New Nissan car to protect 1,000 North East jobs
Mar 4 2009 by Dan Warburton, The Journal
NISSAN has unveiled a concept car which it is hoped could safeguard more than 1,000 jobs in the region. The Qazana, revealed at the Geneva Motor Show yesterday, is the concept car on which the Japanese giant will base its new model – due to enter production in Washington next year.
Although the final model is likely to be different – and may not even be called the same thing – the concept is intended to be indicative of what the production model will look like.
The new model will replace the Micra and Nissan bosses hope it will emulate the success of the Qashqai, which is also manufactured in Washington. A cross between a 4x4 and a small hatchback, it is aimed at city centre drivers, with designers claiming there is nothing like it on the market today. It is the 12th Nissan model to be built at Washington.
Matt Weaver, project lead designer at Nissan Design Europe, said the Qazana was designed to be sophisticated but fun.
He said: "It’s a hugely optimistic car, which is no bad thing in these difficult times. Had it been created in the 1960s, it would have counted camper-vans, bikes and buggies as its rivals.
"Infused with that same spirit, there’s nothing quite like it available today."
