2015 Nissan Pulsar and Pulsar Nismo Concept show Jekyll and Hyde for the hatch

Thu, 02 Oct 2014

Nissan is showing two very different sides of its new Pulsar five-door hatchback (on the right) at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. On one hand you get to see the standard version hoping to take the fight to popular European models like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, but also on the stage is our first glimpse at the Pulsar Nismo Concept (above) that demonstrates the vehicle's more devilish side.

The standard Pulsar is hoping to make a dent in the Euro C-segment ranks. It rides on the same platform as the Nissan Qashqai crossover and is actually about 2.4-inches longer than the Golf. Power comes from a trio of choices. There are 1.2-liter and 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engines with 113 horsepower and 187 hp, respectively, and a 1.5-liter diesel with 108 hp. CVTs are offered with them all. The Pulsar is also available with a variety of safety tech, including forward emergency braking, lane departure warning and blind spot monitoring.

However, the real excitement comes from the new Nismo Concept. Nissan is clear that it's "only a design study at this stage," but the sporty hatch imagines a flagship for the Pulsar range. It gets the full suite of Nismo goodies with a suspension dropped to the floor and sharper steering. The exterior also benefits from big air intakes in the front bumper, a rear diffuser with central exhausts, flared fenders and carbon fiber trim pieces. The whole thing is finished in satin gray with the division's traditional red trim. The interior has the same motif with race seats and a three-spoke steering wheel.

Nissan isn't saying anything about the Nismo's engine, but a previous rumor hints that the company might try to take the front-wheel drive Nürburgring lap record – against a growing field. Scroll down for the official releases about both models.

NISSAN BRINGS TECHNOLOGY, STYLE AND SECTOR-LEADING SPACE TO THE C-SEGMENT - INTRODUCING THE NEW NISSAN PULSAR

All-new Pulsar five-door hatchback distils Nissan's innovation and dynamism into an exciting new package
Acclaimed technologies including Around View Monitor and sector-first safety and comfort systems
Powerful yet frugal all-turbocharged engine range
Bold extension of Nissan's acclaimed design direction
Designed and engineered for Europe, built at Nissan's Barcelona plant
On sale from Autumn 2014

PARIS, France, 20th May 2014 - Nissan's passion for innovation and technology has seen it transform the family car landscape over the course of the last seven years. Now, using the same design approach and original thinking that produced the Qashqai, X-Trail and Note, Nissan is expanding its product portfolio once more with an exciting all-new family hatchback challenger - the Pulsar.

Combining bold design, technical innovations and interior space, the new Pulsar brings a new dimension to the C-segment, offering all the familiar Nissan qualities in a stylish new package.

The Pulsar's introduction highlights Nissan's ambition and to deliver intelligent design and technical innovations to a wider audience.

Advanced technologies

As Nissan drivers have come to expect, the new Pulsar is packed with a range of accessible and useful technologies designed to make drivers feel more confident and comfortable. Nissan's reputation for introducing new-to-sector technologies has been strengthened with a wide number of features usually reserved for premium or luxury models.

Nissan's advanced Safety Shield - a suite of systems and technologies that combine to offer a fully comprehensive 'safety net' for drivers - is also fully integrated into the Pulsar's design.

This advanced network of usable yet highly advanced technologies help drivers to fully enjoy the potential of the new Pulsar with complete confidence. Among the systems offered in the new Pulsar are Forward Emergency Braking, Moving Object Detection, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning.

Nissan's ongoing drive to deliver sector-first technologies mean that the Pulsar is the only car in its sector to offer Moving Object Detection, Lane Departure Warning and Blind Spot Warning as standard on at least one model in the range.

The Pulsar also features Nissan's second-generation NissanConnect system - that comes with a range of innovative features including full smartphone integration, Google® Send-to-Car and access to a wide variety of useful and informative apps.

Another advanced technology integrated into the Pulsar's design are LED headlamps. First introduced to the Nissan range on the Qashqai and X-Trail, the Pulsar's distinctive LED front lights produce a crisp, white light and have the added advantage of using 50 per cent less power than conventional bulbs.

Efficient and powerful drivetrains

In keeping with Nissan's approach to innovation and reduced costs for owners, the Pulsar's engine all-turbocharged engine range delivers the perfect combination of performance and efficiency. The 1.2-litre DIG-T petrol unit punches above its weight with an output of 115PS, while the 1.5-litre dCi generates 110PS and 260Nm of torque. An even more powerful 190PS 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine will join the range early in 2015.

Continuing Nissan's successful downsizing philosophy, the new Pulsar's engines are high on performance and low on emissions, with CO2 outputs below 95g/km*. The Pulsar is also offered with Nissan's advanced XTronic automatic transmission. Engineered to deliver the best of both worlds for drivers it features ultra-smooth power delivery at low engine speeds and positive, direct shifts under heavier loads.

