Nissan Begins Production of New-Generation Qashqai

SUNDERLAND, U.K. – The U.K. production line for the new Nissan Qashqai begins rolling out upgraded models of what has become Europe’s best-selling CUV.

Crafted at Nissan’s plant in Sunderland, changes to the new Qashqai include a revised body design, improved interior quality, enhanced driving dynamics and the addition of new Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies.

From spring 2018, it will be available with ProPILOT, the automaker’s autonomous-driving function that controls the steering, acceleration and braking on single-lane highways during heavy traffic congestion and high-speed interstate cruising.

Qashqai’s production follows a £53 million ($69 million) investment in Nissan’s U.K. facilities, which includes extra production capacity introduced in 2016 to allow the model to be built on both lines in the Sunderland plant working 24 hours a day. Nissan claims the Qashqai is the top-selling vehicle built in the U.K. and is exported to some 100 European and global markets.

“The Nissan Qashqai is the original urban crossover and remains the undisputed leader in the segment,” says Colin Lawther, Nissan senior vice president-manufacturing, purchasing and supply-chain management in Europe. “In the decade since Qashqai launched, we have built more than 2.8 million (units) in Sunderland, taking plant output to record levels.

“Offering new premium design features and Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies, this new model marks a new chapter for Qashqai and for our manufacturing operations.”

Nissan’s U.K. workforce, including its design studio in Paddington, London, technical center at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, sales and marketing operations in Maple Cross, Hertfordshire, plus the Sunderland plant totals more than 40,000.

In addition to the Qashqai, Nissan’s Sunderland factory also manufactures the all-electric Leaf, Juke CUV and Infiniti Q30 and QX30 premium models. With total production last year of 507,436 vehicles, Sunderland is the U.K.’s biggest car plant.