This is the Nissan Ellure concept, and it’s gorgeous! The new concept sedan by Nissan Design America is sedan redefined. It has a very artistic design which revamps your old ideas of a proper four-door sedan. It takes the idea of four-door coupe to the next level. Without a shadow of doubt, the Ellure is one of the greatest concepts of 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Unfortunately, Nissan says it’s just a design study and does not preview any future model, at least not in near future.

“While not intended as a preview of any upcoming production model, Ellure confirms Nissan’s intention to be a strong player in the sedan segment for many years to come,” explains Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (NML), who supervised the global design effort. “As an expression of our long-term vision for the next generation of great Nissan sedans, Ellure allows us to introduce a new sedan concept – one that honors the sedan’s unmatched daytime functionality, yet has a more emotive, almost hidden ambience that comes to life after dark. It’s an ideal fit for the needs of its projected owners, women in their ‘30s and ‘40s with a sense of sophistication and rebellion.”

The Ellure looks very innocent at first glance, but if you look deeper you can see its sinister side as well! It appears to be just a practical sedan for your nice family, but then all those curves and aggressive lines scream fun and games.

The car has a killer side view with suicide doors, a curvatious roof line and a bunch of wandering lines that together make a very nice composition. I look at this and I get the idea it was designed by a man on a paper with a pencil, rather than a boy with a computer.

The proportions of the new Ellure respect the basic layout and dimensions of a traditional mid-size sedan, while taking advantage of a next-generation compact hybrid powertrain. This allows the wheels to be pushed out to the corners, creating a stable stance and ample interior room, as well as a highly functional trunk – despite the smooth aerodynamic form.

The bending of the sheet metal is utterly simple but dynamic – sheer and taut like a shock wave. Ellure is not designed to hide its “sedan-ness,” as some so-called 4-door coupes do, but to honor the form with the way light transitions like a ribbon or wave from the bold front grille and lights, through the sculpted shoulder lines and on to the full glass roof and strong rear end. It’s all about using a sense of tension and release to keep the shape interesting and the viewer interested.

The Ellure has also very advanced aerodynamic features in its body, even though Nissan admits efficiency has not been a priority in designing this car.

The deeply skirted front fascia and bold solid-transparent front grille with small openings direct the wind over and under the body. Ellure also features a full underbody pan, molded side rearview camera housings (utilized in place of traditional outside mirrors), small wheel openings and full transparent covers over 21-inch 5-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels mounted with low-rolling resistance Michelin tires.

There’s also a story to this car’s grille, as it was inspired by “Kamishino” Samurai formal coat.

The projected drivetrain for the Ellure is a hybrid system with a supercharged 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder with Intelligent Dual Clutch Control (one motor/two clutch design with lithium-ion battery) and 25 kW electric motor, matched with an Xtronic CVT™ and front-wheel drive.

It would also include an independent suspension, regenerative braking, and advanced drive-by-wire electric/hydraulic steering to make sure the driving experience is as dynamic and rewarding as Ellure’s physical properties.

“When all is said and done, the sedan will always be core to the Nissan product portfolio. Our goal is to rejuvenate the sedan’s attractiveness to buyers who might have migrated to other segments, or who are coming reluctantly into the category,” adds Nakamura. “By respecting its strengths, while recognizing that emotion is as critical as function, Ellure could well be the wave, or more correctly the ‘shock wave,’ of future sedans.”