Russia is the only market in the world where Nissan sells all three of its brands, including Infiniti and Datsun; it ranks fifth overall in terms of sales.
The Pathfinder will be the first hybrid vehicle to be manufactured in Russia, and it will enter production in St. Petersburg, where the goal is to make 100,000 units per year; twice what the factory is currently achieving by making only the Teana, Murano, X-Trail, and Qashqai.
The Russian-spec Pathfinder and Sentra have also made their debut at the Moscow motor show, though it’s not clear what changes these models will incur over the same models sold elsewhere.
Paul Willcox, chairman of Nissan’s Euro operations said on the show sidelines: “Nissan already has a strong presence in Russia, And we’re committed to increasing that local presence through increased Russian design, engineering and production so that we can make the cars that Russia’s drivers want and need, while boosting jobs and the wider Russian economy. Innovative and accessible Russia-built vehicles like the Pathfinder and Sentra demonstrate that our commitment to Russian drivers has never been stronger.”
On the engines front, the Pathfinder will be available with either a 3.5-liter V6 or a hybrid powertrain comprised of a 2.5-liter engine and electric motor combo.
The Sentra will only get one engine option, a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated unit, that will have two gearbox options available: five-cog manual or CVT.
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