The same applies to the rear, with the rear quarter panel rebuilt to match the tail lamps that wrap around to the sides, and the rear wing also diverted from the Aria. The most difficult part of this was the lights, which are all controlled via CAN communication in the current cars, but were transplanted to the early E52 models and a lot of wiring was done to get them to light up without any problems.

The quality of the car was so high that some visitors mistook it for just an “X-Trail” and walked past it because of the natural design despite all the work that had gone into it.

Z12 Cube transformed into a 410 Bluebird!

Next was a vehicle named ‘SETO’, based on a Z12 ‘Cube’ with the mask and tail of a 410 ‘Bluebird’ installed without any discomfort.

The front bumper, grille, and front panel are from the Bluebird, while the bonnet and wings are from the Bluebird and Cube, creating a natural shape.

The rear also uses the same Bluebird tail and bumper as the front, giving it a classical look, but it is also noteworthy that LEDs are used for the lights, adding a modern element to the retro look.

The character lines on the front and rear wings are reproductions of those on the Bluebird, and although the original intention was to have character lines on all the sides, the Nissan designers advised to have them only on the front and rear, thus creating a subtle accent.