Combining refinement, function and style, the
Chrysler Nassau concept explores a new expression of the Chrysler brand. The
four-door, four-passenger Chrysler Nassau luxury coupe is, as Alan
Barrington, principal exterior designer of the concept said, “a more
emotional and artistic articulation of what it means to be a Chrysler.“
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Though built on a full-size 120-inch
wheelbase, the Nassau appears more visually compact than a comparable
Chrysler 300C. “Traditional exterior proportions have been enhanced with a
silhouette that recalls the classic English ‘shooting brake,’” said
Barrington. “This provides SUV-like interior volume with a lower, more
roadworthy physique.”
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Barrington said the exterior design
vocabulary is fluid and sophisticated with special attention paid to
wheel placement relative to the body surface for a sleek, toned
stance. “In order to attain a more compact appearance,” explained
Barrington, “the Nassau has deliberately concise front and rear
overhangs, with the body surface wrapped around the large 10-spoke
21-inch wheels.”
Accenting the Mystic Blue Pearl color of the
body, the sill and the lower portions of the front and rear fascias are
finished in Starbright Silver. The lower surface of the body is defined by a
subtle undercut that rises slightly toward the rear wheel.
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Though the arc of the roof resembles that of a
coupe, the Chrysler Nassau concept is in fact a four-door hard top with
front and rear side glass that retracts fully, revealing the absence of an
above-the-belt B-pillar. The crisp but fluid A-line that closes slightly
against the rising belt is also of particular note.
The flanking taillamps are graphically the reverse of the
headlamps, with the lenses growing wider as they sweep around to the side,
with the bright accent along the bottom of the lens. Much of the lens is
populated by rows of bright rectangles set in a red field, the rectangles
helping to delineate the surface of the rear quarters when the lamps are
unlit. All exterior lighting is visually distinctive with the use of
atypical textures, colors and LED technology.
Fronting the long hood is a
new interpretation of the eggcrate Chrysler grille, rendered in chrome and
satin aluminum. Bracketing the grille and sweeping rearward nearly to the
wheel openings, the long, narrowing headlamps and their upper chrome brows
combine with the rising sculptured line of the upper fascia to subliminally
evoke the uplifted wings of the Chrysler badge.
The Chrysler Nassau’s lower
fascia is accented by the long chrome brows of the tapering left and right
fog lamps, a detail replicated in the “repeater lamps” of the slim,
door-mounted side view mirrors. The plan view of the Nassau highlights the
dramatic swept-back curves that define both the front and rear fascias.
Stepping into the Chrysler Nassau, one enters a new world of luxury
specially designed to a younger, aspiring audience.
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The presiding interior
theme is one of flowing seamless sculpture composed of leathers and fabrics
derived from futuristic architectural interiors. “We looked carefully at
space efficiency,” said Ben Chang, principal designer of the Nassau’s
luxurious interior. “We pushed the interior surfaces outboard to increase
the space inside while individual bucket seating provides each of the four
occupants personal space.
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“The look of various components inside the vehicle
was inspired by the design of contemporary cell phones, computers, iPods and
MP3 players,” Chang added. “We paid close attention to the graphics and
finishes of these technologically advanced products, seeking to make
controls in the Nassau’s interior that the driver interfaces with similar to
what you’d find in the office or among personal electronic devices. We
strived to achieve a seamless interface between your car and the rest of
your electronic world.”
Gear selection is accomplished via a pod
control mounted on the instrument panel while the steering wheel
incorporates auxiliary paddle shifters.
“The look of the instrument cluster
was based on an expensive watch, again because we sought to create a visible
connection with what people have and use,” Chang said. While the instrument
cluster has its own taut brow, the shape of the forward portion of the
instrument panel is sensuously sculpted. Housing the main cluster, the upper
surface of the panel includes a wide asymmetrical elliptical opening. The
shape was inspired and reminiscent of Constantin Brancusi’s famous Bird in
Space sculptures.
Brancusi, an artist based in Paris from the 1920s to the
1940s, was preoccupied by physical attributes of birds in flight, or more
specifically, the essence of flight. The theme fits perfectly with the
vehicle’s goal of giving the constant impression of smooth, slender
movement.
Within the housing of the instrument panel (I/P) is a three-layer
screen, which allows the simultaneous display of the navigation, passenger
entertainment and vehicle function displays. As they move toward the doors,
the left and right side lower portions of the two-tone I/P rise upward,
again subtly reprising the Chrysler wings. Sandwiched between the upper and
lower surfaces of the instrument panel are partially-concealed horizontal
vents that direct cool air into the cabin.
The four handsomely-formed bucket
seats are covered in cream-colored leather, with the suede accents in a fine
bamboo texture, a theme repeated on the door trim panels. Occupants can gaze
upward through twin “Picture View” skylights, longitudinal blue-tinted glass
panels that run the length of the roof panel.
Those in the rear seats can
enjoy a movie displayed on the flush video screens incorporated into the
rear-facing portion of each of the front seat headrests. Running fore-aft
between the seats is a center console with a satin silver trim strip that
travels from the I/P center stack to the upper rear seat backs. Set within
the console are the front and rear “joy stick” controls designed to function
much like the “mouse” control of a home or office computer.
Power window
switches and flush-mounted pop-up cup holders are also contained in the
console. Among the more interesting visual details within the Deep Mystic
Blue and Cream interior are the refined-yet-simple chrome accents and
textures used on the silver speaker grilles on the doors, seat back
monitors, headliner and foot pedals. Behind the passenger cabin, the surface
of the boat tail-shaped cargo cover is accented with five stainless steel
accent strips, while panels in the carpeted cargo area below offer
additional storage.
“With its sculptural artistry and technological
sophistication, the interior of the Chrysler Nassau is the perfect
complement to its visually-arresting exterior,” said Chang.
