Like the exterior, the cabin features accents inspired by Japanese culture, such as "ink paintings, cherry blossoms and wave-like patterns," or so the company's literature states. It features a two-tone interior color scheme that features cherry beige and contrasting dark gray. The colors are supposed to exude a relaxed ambience, similar in context to the interior of a finely appointed Japanese home.
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| The cabin features accents inspired by Japanese culture, such as "ink paintings, cherry blossoms and wave-like patterns". (Photo: Nissan) |
A spine of office furniture-style woodwork separates left from right-side passengers; an interesting solution for creating individual space that if considered for production would be highly unlikely to make it past the safety police, hard-edged surfaces and all. The ink painting style wood-grain shows up elsewhere in the cabin, embellishing each door panel as well as spanning the width of the dash.
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| With room for six occupants inside and access to the rear rows via the sliding side swing doors, the Serenity is extremely functional. Check out the ottoman-style leg rests. (Photo: Nissan) |
Styling aside the new concept is extremely functional, with room for six occupants inside and access to the rear rows via the sliding side swing doors I made mention of previously, that incidentally offer wide-open pillarless entry to 2nd and 3rd rows, plus easy access to the rearmost seating positions. The first two rows of seats, excepting the driver's, offer lounge chair buckets complete with extendable lower ottoman-like sections for resting the legs, not unlike the rear seats of DaimlerChrysler's much lauded Maybach 62 luxury car that imitate first class seating of intercontinental airlines - British Airways comfortable but odd "dentist" chairs excluded.
The Serenity's seats are based on a "neutral posture" concept, offering a "natural balance of muscular force similar to what occurs in a weightless environment or in water". They recline to disperse body pressure throughout rather than producing negative pressure points that could otherwise strain the hip, spine or neck. The third row seat is tumbles under to stow away just like in modern minivans, providing a flat load floor for cargo.