Takashi Nakajima

Refining the shape, not changing it

For the Sylphy's design, Nakajima aimed at people in their fifties, the so-called baby-boomer generation. Believing that people whose children had left home and who valued their own lives would care about a sense of quality, he set out not to change the sedan shape built up over the years but to mature and refine a familiar form into a high-quality sedan. He designed around two themes: an arched roof that expresses a large structure when seen from the side, and a shoulder surface and line carried clearly through the body. The lights were given an upswept shape for a sporty yet elegant look. Nakajima said the arched roof and shoulder line would continue to be developed as part of Nissan's design identity.