Nissan May Take Qashqai Production Home to Japan

The Nissan Qashqai is a cash cow. The new crossover vehicle is such a runaway success that the one plant that builds it, in the United Kingdom, is running over capacity. Japanese economic daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that Nissan is considering a plan to launch production of the vehicle at home in Japan.

Between February and June, more than 45,000 Qashqais were sold in Europe, and the waiting list stretches beyond six months. In Japan, where the car is called the Dualis, more than 11,000 have been ordered since the end of May. Originally, Nissan had planned to build 2,000 units per month.

The Qashqai/Dualis is a new attempt from Nissan to conquer the traditional family-car segment, which is dominated by such models as the Volkswagen Golf , Ford Focus and Toyota Auris. Ditching the traditional hatchback format, the car has an SUV-like appearance, and all the convenience features expected in its category.