FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5 December 2006
DOING THE QASHQAI WALK (-UP)
When Nissan’s adventurous QASHQAI crossover goes on sale next March it will give buyers shopping for a compact family car a totally different alternative. QASHQAI (say it ‘Cash-Kai’) blends the image of a coupé with the interior space of a hatchback and the strength of a 4x4. Nissan hopes it will steal buyers from the Volkswagen Golf – prices will therefore start at £13,499 for the 1.6 Visia rising to £21,899 for the 2.0dCi Tekna with automatic transmission and ALL-MODE 4x4.
Borrowing its name from a desert-dwelling nomadic tribe living near the Zagros Mountains in South Western Iran, but created in multi-cultural London, QASHQAI is described by Stephane Schwarz, Design Director at Nissan Design Europe as an ‘Urban Nomad’. “It’s tough and compact for the city but sleek and agile for journeys away from the town,” he says.
Although taller than a typical hatch, it takes up no more road space than a Ford Focus. And although four-wheel drive versions will be offered, QASHQAI “doesn’t shout at you the way SUVs do. It isn’t as aggressive, but it is assertive in the way it sits on the road,” says Schwarz.
QASHQAI’s arrival will mark the introduction of a new badging system which, in time, will be rolled out across the entire Nissan passenger car range. Except that the badges themselves won’t exist.
Already in use in mainland Europe, the new grading system means forgetting S, SE, SX and so on and learning three new names: Visia, Acenta and Tekna. Visia is the entry level model with Tekna at the top and Acenta the meat in the sandwich... though those badges appear nowhere on the actual cars. How to remember the pecking order? Think VAT.
Following established Nissan practice, QASHQAI’s pricing follows a simple ‘walk-up’. Starting from a base £13,499 for the entry-level Visia 1.6 model, an extra £1,500 moves you to Acenta grade. And a further £1,500 (or £3,000 on top of Visia) gets you a Tekna.
Another walk-up price of £1,100 will move you from the 1.6 petrol to a 1.5dCi turbodiesel while £1,400 will take you from the 1.6 to a 2.0-litre petrol. If you want the 2.0dCi turbodiesel, that’ll be £2,700 over the price of the entry level model.
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QASHQAI Visia 1.6 (115ps/160Nm) |
£13,499 |
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QASHQAI Visia 1.5dCi (106ps/240Nm) |
£14,599 (i.e. 1.6 plus £1,100) |
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QASHQAI Visia 2.0 (140ps/200Nm) |
£14,899 (i.e. 1.6 plus £1,400) |
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QASHQAI Visia 2.0dCi (150ps/320Nm) |
£16,199 (i.e. 1.6 plus £2,700) |
Add £1,500 regardless of engine size to move to Acenta grade or £3,000 for a Tekna model. Owners of 2.0-litre models can upgrade from two- to ALL-MODE four-wheel drive for added security and grip in poor conditions for an extra £1,600 while automatic (six-speed torque converter transmission on the 2.0dCi 4x4, CVT on the 2.0-litre petrol) is an extra £1,100. The most expensive model, therefore – an automatic Tekna 2.0dCi with ALL-MODE 4x4 – is £21,899.
So what do you get for your money? It might be an entry level model but the Visia grade is far from poorly equipped. Major standard safety equipment covers ABS plus BAS and EBD as well as front, side and curtain airbags. Personal security features include automatic door locking when the car is moving above walking pace and automatic operation of the hazard flashers during an emergency.
Also standard on Visia grade – and therefore on every QASHQAI – is Bluetooth mobile phone connectivity. Once a Bluetooth-equipped mobile has been paired with the QASHQAI, calls can be made and received hands-free. The system automatically mutes the stereo when a call is in progress and can be operated via controls mounted on the steering wheel.
Other practical and comfort features include electric power steering, amber ambient interior lighting, a 60/40 folding rear bench, electrically adjustable door mirrors, height adjustable driver’s seat, front armrest and all-round power windows.
There’s also air conditioning – complete with a mild flow vent on the top of the dashboard which generates a gentle breeze across the cabin to the rear passengers – a trip computer and an AM/FM radio with single CD player. Outside, there are 16 inch alloy wheels while the door handles and mirrors are black.
Find £1,500 more and a QASHQAI owner can walk-up to an Acenta. That extra cash buys a host of extra luxury. The driver’s seat gains lumbar support while the driver will grip a leather-covered steering wheel. And he or she will have less to do, thanks to the addition of automatic headlights, rain sensing wipers and cruise control.
