Sipping his coffee one morning, Japanese designer Hirotada Kuwahara dreamed up the beginnings of the current Nissan cube. The serene atmosphere of the cafeteria he was sitting in was presumably responsible for the creative illumination that allowed him to trace a profile capable, he says, of resisting the onset of wrinkles for a good twenty years at least. Zen, you say?
If that’s the case, if he’s also the mind behind the Krõm edition, inspiration must have struck in some trendy nightclub or other – an altogether less Zen universe.
In some ways, the Krõm edition of the Nissan Cube 1.8 S is what the SC version is to the Honda Element. Much like the latter, the Krõm illustrates the myriad customization opportunities provided by the tuning world – though it’s the fruit of series production. At the most, Nissan is limiting production. Its hefty price tag places it at the top of the range, in front of the cube 1.8 SL, and in so doing promotes it to luxury good status.
In a nutshell, this boxy baby combines quirky styling and the full shebang of equipment in order to stroke the ego of the attention-seeking buyer.
SUB TITLE: Not all that Krõmy !
The name Krõm is actually quite misleading. As it’s pronounced “chrome,” one would expect the car to be crumbling under an avalanche of shiny bits.
Yet the Krõm really isn’t all that chromy! Apart from the aluminum alloy wheels and five front bars, chrome is nowhere to be found.
Same story inside as well. Not a chrome accent to be seen, other than the sparkle emanating from the driver’s foot well, courtesy of aluminum-trimmed pedals. Krõm indeed.
A cube apart
No, this cube’s exclusivity is had elsewhere. Its profile, for instance, is described as clean by some and ho-hum by others. The front fascia is highlighted by the five aforementioned chromed bars as well as a particularly protruding bumper. The rear bumper got the same treatment as well, resulting in a bulbous hind end that adds 20 millimetres to the overall length of this little scrapper.
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| In some ways, the Krõm edition of the Nissan Cube 1.8 S is what the SC version is to the Honda Element. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
If that’s the case, if he’s also the mind behind the Krõm edition, inspiration must have struck in some trendy nightclub or other – an altogether less Zen universe.
In some ways, the Krõm edition of the Nissan Cube 1.8 S is what the SC version is to the Honda Element. Much like the latter, the Krõm illustrates the myriad customization opportunities provided by the tuning world – though it’s the fruit of series production. At the most, Nissan is limiting production. Its hefty price tag places it at the top of the range, in front of the cube 1.8 SL, and in so doing promotes it to luxury good status.
In a nutshell, this boxy baby combines quirky styling and the full shebang of equipment in order to stroke the ego of the attention-seeking buyer.
SUB TITLE: Not all that Krõmy !
The name Krõm is actually quite misleading. As it’s pronounced “chrome,” one would expect the car to be crumbling under an avalanche of shiny bits.
Yet the Krõm really isn’t all that chromy! Apart from the aluminum alloy wheels and five front bars, chrome is nowhere to be found.
Same story inside as well. Not a chrome accent to be seen, other than the sparkle emanating from the driver’s foot well, courtesy of aluminum-trimmed pedals. Krõm indeed.
A cube apart
No, this cube’s exclusivity is had elsewhere. Its profile, for instance, is described as clean by some and ho-hum by others. The front fascia is highlighted by the five aforementioned chromed bars as well as a particularly protruding bumper. The rear bumper got the same treatment as well, resulting in a bulbous hind end that adds 20 millimetres to the overall length of this little scrapper.
 |
| The front fascia is highlighted by the five aforementioned chromed bars as well as a particularly protruding bumper. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |