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Today, December 9, at the Nissan plant in the northern capital, a ceremony was held to begin production of the new model. The third generation of the X-Trail SUV received Russian registration. It will go off the assembly line side by side with the Teana sedan and three other crossovers - Murano, Pathfinder and Qashqai. The last of them will master the plant next spring.
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There are few commercial details about the newcomer. Prices and configurations will become known closer to the start of sales in February. The Japanese are also silent about production volumes, they say, the economic situation, you yourself understand.
Meanwhile, in the Old World, X-Trail is still sold with only one engine - a 1.6-liter diesel engine that develops 130 hp, is aggregated with a manual gearbox or CVT, front-wheel or all-wheel drive. According to preliminary data, this engine will appear on Russian cars. But the main shock force, of course, will be the gasoline versions. Which ones are also a secret so far.
The third Nissan X-Trail in the European specification was shown in September 2013 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It is radically different from its predecessor. First of all, by the platform: the novelty is based on the CMF modular “trolley”, common for Renault and Nissan models. LED options, a third row of seats, a fifth door electric drive, and a full range of electronic active safety systems appeared in the list of options.
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The crossover is 17 mm longer, 30 mm wider and 5 mm lower than its predecessor. At the same time, the wheelbase immediately increased by 76 mm, which significantly increased the space for rear passengers. Claimed ground clearance - 210 mm.
With the advent of the Nissan X-Trail, the company in St. Petersburg has opened a new page. The capacity of the plant is doubled, up to 100, 000 cars per year. All five models will be assembled on one line. At the same time, the appearance of modern crossovers on a modular platform did not require a global restructuring of the production process. The Japanese company pursues an ambitious goal: by forces of the Datsun and Nissan brands to occupy 10% of the Russian market in 2016.
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According to Dmitry Mikhailov, vice president and general director of Nissan Manufacturing RUS, already in 2012 localization of production on the local conveyor reached 35%, and this figure continues to grow. So, in September of this year, one of the brand's suppliers, the Japanese Unipress, was located in the technopark near the production of Nissan.
In addition, a plastic production workshop was launched in September at the enterprise itself, and a press workshop is expected to be commissioned early next year. According to Mikhailov, the local production of plastic parts at the plant is an important milestone in the development of the enterprise, as large plastic parts are difficult in logistics. All cars coming out of the local conveyor after assembly are selectively checked for the quality of assembly on public roads, along which they cover about 40 km.
Nissanovtsy recalled that they invested $ 200 million in the start of production near St. Petersburg in 2009, and another 167 million euros in the current twofold increase in output (from 50 thousand to 100 thousand cars a year). It is not known how much will be actually used, but plans are already being discussed for exporting cars. The geography of supplies has not yet been determined. “We are clarifying the nuances of customs and tax laws,” Mr. Mikhailov said.
Paul Willcox
