What's next in store for Nissan?

As the man responsible for styling such significant Nissan models as the GT-R, 350Z, Qashqai, Juke, Cube and Leaf, Shiro Nakamura knows a thing or two about successful auto design.

He retired in March aged 66, 17 years after he was first brought in as chief designer to help turn around the Japanese maker’s fortunes. Under his tenure, the company went from the brink of bankruptcy to a dramatic sales boom – not least thanks to the Qashqai, which sparked the craze for crossovers.

In recent years, Nakamura – who’s now been replaced by Infiniti’s previous design boss, Alfonso Albaisa – has overseen a multitude of projects, taking in everything from Datsun to Infiniti. He recently told us a little about the projects he’ll be handing over to his successor.

You’ve just facelifted the Qashqai. What about its replacement?

“The next one is more of a challenge, as we must make progress but maintain the Qashqai feel. It’s not a case of reinventing the Qashqai, as it’s still the bestselling crossover. We don’t just protect today’s strengths; we must go further. It’s two or three years away.”

Do you need to improve the Qashqai’s cabin?

“The next one is nothing like today’s. It’s very different; an interior, more than an exterior, revolution. Exterior tech is just headlights and taillights, so there’s nothing new you can really show. With the interior, there are so many elements you can use to show the advantages of tech.”

How do you prevent cabins becoming too complicated?

“The interior is more important than before. ProPilot autonomous driving tech is at level one; level two will come in the next Qashqai. The HMI [human-machine interface] is being designed for autonomous drive. The screen is becoming larger and will have more data. There are fewer switches but more functions. Interior functions will be much more advanced.”

Is it harder to replace the Juke than the Qashqai?

“The Juke must maintain its distinctiveness and funkiness. We’ll make a big step with the design, but it will still be recognisable as a Juke. Key elements must remain, such as the character of the face and proportions. Smaller cars are easier; their design can be quite aggressive.”

Is a GT-R replacement planned?

“The GT-R is an evolution. Change for change’s sake doesn’t make sense. A new one has to be better. We’ll continue improving every aspect. If we see the limit of improving, maybe we’ll have a complete renewal. All models are selling well and we have good back orders.”

Will the Bladeglider three-seater concept ever be made?

“It’s just an experiment, it’s not planned for production. Even if we can produce the right number at the right price, I don’t know if the market is big enough.”

What will the next Z car be?

“Z is a strong asset, but it’s not easy to find a proper concept. Two-seaters are challenging, and are not a big market apart from Porsche. If we do a new Z, we must do something new. Of course, we always do studies, but there are no plans to communicate anything.”

Will there be more Nismo cars?

“There is a big opportunity for a full range. Qashqai Nismo could be one, but we need upgraded performance, suspension and engine tuning, not just cosmetic changes.”

Will Nissan ever make another city car?

“City cars aren’t easy. If we could bring a Japanese kei car here it would be nice, but we can’t! In the future, a city car could be a small EV.”