The 'Car Design History - Nissan Passion and Beauty of Function' will be held at the Hiratsuka Museum of Art and will be the first of its kind held in a public museum in Japan.

Scheduled Saturday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, November 2 2009, the event will see Nissan as the main sponsor, with six vehicles showcased.

Among them are cars which have played pivotal roles in the company's history, including the Datsun 113 (1955), Sunny B10 (1966), Skyline C10 (1968) and the first-generation 240Z (Fairlady Z in Japan) S30 (1969).

In addition, PIVO and PIVO 2, two concept cars shown at Tokyo Motor Show, which show the possibilities for vehicles of the future.

About the Exhibition

The exhibition traces the history of car design in Japan and gives a glimpse into the future of automotive design, with illustrative examples from Nissan's history. Inside the exhibition room, transitions of sketch technique and manufacturing processes of scale and clay models are illustrated through sketches, pictures and tools of the trade.

An exploration of mid-size sedans, sports sedans and sports cars, with studies of the Nissan Bluebird, Fairlady and Skyline, helps show how design has changed through the years.

The eight-week exhibit also will include several special events. On Saturday, Oct. 3, Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer for Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., spoke about the "History and Future of Car Design."

The Hiratsuka Museum of Art (Source: Wikimedia)

On two Saturdays, Oct. 10 and 24, Nissan will host the Design Waku-Waku Studio, a sketching experience. Two sessions will be held each of the Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:30 to 15:30. The program can accommodate 24 elementary and junior high school students in each session. An application is required.

In addition, a clay modeling experience titled "Make Your Own Car!" and targeteed to elementary and junior high school studentswill be held on Saturdays, Nov. 14 and 21, 10:00 to 12:30 or 13:30 to 16:00.

Each session can accommodate 18 students, application is required.

"Car Design History" is cosponsored with Toshiba Corporation, CAR STYLING Publishing Company and O-Design Collection, with additional support from Kanagawa Chuo Kotsu Co., Ltd., a local transportation company.

For more information visit the Museum's official website.

Exhibition information

• Dates: Saturday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009
  Museum is closed Monday, excepting weeks of Oct. 12 and Nov. 23 (closed Tuesday instead of Monday those weeks)
• Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 (admission permitted until 30 minutes before closing)
• Admission costs
  • Adults: 800 yen
  • High school and college/university students: 500 yen

(Source: Nissan)