So the rumour was true – Nissan’s Qashqai crossover make an appearance at the upcoming Auto Africa expo.will make an appearance at the upcoming Auto Africa expo.content here
So the rumour was true – Nissan’s Qashqai crossover make an appearance at the upcoming Auto Africa expo.
Considering that the cross-pollinated Dodge Caliber found its way to our shores, it seems only fitting that Nissan’s Qashqai crossover will be making its Southern African in-the-metal début at the Auto Africa Show later this month.
The Qashqai, which was named after a nomadic Iranian tribe, has been touted to cater for “car-buyers who want a more dynamic design than offered by a traditional C-segment car, but are not attracted to the large, aggressive nature of a compact SUV”, Gerhard Fourie, general manager of marketing and planning for Nissan, says.
The crossover takes a number of styling cues from the Murano, such as the rising shoulder line towards the rear of the car adding a wide, slightly elevated stance to differentiate itself from the rest of the saloon crowd. The interior claims to give the driver a “focused cockpit feeling, with a clear separation between them and the passenger”, which should translate into a roomy and open cabin. Recessed dials and instrumentation have been included to give a sporting feel to the interior.
At 1 610 mm tall, 1 780 mm wide, 4 310 mm long, and with a 2 630-mm wheelbase, the Qashqai (a concept of which was first shown at the Geneva Show two years ago) is longer and taller than most five-door subcompacts, but shorter and lower to the ground than the average mini SUV, Nissan claims.
There will be four engine options available to the Qashqai in Europe split evenly between petrol and diesel offerings. The oil-burners are represented by 1,5 and 2,0 litre units generating 78 kW and 110 kW respectively with 240 N.m and 320 N.m of torque. The lower end of the petrol offerings is the 1,6 litre 84 KW unit, delivering 160 N.m of torque. The 2,0 litre unit boasts 103 kW and 200 N.m. Both 2,0 litre units can be optionally fitted with Nissan’s ALL-MODE 4×4 system. Gearboxes will range from five and six-speed manuals to a new six-speed automatic and Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).
Nissan aims to sell 100 000 Qashqai annually, with production taking place out of its Sunderland Plant in the UK. Nissan SA media relations manager Veralda Schmidt told CARtoday.com last month that representatives of the Rosslyn-based manufacturer’s management had attended the international launch of the Qashqai (before the recent Paris Show began) to discuss the option of bringing the crossover to South Africa with executives of the Japanese parent company.
The Qashqai will definitely be the centrepiece of Nissan’s exhibit at the upcoming show at Nasrec, Johannesburg. And, given this week’s announcement, we wouldn’t bet against Nissan SA launching the newcomer on the local market in the foreseeable future.