With Nissan celebrating its recent 90th anniversary, visitors to NISSAN CROSSING at Ginza Place, Tokyo, Japan, were treated to an exhibition that illustrated both the past and future of the Japanese automotive manufacturer as part of its yearlong initiatives commemorating its birthday.

“Since its founding in 1933, Nissan has continued to push the boundaries of innovation, daring to do what others don’t,” Makoto Uchida, president and CEO, Nissan Motor Co Ltd, said in his December 2023 message to the company.

This philosophy and the potential future of the brand were on full display as the Nissan Hyper Punk took centre stage on the first floor of the building.

At first many seemed to be more occupied with the other two all-electric offerings, the ARIYA B9 e-4ORCE premier, and Nissan’s second generation Formula E race car. However, once the doors of the Hyper Punk angled forward to open all eyes quickly focused on this outrageous concept car.

Nissan describes the Hyper Punk as an electric compact crossover for content creators, influencers, and artists due to its seamless connection between the virtual and physical world. The Hyper Punk is not for the shy having an exterior created out of sharp polygonal surfaces, covered in a sliver paint that shifts colour dependent on viewing angles, and a rather unique lighting signature across its front, rear, and on its 23-inch wheels. Nissan assures it able to tackle urban and off-road conditions.

The polygonal theme continues even more aggressively in the interior as it features Japanese origami-styling cues. In theory the cabin is AI-infused using the external cameras to capture the surroundings and project them as manga-style graphic patterns on the three cockpit display screens. There’s constant Internet connectivity to allow the Hyper Punk to function as a mobile creative studio. When not being used as such, the AI can accept data from the headrest biosensors which causes the vehicle to automatically detect the driver’s mood, then adjust music and lighting to match.

If the first floor of NISSAN CROSSING was the future, then the second floor was an ode to the past. A love letter of sorts, according to Nissan. As part of its 90th anniversary celebrations Nissan released a short film titled Nissan Love Story in August 2024. It connected the history of the brand in different eras using the perspective of a couple and the Nissans in their life. The Nissan Love Story exhibition featured several of these elements, including Nissan’s first all-new post-World War II car — the 1956 Datsun Sedan. Its 860cc four-cylinder engine made 25bhp for a maximum speed of 79kmh. It begins the movie’s journey in time.

More prominent, and definitely more familiar, was the fourth-generation Nissan Skyline. The bright blue metallic 1974 2000GT, affectionately known as the Kenmeri Skyline due to its famous Ken & Mary advertising campaign, debuted the iconic four ring-shaped taillights the nameplate has carried on since. For a bit more interaction, guests could leave special handwritten messages on heart-shaped notepaper to be pasted on a large message board present.

When done with both exhibitions, visitors had the Nissan Café to provide them with Nissan-themed beverages, and the Nissan Boutique that carries a wide variety of official Nissan products, including the Nissan Crafts Collection range. The Nissan Love Story exhibition will run until November 30.