Nissan Etherea Concept Is Angry, Not Sleepy

Pay no mind to the heavy lids on this Anime character's peepers, Nissan's Etherea concept car isn't sleepy — it wants to do bad things to your eye hole. Imagine this as an entry-level model of the future, says Infiniti.

Like the company says in its release literature, the Etherea indeed has a profile different from anything the premium compact class has ever seen, with elements of coupe, sedan, hatchback and crossover in a single construct. But will it attract younger buyers, whose heads have apparently been so tenderized by Anime that they won't drive a car unless it looks like the one-eyed dude in Monster Rancher.

As a compact vehicle, the Etherea concept shares dimensions with the smallest from Lexus and BMW, with a short front and rear overhangs, a tiny rear hatch and a bizarre boomerang-like C-pillar. No surprise here, since Infiniti's been known to stretch its designers' leashes for concept models like the previous Essence, whose sports-minded configuration allows for far more hotness.

Watch for an unveiling at the Geneva motor show, next month, and imagine a car in its line below the G25 in price. And imagine it with one eye.