Last year Nissan unveiled four virtual concepts for futuristic cars. One of them was the Max-Out roadster. The 2-seat convertible doesn’t share almost any design element with current Nissan models but rather follows the trend of retro-futurism revival that has proven quite popular for other brands such as Hyundai.
During a presentation of the physical concept at the Nissan Futures press conference, the carmaker explained that if it were ever to enter production, the car would be lightweight and have all-wheel drive. It’s a fully electric car, and it serves as a physical lab for Nissan’s ProPilot self-driving technology.
The physical Max-Out concept has been built mostly as a showcase, possibly to inspire future Nissan designs with its sci-fi and videogame-inspired striking aesthetics. According to the company’s designers, the Max-Out offers a liberating “sense of openness” and an “enhanced dynamic driving experience”, although nobody outside of Nissan testing facilities will probably ever experience that on the road.
The interiors and the back are particularly interesting, mixing a minimalistic approach with finishes inspired by Tron, as suggested by the yellow and blue neon grids. The aesthetics of 80s videogames inspire even the steering wheel—it looks just like a game controller.