A new report finds Nissan will begin production of its all-new, Golf-fighting five-door hatchback in Barcelona, Spain, next July.
The hatchback will likely be dubbed Almera, a moniker used from 1995 to 2006 on two generations of a similarly-positioned hatchback. Its overall styling will be influenced by the design language found on the 2014 Rogue (sold as the X-Trail in the U.S.) and the new Qashqai, meaning it will be fitted with angular headlights, a shiny V-shaped grille and horizontal tail lamps out back.
Mechanically, the Almera will be offered with a wide range of four-cylinder gasoline- and diesel-burning engines including a frugal 1.2-liter and a time-tested 1.5-liter oil burner. Power will be sent to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual gearbox or a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
The Almera will help Nissan regain a much-needed foothold in Europe’s passenger car market.
“We cannot just be a crossover brand. We can make the Almera work. Getting it right is not an easy or quick answer, but the results of the Qashqai have bought us time,” explained Shiro Nakamura, Nissan’s design chief, in an interview with English magazine Autocar.
Official details about the 2014 Nissan Almera will emerge in the weeks leading up to its public unveiling at next March’s Geneva Motor Show. While Nissan has not commented on this, rumors indicate the Almera is being designed exclusively for the European market and it has not been earmarked for U.S. sales.
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