|
No, not really. A true clean sheet means you do not have to start with anything already set into the design. Nissan copied lots of ideas on styling and shape and production methods so they could build the Leaf in existing plants which limits their choices. BMW came up with an entirely novel construction method based on the idea that they wanted it as light as possible which retaining some of the BMW characteristics: good handling, safe, 50/50 weight balance. The one thing that they did retain was the 'look' of the kidney grills, to maintain the family ties, but they're entirely non-functional. Neither the shape of the vehicle, the dash layout, the seats, nor the construction materials and methods were restricted. Then, to actually be able to produce the thing, they established a CF raw production facility partner, and someone to convert that fiber, and the facilities to make the fabric, and the machinery to actually construct the whole car, not using any existing preconceptions or existing production facilities. That is giving the engineers free reign and my definition of as close to a clean sheet paper design as you're likely to get in industry...Nissan building it out of metal in existing factories with conventional methods and copying shapes is not.
|