Drive the car, play the game

A glass bonnet reveals the high-revving engine in the Urge.

Nissan needs an affordable sports car, and is looking for public feedback on a rear-drive lightweight sportster that doubles as a video game.

Urge uses motorcycles as its inspiration.

Bruce Campbell, vice-president of design at Nissan Design America, Inc, says, "We want Urge to replicate the raw motorcycle experience as much as possible, with the exposed engine, door panel cut-outs and open top.

"Motorcycles are exhilarating to drive and we want this car to feel the same way."

The Urge uses an aluminium centre structure that carries a spun aluminium roof cage supporting a collapsible, quick-close canvas top.

A glass bonnet reveals that high-revving motorcycle-inspired engine.

Weight has been trimmed everywhere - even the instrument panel uses perforated mesh-covered silicone foam, and there's a visible side airbag. Target weight is 1088kg.

Exposed airbag? Campbell is aware parents may not be so happy with the motorcycling experience.

"We want parents to think of this car as safe," he said.

"Urge, like its target buyers, has a foot in each world, adventure and reality."

But it's the realm of the unreal that has the punters foaming at the mouth.

The designers at Nissan's California studio are clearly part of the gaming generation Nissan is hoping to attract - this Urge is also a gaming machine.

Those racing-style leather-and-mesh seats and that compact cockpit aren't just part of the car, they are the videogame console.

Park up, and you can play Project Gotham Racing 3 using the car's steering wheel, accelerator and brake pedals - while viewing the game on a 18cm screen that folds down from the driving mirror.

That screen is one of five customise-able information screens, one of which allows you to tune the suspension and performance from the driving seat.

Seems pointless? Not to what the Americans call "the echo generation".

"Nissan conducted an internet survey of 2000 echo boomers, a majority of which said technology and gaming are among the most important attributes in their first car," Campbell says.

Forget the Urge's apparent focus on dynamic driving fun, its owners could stay in the garage, taking virtual drives of the famous Nurburgring racetrack in Germany.

Campbell says, "A Nissan Urge driver can, for example, manoeuvre through the streets of New York, park the car and fire up the Xbox 360, then virtually race through the same streets using the same steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal - blurring fantasy and reality in a way the automotive world has never before seen."

As for Campbell's reality, Mazda has proven an affordable, lightweight sports car can sell. Nissan has a production-ready platform in the 350Z, and a Renault partner to share costs.