Nissan’s Pulsar is on the pulse

Nissan has changed the family car market in the last seven years with the Qashqai, X-Trail and Note, but has announced its return to traditional design concepts via a new family hatchback challenger — the Pulsar.

The Pulsar has been designed for the European market, will be built in Barcelona, and will be on sale by the autumn, although nothing on pricing has yet been revealed.

Nissan say the Pulsar will combine bold design, technical innovations and decent interior space, bringing a new dimension to the C-segment.

Pulsar, they say, will introduce new-to-sector technologies, features that are usually reserved for premium or luxury models. These will include Nissan’s safety shield — a ‘safety net’ for drivers.

Among the systems in the Pulsar will be: forward emergency braking, moving object detection, lane departure warning and blind spot warning.

The car will also feature Nissan’s second-generation NissanConnect system, which includes full smartphone integration, Google Send-to-Car and access to apps.

Nissan say the Pulsar’s all-turbocharged engine range delivers performance and efficiency. The 1.2-litre, DIG-T petrol unit punches above its weight, with an output of 115 bhp, while the 1.5-litre dCi generates 110 bhp and 260 Nm of torque.

A more powerful, 190 bhp, 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine will join the range early in 2015.

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

Instantly recognisable, thanks to its trademark Nissan V-grille and bold, muscular curves, the Pulsar was designed and engineered for Europe and will be built at Nissan’s Barcelona production facility.

Hopefully, we will have more news — and pictures — of the new car soon.