Nissan Qashqai is shaking up status quo- CEO

New Nissan Qashqai, so what?

 

We are building on the success that the iconic Qashqai has established since I unveiled the first model in Paris seven years ago. Instantly it was a game changer. And it quickly became a market leader. Qashqai’s appeal cut across two distinct customer groups.

The first: C-segment drivers looking for additional style, technology and excitement. And second: downsizing SUV owners wanting to keep functionality but seeking greater efficiency in a more compact package.

 

How many Qashqai’s has been sold since inception?

Since 2007, we have sold 2 million Qashqais worldwide. Along with other top selling vehicles like Murano, Juke and X-Trail, it has helped Nissan to become the number one Asian auto brand in the United Kingdom and positioned us to become the number one Auto brand in all of Europe by 2016.

Qashqai also has inspired scores of imitators and despite fierce competition, has been the crossover segment’s established leader. But we knew we could do better and go even further.

 

Within the entry of the new Nissan Qashqai, what next?

The next generation of crossovers is now on the way. And the all-new Qashqai provides a window into the future of the segment. Over the next 18 months, Nissan Motor Company will be delivering 5 all-new crossovers. Each of these global growth models will reflect our passion for design, our commitment to safety and sustainability, and our belief that cutting-edge technology does not have to come at a premium price.

This is certainly true for the refreshed, reinvented Qashqai. Without compromising its versatility and value, the second-generation model sets new benchmarks for intelligent technology, efficiency and safety.

 

New safety proposition of the new Nissan Qashqai

Its cutting-edge features include Nissan’s safety shield which incorporates the building blocks of our autonomous driving system. As we announced in August, Nissan Motor Company is successfully developing our own autonomous driving technologies and we will be ready to bring autonomous driving vehicles to the market by the start of the next decade. Autonomous driving will take vehicle safety to a new level and advance our vision of a zero accident, zero fatality future for drivers and passengers.

Many of the safety components essential to our autonomous driving system are incorporated into the new Qashqai. These include autonomous emergency braking, front collision avoidance, blind spot and lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition and moving object detection. It is also equipped with intelligent parking assist and Nissan chassis control.

 

Technological upgrades in the new Qashqai

Qashqai’s appetite for innovation does not stop there. When sales begin in January of 2014, it will be the first model to go on sale with the new NissanConnect system. This feature offers Smartphone connectivity and provides access to a range of applications covering music, social networking, entertainment and travel.

Our commitment to innovation is also reflected in the new design. Although we have retained Qashqai’s strong visual DNA, the second generation model is new from the ground up. It is sleeker, longer, lower, wider and roomier.

 

What about the efficiency?

Despite a reduction in height, front and rear headroom levels and luggage capacity have actually increased. In terms of storage space, it is even further ahead of its C-segment rivals. With its wider power-train range and turbo-charged engine, the new Qashqai also achieves class-leading efficiency.

A range of refined petrol and diesel engines offer powerful performance, no matter which power-train is chosen. Our engineering and design teams also took steps to ensure that the new Qashqai fits into drivers’ lives and delivers exactly what they want.

During the development process, we asked a select group of Qashqai drivers from across the world to share their ideas about how innovation looks and feels. This feedback helped to inspire our focus on comfort, connectivity and control: the three core elements that underpin the design and layout of the cabin. The end result is an enhanced driving experience- one that combines the efficiency of conventional passenger cars with the sense of adventure embodied of SUVs.

 

What platform is the new Qashqai anchored on?

Like the new Rogue and X-Trail models,the second generation Qashqai is based on the new CMF, that is “Common Module Family”- Renault-Nissan Alliance platform. Although platform sharing is nothing new for the Alliance, the CMF will take our production synergies to the next level.

By 2020, the new CMF will underpin 11 Renault models and Nissan vehicles. And it will be deployed across 5 continents in more than 19 countries.

The CMF will also bring engineering and cost efficiencies to our customers. We expect the CMF architecture to help the Alliance reduce cost of parts per vehicle by up to 30 percent. And the new Qashqai will be the first CMF-based model to go on sale in Europe.

This is fitting since the new Qashqai was designed and engineered by our experts here in Europe, with extensive input from our teams in Japan. And it will be built at our Sunderland plant, United Kingdom’s largest auto production facility.

We look forward to delivering the second generation Qashqai to markets around the world. And I wanted to be here to give a first glimpse of the new Qashqai and to show you how; once again that Nissan is shaking up the status quo.