Nissan Hatchback to Target VW Golf, Ford Focus
Nissan is taking aim at Europe’s five-door hatchback segment next year to take on the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf.
Part of a bid to bolster its presence back into mainstream territory, the car will be designed exclusively for Europe and built in Nissan’s Barcelona plant according to AutoCar.
“It’s not a VW Golf, but it’ll give you a similar, secure impression from behind the wheel,” said Nissan product planning chief Andy Palmer.
“We’re on course to break through five per cent market share in Europe very soon and — while we make most cars for Europe right here in Europe — to become the continent’s biggest Asian brand,” he said.
Palmer didn’t say what will power the Golf rival, but he said the vehicle’s handling will be a priority.
“I was careful that we didn’t announce the project until I’d personally signed off the suspension tuning,” he said. “What we’ve got is something very precise and predictable — relaxing to drive. But it’s also got some of the handling satisfaction you get from a Ford Focus.”
Nissan’s plans don’t seem to include a version of the car for North America currently. But demand for hatchbacks is growing in the U.S., and with products like the Focus ST, and Golf GTD reaching the U.S. a hungry market could prove to be attractive.
[Source: AutoCar]
Discuss this story at NissanClub.com
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
More by Luke Vandezande
Comments
Join the conversation