Nissan's world event in Portugal gave Paddy Comyn the chance to browse their full catalogue of models . . . and see what the brand has in store for Irish buyers
ONE GOOD thing about getting an opportunity to drive the cars that other markets get, is that you suddenly start to count yourself rather lucky.
Nissan hosted a world event last week where the world's motoring press descended on Portugal to drive not one or two new models, but a vast selection of the models that Nissan makes.
They vary from the diminutive Japanese Nissan Pino, to the gargantuan US pick-up, the Titan. And of course, the big news was the arrival of Infiniti to Europe and the launch of the Porsche 911-rivalling Nissan GTR.
There is always the element of the kid in the candy shop to events like this. You really don't know where to start.
Nissan in Ireland has been having a pretty good time of late. Although things could certainly be a little better. It has enjoyed strong success with its niche models for a start.
The Qashqai sort-of-SUV has been a huge hit, storming up the sales charts and creating something that even Nissan themselves might not have predicted - a waiting list for one of their cars. The X-Trail SUV has also been a big hit and even smaller models like the Note have done well.
However, there remains a problem when it comes to the more mainstream models. The Micra is ageing and its oddball looks have put many owners off what is actually quite a good car to drive.
And then the Almera - a car which Irish drivers had taken to their hearts like soccer fans to foreign managers - was replaced by the Tiida. The Tiida has sold to people who aren't at all concerned whether their car is any good to drive or look at.
Plus, the Primera has disappeared without trace to be replaced by, well nothing.
The point is that Nissan really can do better and we expect more from them. So what else have they to offer?
The Tiida was a knee-jerk reaction to what would have been a gaping hole in the market left by the demise of Almera.
In the UK, this gap has been filled by Qashqai, but there Nissan doesn't command the kind of market share that it does in Ireland. Ireland needed a C-segment car and the Tiida was seen as the easiest quick fix. It certainly wasn't Nissan's best. So if we could wave a magic wand, what exactly have they that could replace it and the missing Primera?
Well the Bluebird, or Sylphy as it is also known, is a right-hand drive car that is sold in the Japanese and general overseas markets and is imposing and spacious in the same way that the Toyota Corolla saloon is.
With acres of room in the back, stylish looks and a high-quality feel, it makes the Tiida look very poor indeed.
It would, however, need some European tweaking before it would be suitable for our audience.
Overly light and woolly steering blight what is quite a good package overall. And instead of the Primera there is the Altima which has been a success in the United States and comes with a petrol-electric hybrid option and looks absolutely gorgeous. It feels ready to go now.
The main restriction at the moment seems to be that there are no right-hand drive versions at present.
Even better than this is the Teana, which sits on the same platform as the Altima and indeed the Murano SUV, which we already have.
The Teana could be possible with right-hand drive and although it now comes with a 3.5-litre V6 engine, there is a multitude of diesel options possible for this car.
Going forward, Ireland will no longer be so concerned with getting cars with smaller petrol engines, but rather those with the lowest emissions.
Don't expect to see these cars in the immediate future, but Nissan Ireland is certainly looking at alternatives to its slightly shaky mid-sized range.
One car that we are very likely to get is the ever-so-cute and quirky Nissan Cube. The Cube is in its second-generation, and is a tall city car that suits the Japanese market, but has always attracted envious attention from European markets.
Now it seems that we will get our wish, possibly in 2009. Powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine with 110bhp and a CVT transmission, the Cube drives really well, without too much body roll.
The bench seating is cosy and the Cube Cubic version comes with three rows of seats and makes it a very funky seven seater. Expect the Cube, which is quite heavy, to be made lighter before it comes to Europe and we may even see the use of the 1.5-litre dCi engine at some point too.
Another model which we do know we are getting soon is the new Murano. The new model gets new exterior and interior, a 265bhp 3.5-litre V6 twinned with a CVT transmission. We will get this new version in October.
The current model has been a poor seller so far because of its petrol-only format, but there is talk of a diesel engine down the line which will be needed if it is to stand a chance.
It will also face competition in the future from the firm's own Infiniti range, which will gain some diesel engines as well in 2010.
Also on display was the Qashqai+2.
The Qashqai has been a staggering success in Ireland and the Qashqai+2, as the name suggests adds two additional seats, making it a strong option for families and an antidote to anyone who doesn't like the idea of a people carrier.
We didn't get to drive the Qashqai+2 but the European launch, later this summer, will tell us more about the car's dynamics. This model, fitted with the 1.5-litre diesel engine will be a top seller.
Finally, at the top end of the range, the GTR, as reviewed already here some time ago in Motors provided the thrills on Portugal's Estoril circuit. Powered by a 3.8-litre V6 engine, with twin-turbos, the GTR puts out 480bhp and all this power is controlled by a dual-clutch six-speed paddle shift gearbox, similar to Volkswagen's DSG transmission, providing lightning quick gearchanges.
The GTR is astonishingly good to drive, with awesome grip and just recently, the car achieved the fastest ever lap time for a production car on Germany's legendary Nurburgring, lapping the circuit in 7.29 seconds, beating times set by the likes of the Porsche 911 GT2 and Carrera GT.
The car will go on sale in Ireland later this year and buyers can expect a price tag of around €115,000.