Nissan Townpod concep

The German brands are the godfathers of the micro-niche. But while only Audi has achieved critical – and sales – success with its massive range diversification, Nissan is the only brand to successfully create entirely new niches in the mainstream sphere. Elsewhere at the show we're seeing other brands scramble to copy Nissan's Juke recipe (see Peugeot HR1) but Nissan's playing new games with the Townpod.

The aquatic, bionic references of the face we've seen before (from Mercedes), but this is a much less literal interpretation. Nissan headlights have been creeping up the fender and towards the A-pillar for a while, so it's fitting they've finally broken away from the bodywork into individual elements that float above gentle impressions in the surface.

In the context of the calm, product-aesthetic form language of the exterior, details such as these take on significant meaning. The headlights are a pebble, skimmed across the calm pond that is the Townpod's surface creating the occasional ripple around the car. A swell and depression conceals the handle for the suicide door, a protuberance envelopes the rear lights, while an asymmetric depression around the Nissan badge cradles the handle to open the twin rear doors.

The interior attempts to show how car cabin comfort might coexist with commercial vehicle utility. There is clear demarcation between the front and rear half of the cabin, the forward environment featuring a novel treatment of lemon leather wrapping up the A-pillars to form the forward roof lining. The rear cabin – cave-like though it is – sits more comfortably within the overall language of the vehicle, with a neatly executed environment allowing flexibility between load and passenger carrying capacity.

The product planner we spoke to from Nissan claimed that the concept is intended to be part coupe, part commercial vehicle. But don't be fooled by the PR waffle, suicide door or not. Instead there's a clear, functional product aesthetic here that speaks of the inherent practicality of a van, without resorting to outright utilitarianism. Concept it may be, but a production vehicle of similar ethos would sit convincingly within Nissan's range and be an intelligent addition to the company's zero-emissions vehicle strategy.