Revealed
QASH CONVERTER
Nissan Qashqai’s electric future revealed in concept car at Geneva Motor Show
The electric Qashqai is due in 2021, albeit without those barn doors and razor-sharp edge
THINGS that are British and bloody lovely.
The sound of Sir David Attenborough’s voice.
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Fish and chips. Afternoon tea. Nissan Qashqai.
Yes, people, you read that correctly. We all know Nissan is Japanese but the Qashqai is designed, engineered and built here, so that makes it British in my book.
It’s also our favourite family crossover by a country mile.
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Squint a little and you’re looking at the next-generation Qashqai due in 2021, albeit without those barn doors, razor-sharp edges and that wonderland interior.
But it’s most definitely going to be electricified and have more software code than a 777 airliner.
Brit designer Matt Weaver said: “We want to move the game on. Everyone else has come close to us but this will set us apart.
Good news for Sunderland
“Look at the iPhone, good simple design but it has all the content you need embedded in it — and this is the same. Good family car, good packaging, intelligent safety systems, powerful EV drivetrain. I want people to see their car in the car park and go ‘Yes, I like it’.”
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I should perhaps spell out that Qashqai Mk3 was officially unveiled as the IMQ concept at this week’s Geneva Motor Show. IM stands for Intelligent Mobility and Q for Qashqai.
A small petrol engine charges the battery to drive all four wheels via two electric motors, one on each axle. So it’s all-wheel drive and rapid, producing 700Nm of instant torque.
Other things to note. The 84cm-wide instrument panel turns completely black — like a smartphone — when powered down. That is likely in the 2021 road car, subject to cost. As are the digital door mirrors, which you can already have over at Audi.
Matt added: “This is a very serious study. It’s good news for us, for British design and for Sunderland.”
Here, here.
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I-should-have-Pace-d myself
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JAG design chief Ian Callum was nursing a sore head 36 hours after the I-Pace was crowned European Car of the Year. He said on the plane home: “I think I behaved myself.” The other finalists were: Alpine A110, Kia Ceed, Ford Focus, Citroen C5 Aircross, Peugeot 508, Mercedes A-Class.
HAPPY 100TH FOR B-BIRTHDAY FOR BENTLEY
EVERY Bentley born this year will be adorned with gold B badges to celebrate the firm’s 100th anniversary. If you’ve got £200,000 to spare, you’ll want the Continental GT Number 9 Edition – strictly limited to 100 cars.
That pays homage to the famous Bentley ‘Blower’ raced at the 1930 Le Mans 24 Hours. Happy birthday, old boy.
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