Nissan India is finally showing clear signs of the long-awaited comeback. With the upcoming Tekton and its three-row derivative, its portfolio will be four models strong. According to latest reports, this is just the beginning of a broader revival strategy. The company could bring the production form of the new Terrano showcased recently at Beijing, to the Indian shores. If so, it will sit comfortably in the D-SUV segment and will compete primarily with the Fortuner.
Talking to Coach IndiaThierry Sabbagh president, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India said that Nissan is keen on launching its own models in India ( the ones mentioned above, if you see, are rebadged Renaults). Sabbagh, however, did not specify what these products would be. The publication has reportedly learnt that products of Nissan’s joint venture with Dongfeng will be possible contenders. Dongfeng is a Chinese automaker that has been having a 50:50 joint venture with Nissan since 2003.
The Terrano concept showcased at Beijing this year, is in fact, an SUV based on the Nissan Frontier Pro/Dongfeng Z9 pick up trucks. These are both products of the joint venture. Going by this, it seems safe to assume that the production-spec Terrano will be brought to India in the future.
If things go as planned, we could see the production form launch in under two years- says the publication. It further states that even though the production-spec would have internal combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains, the carmaker is keen on bringing the latter to India.
The Dongfeng partnership gives Nissan a major advantage in terms of speed and cost. Development in China is very fast and the SUV can be ready in around 30 months- roughly half the time that the same takes in other markets. Since it is developed in China, the production-spec Terrano is likely to be packed with features to the gills- something that most Indian consumers would appreciate.
Local manufacturing will play a critical role in defining the SUV’s success in India. Nissan will manufacture the Terrano at the Chennai plant, which it once co-owned with Renault. It no longer has any stake in the facility but retains a reserved production capacity of 2,50,000 units per annum. The company’s current utilisation is well below this mark and the new SUV can be accommodated easily.
However, Nissan will need to invest further to adapt these products for India and ensure competitive pricing. If things go to plan, we may see Nissan aim for an ex-showroom price of around Rs 40 lakh for the Terrano. Such a pricing would place it squarely against the Toyota Fortuner, Jeep Meridian and the MG Majestor. ,
The production model is expected to stay true to the concept with its design. If so, we will get a butch, boxy, rugged, ladder-frame SUV- one that can go places. It will share its underpinnings with the Frontier Pro (and Dongfeng Z9). The more important highlight will be the plug-in hybrid powertrain. It will likely become the carmaker’s first PHEV offering in India.
The PHEV setup on the Terrano will combine an internal combustion engine with electric motor (s) and a battery pack. The specifics of this system remain under the wrap for now. If it is borrowed straight from the Frontier Pro PHEV, we would see a 1.5L petrol engine mated to an electric motor and a 33 kWh battery pack. On the truck, this setup makes 402 hp and 800Nm. The all-electric range there is 135km per charge (CLTC cycle). One of its key attractions will be high fuel efficiency.
Source: Coach India
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