From Mocos to Majestas

The Japanese OEMs do more (vehicles) with less (platforms).

For three weeks in June, San Francisco and the Bay Area became a microcosm of Nissan's Mother Earth, where the auto company let loose 70 cars and trucks representing its 39 vehicles species built around the world. Media visitors from the world's key regions were treated to sights and ride-and-drive experiences that would not have been possible within their own vehicular faunas.

The Japanese were flabbergasted by the behemoth Titan and Armada, while the Americans found curious oddities in the tiny Moco, March, and Cube, not liking to be caught in one in America's faster-moving asphalt jungle. China's Paladin SUV and Mexican Tsuru (crane in Japanese) added exotic flavors to the meeting.