PARIS - Nissan will only be pulling the covers off its third-generation Qashqai early next year, but with no intention of keeping it top secret, the Japanese carmaker has released a few key details as well as pictures of a camouflage prototype.
Nissan says the next Qashqai will be built around the company’s new CMF-C platform, which makes use of 50 percent more Ultra High Strength Steel. This, and the use of aluiminium for body components such as the bonnet, fenders and rear doors, will add up to a weight saving of around 60kg versus the current model. But impressively, the new Qashqai will also be 41 percent stiffer, Nissan claims.
On the powertrain front you can say goodbye to diesels as Nissan will be offering just two options in the new Qashqai: a new 1.3-litre turbopetrol engine - paired with a mild hybrid system - and a more advanced hybrid unit called the e-Power, powered solely by an electric motor, which is charged by a petrol-powered generator.
“The key difference compared with other conventional hybrids is that the electric motor is the size of one typically found in a pure EV, giving the instant acceleration response which is so popular among EV customers,” Nissan says.
“The engine-driven generator maintains the battery charge, but can also provide electricity directly to the motor for additional power.”
Nissan is also promising new suspension and steering systems for its redesigned Qashqai. All-wheel drive models with 20-inch wheels will also receive a multi-link rear suspension design, while front-driven models will make do with a simpler torsion beam set-up.
Buyers can also look forward to a more advanced cabin, featuring the next-generation ProPilot driver assistance system, which will include an advanced cruise control system that can bring the car to a complete halt when traffic stops, and also resume automatically if the car in front starts moving. The system can also use data from the navigation system to adjust the speed for approaching curves or exit ramps that have a tighter radius.
Watch this space for more information when the new Qashqai is revealed early next year.