Beijing show: Nissan targets Chinese youth

NISSAN has pulled the proverbial covers from yet another edgy concept car, this one designed in China for that country’s equivalent to our so-called Gen-Y.

Called the Lannia, the curvaceous four-door sedan is the second model to come from Nissan’s one-year old Chinese design centre, following in the wheel-tracks of last year’s Friend-Me.

On show at Auto China in Beijing this week, the Lannia rocks a similar grille and side profile – replete with body contours – to the Maxima-previewing Sports Sedan concept revealed around the same time at the concurrent New York motor show.

Nissan says the Lannia is targeted at “China’s rising ‘Post-80s’ generation”, known as the balinghou. These young, well-to-do buyers from China’s booming middle-class are in the cross-hairs of many car brands as they seek to expand into the Asian market.

According to Nissan Design China chief Taiji Toyota, the Lannia Concept exudes “daqi” — a Chinese word that is hard to define but has the strength to push people to aspire towards better things.