Nissan Qazana - the workforce gets a peek

Nissan bosses have been showing the Nissan Qazana to the workforce in Sunderland

The Nissan Qazana is an important car, not just for Nissan in this tough economic climate, but also for the workforce in Sunderland. The Qazana, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, is set to take the place of the Micra at Nissan’s Sunderland plant, safeguarding over 1,000 local jobs.

And after the official first view of the Qazana at Geneva, Nissan bosses decided it was time to let the workforce in Sunderland have a good look at the Qazana to see what mad-looking motor is going to save their jobs.

The Qazana is really unusual. Looking more like a moon buggy than a car – a car of any description – it could be a master stroke in a world of cars that end up morphing in to one another.

The images are quite deceptive. It purposely looks like a big, chunky Tonka of a car, but despite its butch looks it is actually quite dinky. In fact, it’s only just over a foot longer than a MINI! Which makes it a very suitable car for use in town, which is exactly what Nissan has in mind. Atsushi Maeda, Studio Chief Designer, Nissan Design Europe said:

“The Qazana concept is an intelligent, all-wheel drive crossover which is masculine, agile, lean, and designed for the tough city streets. Our team at Nissan Design Europe in London realised this image with the motif of a modern day beach buggy and four-seat motor-bike.”

Which probably sums it up pretty well. And Nissan could be on to a winner if the Qazana strikes a chord with a jaded car-buying public. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Oh, and no word on what the normally blunt speaking Sunderland workforce thought of the Qazana yet!