Nissan Murano

It looks as if Nissan has gone down to the wire with its latest car.

The EA2 is based on the Murano SUV, and uses hi-tech drive-by-wire electronics to replace mechanical links to the steering, brakes and gearbox.

As a result, engineers have freed up extra interior space, creating a ver­satile seven-seat layout. The cabin is 110mm longer than the Murano’s, at 2,200mm, even though the exterior dimensions remain the same.

By removing the physical connection between the driver and the road, it has also been possible to replace the conventional steering wheel with a smaller, race-style rim.

This can be tuned to give sharper responses on the open road, or greater assistance and reduced lock for awkward parking manoeuvres. And as you can see, the whole steering column can be moved upwards through 90 degrees to make it more simple for the driver to climb aboard.

The centre console performs the same trick, folding out of the way and allowing occupants to slide easily bet­ween the two front seats.

Although Nissan has no plans to put this car into production, elements of its sophisticated systems will find their way into the company’s next generation of production models.