http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-fside-s.jpg
Japanese culture has made huge strides in the UK over the past decade: manga, anime, Evos, WRXs and GT-Rs, sushi at Sainsburys. Wagamama (which isn't real Japanese food, actually) is the new Pizza Express.
But what about Japanese car design and, in particular, Japan's peculiar fascination with the car as a box? Could you fall in love with a basic, rectangular-shaped car with all the styling nuances of a breeze block?
Millions of Japanese have done just that and, while it's not yet become cool in the UK, this car-as-a-box idea could yet be one of The Next Big Things say some car design gurus.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-r3q.jpg
However, cars that are Big in Japan in this way - the Nissan Cube and Suzuki Wagon R are two that immediately spring to mind - are some way beyond what passes for normal in other parts of the globe. Deliberately so. With sheer sides and flat roofs, they look cheerfully, intriguingly, if not scarily, wacky and, on the face of it, look about as compatible with UK life as eating poison blowfish (another Japanese delicacy).
Space, utility and all the simple logic of a packing crate were some of the defining factors behind their creation. That and the ability to carry family and/or friends around in a roomy, comfy, five/seven seat cabin. Driver appeal hardly figures - although the irony is that our box duo do make the grade, albeit in their own idiosyncratic ways.
However, cars that are Big in Japan in this way - the Nissan Cube and Suzuki Wagon R are two that immediately spring to mind - are some way beyond what passes for normal in other parts of the globe. Deliberately so. With sheer sides and flat roofs, they look cheerfully, intriguingly, if not scarily, wacky and, on the face of it, look about as compatible with UK life as eating poison blowfish (another Japanese delicacy).
Space, utility and all the simple logic of a packing crate were some of the defining factors behind their creation. That and the ability to carry family and/or friends around in a roomy, comfy, five/seven seat cabin. Driver appeal hardly figures - although the irony is that our box duo do make the grade, albeit in their own idiosyncratic ways.
While Japan has long had a thing about square-shaped cars, which explains why the Volvo 240 remains an enduring cult hero, the world of box design truly came alive in 1993 when Suzuki came up with the first Wagon R.
Tiny, weird and seriously alternative, the tallboy Wagon R was also cheap and fun, its extreme shape making it impressively roomy inside, which wowed the local Japanese audience. While it bombed in the UK, it was huge in Japan, in turn spawning a dozen follow-ons, by far the best known being the Nissan Cube.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-red-i.jpg
To date, Nissan's done two Cubes (exclusively for Japan) but the latest shape, with its extraordinary asymmetrical back door, has won numerous plaudits and is paving the way for the next generation, all set to come to Europe sometime around 2009/10.
The Cube as you see it here was conceived around the concept of 'my room'. Spend any time in Japan and you find you never really have enough space, whether at home, on the tube, in shops, on the street, wherever.
The Micra-based Cube, with its Tardis-like interior, is an antidote to all that. Set up like a private room, it treats you to oodles of space, sofa-like seats and a wealth of storage areas. There's nothing else like it, so maybe Japan really is on to something here.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-fside.jpg
'There are many reasons why boxy designs are popular in Japan,' says Shiro Nakamura, vice-president of Nissan design and ultimate styling boss.
'The first is functionality: the desire to make full use of limited available space.' (In Japan, the logic is that square is the best shape for packing the most stuff in.)
'Then there's emotion: many customers in this market are not looking for "speed" in design but something more moderately paced,' adds Nakamura.
Let's not forget, meantime, that many Japanese simply love the rationality of square designs. When you look at a typical Japanese urban street with its many tall, flat-sided buildings, square windows and signs, aesthetically, these boxy cars fit right in.
By the same token, something like the Wagon R often looked funny, even faintly ridiculous, in a more traditional UK environment, but perhaps that's all about to change.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-f3q.jpg
Rumblings in the industry suggest that instead of all the endless crossovers now coming out, the future of the car could actually look quite a lot like the Cube, the genre-busting anti-car designed by a Japanese designer who, wait for it, doesn't like cars...
That's right. The story goes that this young Nissan designer was a snowboard freak and wanted a car that could transport his board inside the car when he went to the Japan Alps but also serve as a daily runabout within Tokyo.
That's why the Cube looks the way it does with very few curves to its outer panels and that brilliant asymmetrical back door as that further renegade touch.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-backdoor.jpg
According to Stephen Clemenger, a British designer in Tokyo, the Cube is different because it was conceived much more as a product design than a typical car project.
Pratap Bose, a designer with DaimlerChrysler's advance studio in Japan, picks up on this. 'I think the Cube is a perfect example of an "anti-car." It doesn't pretend in any way or form to be one. In fact, it is closer to an appliance in its design conception and execution. If you look at the rear door, for example, it is not a hatch but a deep door which looks and opens like those seen on refrigerators!
'So I feel the younger generation especially in Japan find this tool or mobility appliance almost like an iPod. At the same time, Nissan's executed it in a refined and stylish way with asymmetric glass areas, cool front grilles, interesting colours and trims and so on.'
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-f.jpg
The Cube's definitely struck a chord with twenty- and thirtysomething Japanese, many of whom are not much interested in cars, per se (much to the frustration of the car industry).
Forget dreaming about Ferraris and Porsches. Mobile phones, the net, music, socialising, snowboarding etc, this is their new world order. In a car, they also want something edgy and visually different, also roomy, practical (and crucially, affordable).
The anti-establishment Cube and other 'challenging' box designs, such as Toyota's hugely successful Scion xB in the US, have now come along to tick all those boxes. At the same time, the Cube's also big with young mums and couples, so this wide fan base is another reason why it's hot. It's cool and classless and pretty much ageless, too.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-i.jpg
Drive a Cube and it takes just seconds to realise why you'd want one. First off, it's not about performance. The modest, unremarkable 1.5-litre, 107 bhp petrol engine (there's also a 96 bhp 1.3) has enough power and torque to get you going and let you cruise along at 50-60 mph but there's not much more to it than that.
Handling is soft, steering is easy but less than direct. Ride comfort is excellent. Controls are light and refinement is high. The Cube is also extremely comfortable, almost soothing to drive and gives off that same kind of bohemian feel as an old 2CV or VW Microbus.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-s.jpg
Then there's the space. The interior truly feels vast (especially the space above your head) and visibility through the huge front screen is amazing. Now you can see why Japan's young blades see it not just as workaday transport but also as an extension of their living room, a place where they can hang out with friends, or perhaps lock themselves in and not even go anywhere (just kick back and watch films etc).
How much of this formula will work in Europe is the 64,000 question. The next Cube certainly will have better aerodynamics and improved chassis to cope with higher driving speeds demanded in Europe. It will be also lighter and quicker. Maybe that column shift will have to go too. But the iconic design is sure to stay, we are told.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-2.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-fside-s.jpg
Japanese culture has made huge strides in the UK over the past decade: manga, anime, Evos, WRXs and GT-Rs, sushi at Sainsburys. Wagamama (which isn't real Japanese food, actually) is the new Pizza Express.
But what about Japanese car design and, in particular, Japan's peculiar fascination with the car as a box? Could you fall in love with a basic, rectangular-shaped car with all the styling nuances of a breeze block?
Millions of Japanese have done just that and, while it's not yet become cool in the UK, this car-as-a-box idea could yet be one of The Next Big Things say some car design gurus.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-r3q.jpg
However, cars that are Big in Japan in this way - the Nissan Cube and Suzuki Wagon R are two that immediately spring to mind - are some way beyond what passes for normal in other parts of the globe. Deliberately so. With sheer sides and flat roofs, they look cheerfully, intriguingly, if not scarily, wacky and, on the face of it, look about as compatible with UK life as eating poison blowfish (another Japanese delicacy).
Space, utility and all the simple logic of a packing crate were some of the defining factors behind their creation. That and the ability to carry family and/or friends around in a roomy, comfy, five/seven seat cabin. Driver appeal hardly figures - although the irony is that our box duo do make the grade, albeit in their own idiosyncratic ways.
However, cars that are Big in Japan in this way - the Nissan Cube and Suzuki Wagon R are two that immediately spring to mind - are some way beyond what passes for normal in other parts of the globe. Deliberately so. With sheer sides and flat roofs, they look cheerfully, intriguingly, if not scarily, wacky and, on the face of it, look about as compatible with UK life as eating poison blowfish (another Japanese delicacy).
Space, utility and all the simple logic of a packing crate were some of the defining factors behind their creation. That and the ability to carry family and/or friends around in a roomy, comfy, five/seven seat cabin. Driver appeal hardly figures - although the irony is that our box duo do make the grade, albeit in their own idiosyncratic ways.
While Japan has long had a thing about square-shaped cars, which explains why the Volvo 240 remains an enduring cult hero, the world of box design truly came alive in 1993 when Suzuki came up with the first Wagon R.