Parking is easier thanks to ultrasonic reversing ‘bleepers’ and electrically folding door mirrors while winter driving is eased by the addition of front fog lights. The air conditioning is upgraded to a fully automatic dual zone climate control system while the stereo now incorporates an in-dash six-disc autochanger and remote control. Finally, rear passengers gain a central armrest while would-be thieves should be aware there’s an alarm system fitted.
For an extra £1,500, the Tekna allows you to bask in the luxury of full leather upholstery. And while you warm your backside on the heated front seats, you can view the world through a full length panoramic glass roof (Acenta owners can specify the panoramic roof as a £700 option).
Xenon headlamps (with washers) light the way ahead while an automatically dimming rear view mirror prevents the driver from being dazzled from behind. Tekna grade also includes 17 inch alloy wheels and Nissan’s brilliant Intelligent Key – far more than keyless entry, the car can be locked or unlocked and the engine started without the ‘IK’ ever having to leave a pocket or handbag.
As well as greater power and performance, walking-up from 1.6 petrol or 1.5dCi diesel to either of the 2.0-litre engines on offer also adds the latest generation ESP to the equation. Arguably the ultimate active safety aid, ESP constantly monitors each wheel for signs of slip or a break in traction. Working in conjunction with the ABS and the engine management systems, ESP can reduce engine torque and brake each wheel, individually if needs be, to help the driver maintain control.
The £1,600 walk-up to four-wheel drive on 2.0-litre models brings Nissan’s highly acclaimed ALL-MODE 4x4 into the picture. One of the most sophisticated all-wheel drive systems available anywhere in the world, ALL-MODE adds an extra dimension to QASHQAI’s abilities, providing the added security of four-wheel drive in slippery conditions.
Being electronically controlled, ALL-MODE reacts faster than some other automatic four-wheel drive systems, ensuring drive is transferred between wheels and axles the instant low grip conditions are encountered.
Left in its automatic setting, ALL-MODE apportions torque to each axle based on a number of sensor inputs, ranging from 100 per cent front (with zero per cent to rear), or up to 50 per cent rear in a fraction of a second. The system automatically compensates for unexpected slippery road conditions, such as wet leaves in autumn, early morning winter ice or loose gravel at any time of the year. In normal driving conditions QASHQAI has all the benefits of two-wheel drive including improved fuel economy and less wear and tear on components.
With such complete specifications it should be little wonder that options are few. As well as the £700 panoramic roof (standard on Tekna models, remember), ESP is available as a £365 extra on 1.5dCi and 1.6 petrol versions (standard on all 2.0-litres, remember).
Metallic paint is a £425 extra while £1,350 buys satellite navigation with rear view reversing camera. And that’s it.
So let’s just run through that again. QASHQAI prices start at £13,499 for the Visia and rise by £1,500 for Acenta and a further £1,500 for Tekna grade (VAT, remember). To get from 1.6 petrol to 1.5dCi requires £1,100; £1,400 to get to the 2.0-litre petrol and £2,700 to the 2.0dCi. ALL-MODE four-wheel drive costs an extra £1,600 on 2.0-litre models while automatic (CVT on the 2.0-litre petrol; conventional six-speed torque converter on 2.0dCi 4x4) is an extra £1,100.
Standard on Visia models
ABS + BAS + EBD
Electric power steering (EPS)
ESP (2.0-litres models only)
Front, side and curtain airbags
Power windows (front and rear)
60/40 split folding rear seat
Height adjustable driver’s seat
Front arm rest
Electrically adjustable door mirrors
Automatic locking
Automatic hazard flashers
16 inch alloy wheels
Trip computer
Radio/single disc CD player
Air conditioning
Bluetooth connectivity
Amber ambient lighting
Standard on Acenta models
As Visia, plus
Rain sensing wipers
Automatic headlamps
Driver’s seat lumbar support
Leather wrapped steering wheel
Remote radio control
In dash six disc CD autochanger
Front fog lamps
Dual zone climate control
Electric folding door mirrors
Body colour door mirrors and handles
Cruise control
Alarm
Ultrasonic rear parking alert
Rear armrest
Extra cost: £1,500
Standard on Tekna model
As Acenta, plus
Glass panoramic roof
17 inch alloy wheels
Auto dimming mirror
Full leather seats
Heated front seats
Intelligent key
Xenon headlamps and washers
Extra cost: £1,500
For further information on QASHQAI, including a launch speech by Carlos Ghosn, full press kit and images please click on www.nissanpress.co.uk.
ends…
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Wayne Bruce |
Communications Director |
01923 899930 |
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e-mail: |
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Gloria Maydew |
Press Communications Manager |
01923 899937 |
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e-mail: |
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Terry Steeden |
Product Communications Manager |
01923 899938 |
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e-mail: |
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All news releases and pictures can be downloaded from the Newspress website at www.newspress.co.uk
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