The first generation Nissan Qashqai may have acted as a replacement for the Almera C-segment hatchback in Europe, but things are about to change in the carmaker’s European lineup. Nissan will return to the core C-segment to rival the VW Golf with an all-new family car to be named Pulsar, which will go on sale across Europe from autumn 2014.
The Pulsar is a “spacious” five-door hatchback “designed to meet the specific demands of European car buyers”, according to Nissan. The new model will be built at Nissan’s Barcelona plant in Spain.
With the Pulsar, Nissan aims to re-establish its strong link with the C-segment, which is the second largest sector in the European car market. Nissan says the Pulsar is designed “with the same high quality, high innovation approach that has come to typify Nissan models.”
The teaser photo shows the front end of the new model, flanked by the all-new X-Trail and Qashqai. The similarities between the three models are obvious, with all sharing the new corporate grille and boomerang-shaped daytime running lights.
First used in 1978, the name Pulsar has since been widely utilized for Nissan models in Asian and Australasian markets. The Pulsar badge also appeared in certain European markets in the early 1990s on the N14 model.
By Dan Mihalascu
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