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NEWS
Juke tease for dealers
But no Sydney confirmation expected for Nissan mini-SUV to join model rushNissan has shown off the Juke mini-SUV to its dealers at a conference today, but it does not appear likely the car will be displayed – let alone confirmed – at the Sydney motor show, which kicks off later this week.
Dealers also had a look at the new Maxima replacement, the Altima, and the all-new Pathfinder in Sydney, but both of these vehicles – which are confirmed for quarter four 2013 launches in Australia – will not be seen at Darling Harbour either.
Expectations of an announcement were heightened this week when a Juke was spotted being off-loaded at Sydney’s harbourside Overseas Passenger Terminal, along with two Pulsars, the latest Y62 Patrol, an Altima and a Pathfinder.
While the Patrol and Pulsar featured in a media announcement this morning (Tuesday) at the terminal, the Juke, Altima and Pathfinder were kept out of sight waiting for dealer previews today and tomorrow (Tuesday and Wednesday).
In preview material issued by Nissan about its Sydney motor show stand, no mention was made of the Juke, Altima or Pathfinder being present.
While Nissan Australia managing director and CEO Bill Peffer would only offer “no comment” when asked if Juke would be confirmed on Thursday at the show opening, he was happy to reaffirm his desire to import the goggle-eyed high-rise hatch, which has proved a big hit in Europe.
“You know I am keen on Juke. It is a spectacular product,” he said.
If – or more likely when – it is confirmed, the Juke would comprise just one of 12 entirely new or redesigned models Nissan will launch in Australia over the next 30 months. Peffer described the period as “arguably the busiest phase ever in this country for product”.
“You will see our model catalogue change dramatically... 2013 will be the start of Nissan Australia’s major product renaissance. These many exciting new cars, trucks and SUVs will add fuel to what has thus far been a successful year for us at Nissan Australia.”
So what else apart from Altima, Pathfinder (both due in the second half of 2013) and potentially Juke are on that future model list? Obviously Pulsar sedan and Patrol, which launch next February, are there, as is the Pulsar hatch, including turbo-petrol SSS, which arrives mid-year.
Other models headed for generational renewal within the next 30 months include the Dualis, X-Trail and Murano. That lot obviously doesn’t add up to 12, which means there are some new segments being tackled.
Potentially they could include a production version of the Invitation mini-hatch concept shown at Geneva earlier this year, or the NV cargo truck range, which is expected to eventually come here.
“Some of them (the 12) haven’t broken cover,” confirmed Peffer. “Watch this space. It’s an exciting time … I don’t think any of our direct competitors have the product pipeline we are about to embark on.”
Not all-new, but certainly of great interest to any performance car fan is the model year 2013 GT-R which is a star of the Nissan stand at the Sydney motor show. Described as a prototype of the production car that will be unveiled in Japan in early November, it features engine fine tuning, suspension refinements and new luxury interior features.
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Written byBruce Newton
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