Tiny, weird and seriously alternative, the tallboy Wagon R was also cheap and fun, its extreme shape making it impressively roomy inside, which wowed the local Japanese audience. While it bombed in the UK, it was huge in Japan, in turn spawning a dozen follow-ons, by far the best known being the Nissan Cube.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-red-i.jpg
To date, Nissan's done two Cubes (exclusively for Japan) but the latest shape, with its extraordinary asymmetrical back door, has won numerous plaudits and is paving the way for the next generation, all set to come to Europe sometime around 2009/10.
The Cube as you see it here was conceived around the concept of 'my room'. Spend any time in Japan and you find you never really have enough space, whether at home, on the tube, in shops, on the street, wherever.
The Micra-based Cube, with its Tardis-like interior, is an antidote to all that. Set up like a private room, it treats you to oodles of space, sofa-like seats and a wealth of storage areas. There's nothing else like it, so maybe Japan really is on to something here.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-fside.jpg
'There are many reasons why boxy designs are popular in Japan,' says Shiro Nakamura, vice-president of Nissan design and ultimate styling boss.
'The first is functionality: the desire to make full use of limited available space.' (In Japan, the logic is that square is the best shape for packing the most stuff in.)
'Then there's emotion: many customers in this market are not looking for "speed" in design but something more moderately paced,' adds Nakamura.
Let's not forget, meantime, that many Japanese simply love the rationality of square designs. When you look at a typical Japanese urban street with its many tall, flat-sided buildings, square windows and signs, aesthetically, these boxy cars fit right in.
By the same token, something like the Wagon R often looked funny, even faintly ridiculous, in a more traditional UK environment, but perhaps that's all about to change.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-f3q.jpg
Rumblings in the industry suggest that instead of all the endless crossovers now coming out, the future of the car could actually look quite a lot like the Cube, the genre-busting anti-car designed by a Japanese designer who, wait for it, doesn't like cars...
That's right. The story goes that this young Nissan designer was a snowboard freak and wanted a car that could transport his board inside the car when he went to the Japan Alps but also serve as a daily runabout within Tokyo.
That's why the Cube looks the way it does with very few curves to its outer panels and that brilliant asymmetrical back door as that further renegade touch.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-backdoor.jpg
According to Stephen Clemenger, a British designer in Tokyo, the Cube is different because it was conceived much more as a product design than a typical car project.
Pratap Bose, a designer with DaimlerChrysler's advance studio in Japan, picks up on this. 'I think the Cube is a perfect example of an "anti-car." It doesn't pretend in any way or form to be one. In fact, it is closer to an appliance in its design conception and execution. If you look at the rear door, for example, it is not a hatch but a deep door which looks and opens like those seen on refrigerators!
'So I feel the younger generation especially in Japan find this tool or mobility appliance almost like an iPod. At the same time, Nissan's executed it in a refined and stylish way with asymmetric glass areas, cool front grilles, interesting colours and trims and so on.'
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-f.jpg
The Cube's definitely struck a chord with twenty- and thirtysomething Japanese, many of whom are not much interested in cars, per se (much to the frustration of the car industry).
Forget dreaming about Ferraris and Porsches. Mobile phones, the net, music, socialising, snowboarding etc, this is their new world order. In a car, they also want something edgy and visually different, also roomy, practical (and crucially, affordable).
The anti-establishment Cube and other 'challenging' box designs, such as Toyota's hugely successful Scion xB in the US, have now come along to tick all those boxes. At the same time, the Cube's also big with young mums and couples, so this wide fan base is another reason why it's hot. It's cool and classless and pretty much ageless, too.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-i.jpg
Drive a Cube and it takes just seconds to realise why you'd want one. First off, it's not about performance. The modest, unremarkable 1.5-litre, 107 bhp petrol engine (there's also a 96 bhp 1.3) has enough power and torque to get you going and let you cruise along at 50-60 mph but there's not much more to it than that.
Handling is soft, steering is easy but less than direct. Ride comfort is excellent. Controls are light and refinement is high. The Cube is also extremely comfortable, almost soothing to drive and gives off that same kind of bohemian feel as an old 2CV or VW Microbus.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-s.jpg
Then there's the space. The interior truly feels vast (especially the space above your head) and visibility through the huge front screen is amazing. Now you can see why Japan's young blades see it not just as workaday transport but also as an extension of their living room, a place where they can hang out with friends, or perhaps lock themselves in and not even go anywhere (just kick back and watch films etc).
How much of this formula will work in Europe is the 64,000 question. The next Cube certainly will have better aerodynamics and improved chassis to cope with higher driving speeds demanded in Europe. It will be also lighter and quicker. Maybe that column shift will have to go too. But the iconic design is sure to stay, we are told.
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-2.jpg
http://www.channel4.com/4car/media/N/nissan/cube/03-large/07-cube-Japanese-fside-s.jpg
