Nissan Annual Report 2004 39
Nissan. While we consider this data, it is not directly
integrated into our designs. If you simply react to opinion
surveys, you try to please everybody, and that results in
boring cars. We try to tune into the inner voice of the
customer, looking into their life and values to discover what
they really want. When you’re sitting in Japan, for example,
it’s difficult to know the values of customers elsewhere in
the world. Our global design centers bring us closer to that
customer. Mr. Ghosn is the chairman of the design decision
committee, which includes all the related executives, and
they are a source of insight as well.
The Alliance with Renault has been useful in our 
work. We study each other, benchmark performance, and
share best practices. While it is impossible to effectively
benchmark against your competitors, the Alliance
transparency policy allows us to identify a particular
process and examine everything, and Renault can do the
same. This leads to new ideas. It’s stimulating working with
them, but of course neither company wants to turn out 
the same cars. It’s healthy to maintain these differences
and our identities. That is what makes the relationship 
an alliance.
I think we did a very good job during the Nissan Revival
Plan (NRP) and NISSAN 180. One of our greatest
successes is that top management made significant
investments in design immediately after implementing the
NRP. If they hadn’t, there would not have been any new
products during NISSAN 180. Although the NRP focused
on cost containment, management recognized that design
was essential in building the cars that people long to own.
That investment continues today. We will soon open
the Imagination Factory design center in Japan. We have
also expanded the Farmingham center, renovated the San
Diego studio, and built the new Nissan Design Europe in
London. Nissan has world-leading design facilities and a
highly talented and motivated staff. We have no trouble
recruiting top designers. 
Although we’ve accomplished a lot, we can never
afford to be complacent, especially after the way our
competitors have responded to our strong statements in
design. While we do have great cars, as a brand Nissan is
still not at the top of the industry. You will see more
exciting designs from us in the next few years, however,
and by 2010 we intend to be the top brand. We are
working on that even as we focus on designing 
profitable models. Contributing to Nissan’s sustainable
growth is our responsibility as designers, and we take 
it very seriously.” 
OUR WORK
ZAROOT concept car AZEAL concept car