The Nissan Pulsar will take on the VW Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra when it arrives in UK showrooms this autumn. The new C-segment model will be offered in both saloon and hatch forms, with an estate unlikely given the success of the Nissan Juke SUV.
Is this the only image of the Pulsar so far?
Yes, but an official reveal will take place on May 20. From the single teaser images issued so far, it’s clear that the Pulsar will have the same chrome V adorning the grille as the new Juke, X-Trail and Qashqai, clearly part of the new corporate identity for the brand.
Where have I heard the ‘Pulsar’ name before?
The Pulsar badge was used in foreign markets on the previous Almera and Sunny models that were sold in the UK, and dates back to the late ’70s. It used here briefly in the early 1990s on the N14 model, which also wore the Sunny badge and gave us the wild turbocharged, all-wheel drive Sunny GTI-R model.
Why is Nissan building a C-segment car when its SUVs and super-minis are selling strongly?
The broadening of the line-up is part of Renault-Nissan’s global ‘Power 88’ strategy, so-named as it targets 8% global market share and 8% profits by the end of 2016. CEO Carlos Ghosn announced the company’s results last Monday in Tokyo, with reporting 5.3% profits and growth in key markets including Japan, China, North America and Europe. The 605.7bn yen profit (£3.55bn) exceeded expectations; Ghosn forecasting continued growth for 2014.
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