Innovation and excitement for everyone wasn’t just a Nissan slogan during Week 1. It was palpable in Nissan’s airy, open space, because there was so much to show and tell. During the press conference given by Senior VP of Marketing & Sales Simon Thomas and Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura, the dazzling ESFLOW concept car rolled out. It’s not just an electrifying sports car in the Nissan tradition; it’s an entirely electric sports car. “The ESFLOW shows what Nissan can do in the future,” said Mr. Thomas. “It demonstrates our two areas of strength, the heritage of sports cars and our leadership in EV.” Mr. Thomas also told the enthusiastic crowd that Nissan posted a 21% increase in sales over last year, making it a record. And now 27,000 orders have been placed worldwide for the all-electric LEAF. “It’s the only 5-seater, full-size, dedicated platform EV on the market in Europe today,” said Mr. Thomas. In fact, LEAF came close to stealing the show. The LEAF test drive area was hopping as lucky attendees took it out for a spin. They returned bubbling with excitement over the zero-emission car’s silent, easy drive. But there was plenty to be excited about at the Nissan area. The GT-R had attendees itching to get it on the road, thanks to even more power and torque added for 2011: 530PS and 612Nm, giving it a 0-100km acceleration in a heart-stopping 3.046 seconds. City-dweller favourite Micra showed off its new supercharged direct injection engine that only emits 95g/km of CO2. Micra now proudly sports the new Pure Drive badge, applied to Nissan’s most efficient and economical vehicles that use less fuel and emit less CO2. And the perennial heart-stealer 370Z was even more tempting in its new GT Edition version, with dazzling 19” RAYS wheels, enticing luxurious interior, and the promise of even more sporty handling. Mr. Thomas announced yet another surprise: Lucas Ordonez, winner of the first GT Academy, will compete in the 2011 International le Mans Cup – including the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. “We didn’t imagine that the Academy would be a springboard to the biggest race in the world,” said Mr. Thomas. “This proves that thanks to Nissan support, a PlayStation racer can take his skills to a real car in a real race situation.”