Japanese firm shows high-tech SUV penned by Nissan GT-R designer

1 month, 3 weeks ago - 26 September 2024, autocar
THK LSR-05
THK LSR-05
Parts supplier THK's LSR-05 concept majors on new technologies, including in-wheel motors and wireless charging

Japanese parts supplier THK will show a radical new electric car concept penned by Nissan GT-R designer Shiro Nakamura at the upcoming Paris motor show.

Named the LSR-05, it's a four-seat coupé-SUV conceived to show off the company’s latest technological developments.

The fully functional car is powered by three electric motors: two 125bhp units are mounted in the rear wheels and one 295bhp unit is mounted across the front axle.

THK has yet to publish a combined power figure, but the LSR-05 should rival the Tesla Model Y Performance for outright pace, dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in well below 3.5sec.

THK said its in-wheel motors enable rear-wheel steering, boosting the LSR-05’s agility and manoeuvrability.

The EV is also fitted with active suspension that lowers it at high speeds to improve its aerodynamic performance and when parked over a wireless charging pad to improve the efficiency of the energy transfer. This allows the car to be fitted with a smaller on-board charger, according to THK.

Inside, it's fitted with an infotainment touchscreen that spans the entire width of the dashboard, in similar fashion to Mercedes-Benz’s Hyperscreen.

Critical controls are laid out along the centre console, as well as projected onto a panel below the large screen.

The seats feature THK’s ‘stealth seat slide system’, which is claimed to allow a greater range of fore and aft adjustment in a more compact chair base.

Visually, the LSR-05 stands out for its Coke-bottle design, with broad shoulders cinching inward at the B-pillar.

THK has used a two-tone livery to help disguise some of its heft, with a contrasting glossy black finish around the skirting and on the roof.

The LSR-05 is the latest in a string of EV concepts designed by Nakamura’s SN Design agency, following the AIM EV Sport 01 shown at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Nakamura is one of the most revered names in automotive design, credited with celebrated cars such as the GT-R, Nissan 350Z and Isuzu Vehicross, among many others.