Nissan, who is just shy of announcing the launch of new models, will be heading to this week’s Beijing motor show with two ideas – one that is an extremely rugged-looking off-roader.
A single shadowy teaser of the concept duo has been released by the Japanese automaker for the past, which seems to be a reflection of broad SUV design trends in the Chinese market one’s boxy, bluff and tough-looking; another is sleeker and more car-like.
A flared wheel-arches, chunky off-road tyingres and interesting lighting like little cube-shaped pods on the front fenders and matching amber lights above windscreen are all evident in the off roader’s off camera.
The other concept, in contrast, has C-shaped LED daytime running lights resembling those on the latest Leaf and the facelifted Ariya.
The Dongfeng Nissan joint venture will launch a new NX8, which could be available in Australia in 2027 with .
This year’s Beijing motor show runs from this Friday (April 24) to May 3.
The off-roader concept is separate to the revived Xterra teased by Nissan last week, which will be built in the US and is expected to use petrol V6 and hybrid powertrains.
It’s unclear whether this Chinese off-roader idea will be influenced by the market it is coming out with, but given that we’re expecting some form of electrification in our future, what would happen to us?
The plug-in hybrid Frontier Pro dual-cab ute, which is also expected to be introduced to Australia and will soon feature in its future SUV sibling could preview it.
Nissan N7
Nissan NX
The style also hints heavily at off-road capability. No stranger to rugged off-roaders Nissan’s partner Dongfeng is a familiar face of the road, offering an assortment of them under its M-Hero brand.
This could be a brother of the two-row NX8 large SUV, which will be an electric vehicle (EV) or extended-range electric car (EREV), and may also be offered as an electrical vehicle(EV).
Dongfeng Nissan already offers a pair of similar sedans the plug-in hybrid N6 and electric N7 – so this idea could predict if an even smaller NX8 sibling, possibly with plug in hybrid power.
Assuming its strategic commitment to ‘In China, For Chinese and Global‘, Nissan has also served as the dual provider of its three largest markets in its overall global market strategy they are both pillars of performance and core engines that drive global competitiveness and industrial capabilities,” the company said in an interview with it.
Nissan N
Nissan Frontier Pro
The Chinese market is positioned so that “This dual position allows it to both help domestic market growth and strengthen Nissan’s global product lineup.” Paraphrasing ‘It is an important part of my life to be paraphrased.
Indeed, Nissan is likely to launch at least two vehicles in Australia from its Chinese joint venture – the NX8 and Frontier Pro. The mid-size N7 electric sedan could also be available in Australia.
Even as Chinese brands become ever stronger, Nissan had China’s sixth-best selling model last year with the Sylphy sedan.
It offers a wide range of vehicles in China, including the Qashqai and X-Trail sold here – both current and previous generations of the two SUVs. There’s also the Ariya; an overhauled version of the Pathfinder; the Teana (aka Altima); and even the last generation of Pulsar sold here, which serves as a price leader for the range.
Similarly, Nissan provides the high-end Infiniti brand in China – with only two models and the more expensive Venucia brand (including sedans and SUVs) is available.
Nissan Sylphy
Nissan Qashqai Honor
Nissan Pathfinder
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