Nissan Concept 20-23, the upcoming angry Renault R5

For the 20th anniversary of its London-based design studio, Nissan unveils Concept 20-23, an exhilarating urban and sporty electric concept car.

The Nissan Concept 20-23 was created by a team including some of the youngest members of NDE, with the mission to imagine without constraints a car they would love to drive through the city streets where they work. The name Concept 20-23 references NDE’s 20 years at the heart of London, as well as the traditional numbers 2 (ni) 3 (san) of the company, and of course the current year. A joyful return to the long-standing playful and exciting tradition of concept cars that could foreshadow the design of the next Micra.

Sporty inspiration for Nissan Concept 20-23

The modernity of this compact, playful car draws inspiration from both online racing and Nissan’s participation in Formula E. The three-door hatchback body of the Concept 20-23 features extreme aerodynamic additions at the front and rear, with large skirts guiding airflow from the front of the car through openings to cool the brakes, then into extractors located just behind the front wheels.

The nose of the car features a flat plane that inclines up to the upper part of the hood, giving the front an unexpectedly smooth look. The headlights are positioned here, consisting of a thin upper and lower LED semi-circle, which also incorporate the turn signals.

These headlights give the front of the Concept 20-23 a friendly appearance, amidst the complex shapes guiding airflow.

French-Japanese Muscle Car

It’s hard not to think of the Renault R5 Turbo 3E prototype when considering the muscular side profile of the car, with its generous wheel arches housing large rims fitted with low-profile tires.

At the rear, a large single-piece spoiler seamlessly emerges from the roof rail, with endplates that curve from vertical to the inclined horizontal element that generates downforce.

Similarly to the front headlights, each taillight consists of a thin LED forming two semi-circles, upper and lower. The gray exterior paint has a textured finish, giving the impression that the car is carved from a single piece of metal. Nissan’s iconic number 23 appears on the rear sides of the vehicle.

Futuristic Interior

For the Concept 20-23, the interior design team created a cabin that reflects the highly sporty nature suggested by the exterior of the car. Entry is via two gullwing doors that pivot upward to free access, after some contortions, to bucket seats directly integrated into the structure of the car with large headrests reminiscent of racing cars.

Opposite the driver, the long steering column is held by a carbon fiber support that is bolted to the base of the center console. It terminates with a rectangular sport steering wheel housing the main controls. Paddle shifters, reminiscent of those used to change gears in a thermal engine car, allow performance adjustments of the electric powertrain.