Nissan challenges convention to build the world's first seven- seater bobsleigh

01/02/2016

• Nissan draws on the design and technology of the Nissan X-TRAIL to transform the standard bobsleigh into a sleek seven-seater
• Inaugural run of the world’s first seven-seater bobsleigh at the historic Olympic track in Innsbruck, Austria
• Watch the first run of the seven-seater bobsleigh: https://youtu.be/-tL2RLeYGEI

SUNDERLAND, UK – Nissan has challenged convention with the launch of the world’s first seven-seater bobsleigh in Innsbruck, Austria.

The X-TRAIL Bobsleigh was inspired by the design of the Nissan X-TRAIL and undertook its inaugural run at the historic Olympic track in Igls, piloted by British Olympic medalist Sean Olsson.

Nissan worked with bobsleigh experts to transform a traditional four-man sled into an X-Trail inspired seven-seater capable of reaching 100 km/h and pulling a G-force of 4.5G*.

The bobsleigh mimics the Nissan X-TRAIL’s bold design, with distinctive front aspect, headlamps and seven-seater option. It gives passengers a 360-degree, bird’s-eye view to capture all of the action - identical to the Nissan X-TRAIL’s Around View Monitor system.

Like the bobsleigh, the X-TRAIL’s sophisticated ALL MODE 4x4-i system helps the driver keep control even in ice and snow.

Darryl Scriven, Design Manager Nissan Design Europe (NDE), teamed up with expert bobsled manufacturer Diego Menardi and sport expert Ian Richardson to morph car design with Olympic aerodynamics.

Ian Richardson and Diego Menardi have over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, delivering Olympic track experiences and sleighs to winning teams across the globe.

Darryl said: “We wanted to give the opportunity to experience first-hand the adventurous nature of our crossover segment through the thrill and excitement of Olympic bobsleighing.

“Nissan Design Europe took inspiration from the shape and character of our X-TRAIL to create the X-TRAIL Bobsleigh, which was handcrafted by Diego Menardi at his workshop in Cortina. The outcome mimics the fresh ideas and technologies from the brand's ground-breaking crossover models.”

The seven-seater was developed using sketches and computer-aided design (CAD). The detail on the bobsleigh’s nose was crafted to express the X-TRAIL’s V-motion grille and capture the sculpture of the hood character lines.

This work was complemented by Diego Menardi’s structural lengthening of the cabin to accommodate seven passengers.

About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan’s second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 244,500 employees globally, Nissan sold almost 5.2 million vehicles and generated revenue of 10.5 trillion yen (USD 105 billion) in fiscal 2013. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN