Electric Qashqai shapes up for UK production

SCOOP Major investment in Sunderland plant underpins Nissan's fourth-generation SUV

- John Mcllroy

THE Nissan Qashqai has been at the sharp end of the UK's new-car sales charts for nearly 20 years. Now the brand has confirmed that the next-generation family SUV will be manufactured at the firm's factory in Sunderland - and we can reveal that it's set to be the most radical take on the crossover concept yet.

The original Qashqai, launched in 2006, marked a dramatic rethink on the family-car formula - not least because Nissan had struggled to compete with a conventional hatchback against rivals such as the Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus. The landscape has altered dramatically in the years since, with countless competitors joining the market - but Nissan is hoping that an all-new version of the Qashqai will arrive at a key time for many UK car buyers, giving them the option of an established nameplate featuring cutting-edge tech.

In an unusual move, Nissan has already issued a preview of the Qashqai: the dramatic Hyper Urban concept revealed ahead of the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The company even admitted during recent confirmation of investment in its UK factory that the next Qashqai will be "inspired" by the Hyper Urban.