GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Nissan's INVITATION to enter production

The BBC revealed in its morning news yesterday that Nissan would commence building a third vehicle line at its Sunderland (UK) plant even before the word was made official at the Geneva Motor Show.

When Nissan's Andy Palmer finally let the cat out of the bag, the news was filled out with the additional detail that the third line (joining the Qashqai/Dualis and the Juke) would be the production version of the INVITATION concept being unveiled at the show.

"This is a head-turning hatchback that is the inspiration for a new mainstream compact car that I can announce today will be launched in Europe in 2013," Palmer, Nissan's Executive Vice President for global communications told the media at the show.

"I'm happy to confirm today that the production version of the INVITATION concept will be built at the Sunderland in the UK, starting from the middle of next year."

Australian sources are saying nothing about the chances of the new car making it to Australia. Since the car will be built on a B-segment platform shared with the Micra, but is larger inside than the Micra, it won't necessarily cannibalise sales of the Thai-built hatch. Nissan Australia sources suggest the new car could be offered in the Australian market as a premium model, upmarket of the Micra and possibly even the C-Segment Pulsar yet to arrive here in replacement of the current Tiida.

Other new vehicles on Nissan's stand included the e-NV200, an electric-powered commercial vehicle based on the recently introduced NV200 van, which is a vehicle that has been considered for the local Nissan product range.

Lastly, Nissan unveiled its new Hi-Cross Concept, which is a hybrid SUV design study that looks suspiciously close to production ready. Nissan says that the vehicle is nothing more than a concept though, for the moment. It's a front-drive vehicle with lithium-ion battery technology from the LEAF EV joined in the one packed by a 2.0-litre supercharged and direct-injected four-cylinder, driving through the same basic CVT specified for the X-TRAIL.

"We're already a world leader in the crossover segment," said Palmer, introducing the Hi-Cross Concept. "We created the Murano, then the Qashqai (Dualis), and then the Juke... so it's only natural that we would explore ways to extend that leadership."

The concept is a seven-seater with three rows of seats; Palmer claims the vehicle has the potential to deliver performance akin to that of a conventional 2.5-litre car.

Read the latest news from the Geneva Motor Show at motoring.com.au

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