The NRV stands for Nissan Research Vehicle.
Its revolutionary aspects, however, were found within its cabin and technology systems, many of which were ahead of their time.
Its powerplant was a 1.3-liter turbocharged engine that ran on methanol, producing 120 horsepower.
It featured primitive forms of modern driver assistance, such as radar automated cruise control (which warned the driver if they were too close to the vehicle ahead) and a drowsiness monitor.
The interior boasted a futuristic cockpit with LCD digital and graphic instrumentation, a digital gauge cluster, and a supplementary screen on the center console.
The center console included a touch-sensitive CRT display that could show climate control settings, a navigator, and radio stations. This was a pioneering feature long before GPS was widely available for consumer use.
It also had rain-sensitive windshield wipers and automatic headlights that turned on or off depending on the ambient light.
The car used lightweight plastic for its windows instead of glass.
The Nissan NRV-II was presented at the 25th Tokyo Motor Show in November 1982. Externally, the vehicle was a boxy sedan based on the platform of the fifth-generation Nissan Sunny (Sentra in some markets).