Setting new standards for cabin space

Thanks to the longest wheelbase in the class (2,700mm) and clever packaging, the Pulsar offers considerably more rear legroom and shoulder room than its sector rivals. Indeed, with 692mm of rear kneeroom, the Pulsar is more spacious than many D-segment offerings.

Yet despite this it retains a compact footprint (length 4,385mm), making it easy to park in tight urban environments.

Energetic, athletic styling

Instantly recognisable thanks to its trademark Nissan V-motion grille and boomerang-shaped lighting signature with bold and energetic curves on the body side, the Pulsar was designed and engineered for Europe and will be built at Nissan's Barcelona production facility.

Embedded with the same design DNA that gives the Qashqai and X-Trail such powerful road presence, the Pulsar combines strong lines with immaculate detailing to create an elegant, athletic form. Like its crossover stablemates, the Pulsar is characterised by bold wheel volumes, a tapered waistline and a flowing profile.

The confident, premium approach continues inside, where high quality materials and clear design are perfectly integrated with Pulsar's unusually high equipment levels.

Pulsar NISMO Concept brings Nissan motorsport DNA to the C-segment

Global debut for Nissan Pulsar NISMO Concept at 2014 Paris Motor Show
NISMO create vision of a sporting flagship for new Pulsar range
Bold styling and aero-optimised body
Race-inspired design features inside and out
Tuned suspension and steering for sharper, more agile handling

Passion, excitement and race-inspired maverick engineering are three core values that underpin every NISMO product - whether it be on the track or in the showroom. Nissan's desire to bring the NISMO philosophy to the broadest possible audience takes another step forward at the 2014 Paris Motor Show with the global unveiling of the new Pulsar NISMO Concept. Shown in public for the first time, the dramatic design study explores the styling and engineering possibilities of a sporting flagship for the Pulsar range.

Embedded with the same sporting DNA that runs throughout the brand's NISMO product line, the Pulsar NISMO Concept brings an exciting new performance dimension to the Pulsar range. Although the concept is only a design study at this stage, Nissan is committed to developing its NISMO line-up with the ambition of delivering bold new performance models to a new generation of drivers.

The Pulsar NISMO Concept distils the essence of the brand into every panel, trim and styling element, setting itself apart from its standard grades. The Concept's paintwork is finished in satin grey and surrounding the body is the NISMO's trademark Layered Double-Wing accentuated in red. Its unique shape is designed by airflow analysis, and it improves aerodynamics performance even better as well as giving lower gravity appeal to the NISMO cars.

The dramatic front bumper features larger, optimised air intakes and striking brake cooling vents. Deeper side skirts, a lower ride height and 19-inch five arm alloy wheels with 235/35 R19 tyres emphasise the muscular form of the Pulsar's design, while the diffuser-style rear bumper and the central twin exhaust pipes, further reinforce the Concept's motorsport feel. Other elements include; a unique carbon fibre rear spoiler, side skirts and flared wheel arches. As opposed to the conventional white lamp reversing lamp, the Pulsar NISMO Concept's light hosts a clear, dark finish.

Further design features on the Pulsar NISMO Concept is the addition of a chrome trim around the side windows painted in black as well as a carbon fibre finish and trademark NISMO red struck down the door mirrors to further amplify Nissan's sporty C-hatch Concept.

Inside, the Pulsar NISMO Concept continues the race-inspired theme with a red coloured tachometer, deeply sculpted sports seats trimmed in Alcantara, a sporty three-spoke steering wheel and alloy pedals.

At NISMO, nothing is designed just to give a sporty appeal. Every single detail is backed by learnings from the real-world racing track, and that is the premium element that NISMO design delivers. So, even when the design looks aggressive, there lies intelligence behind the shape - progressive in its form, taking cues from latest technological learnings.

As with all NISMO models, the Pulsar NISMO Concept delivers much more than mere kerb appeal. NISMO engineers know that great performance comes from a combination of lateral thinking, intelligent engineering and a willingness to try new ideas - a combination that has paid dividends over on the race track for more than 30 years.

Under the skin, the Pulsar NISMO Concept features a revised suspension system that incorporates settings honed on the racetrack. In addition to a lower ride height, the Pulsar NISMO Concept incorporates revised spring and damper settings to provide drivers with the kind of agile and sporty responses that are synonymous with NISMO models. Further still, steering on the Pulsar NISMO Concept has been honed and modified for an even more direct response, gaining learnings from Pulsar road car and pushing for further focus and finesse on the driver experience.

Further details will be announced in due course.

About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with approximately 236,000 employees globally, Nissan sold more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.

By Chris Bruce