Never-ending supply chain snags mean Nissan Australia has compressed the launch of four important all-new models into the back half of 2022.
The company this week reiterated plans to launch new-generation, new-look versions of the Qashqai small SUV, X-Trail medium SUV (revealed in June 2020), and Pathfinder large SUV between July and December.
Moreover, it’ll court enthusiasts with hyped new Z, deliveries of which kick off mid-year.
That means that from 2023, Nissan Australia will go from having one of the oldest product line-ups among major brands, to one of the newest.
The mass product rollout will be greeted with enthusiasm by Nissan’s circa 180 franchise dealers around the country.
Nissan also just launched a mild update to its Patrol large SUV (which set a sales record in current-generation last month) and Leaf electric car, demand for which continues to outpace supply despite a plethora of newer EV options from other brands.
Again on the low-emissions front, Nissan is expected to have first allocations of its e-Power series-hybrid drivetrain by late 2022, starting with said Qashqai. Unlike Toyota’s hybrids, the Nissan system always drives the wheels with an electric motor, using the petrol engine as a generator.
“I’m thrilled to be able to confirm launch timings for these vehicles, with all four exciting and all-new models set to arrive in Australia in the second half of 2022,” said Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson.
“The all-new Z, Pathfinder, X-Trail and Qashqai will join the just-updated Patrol, along with the tough and rugged Navara, to give Nissan one of the newest and most exciting model line-ups in the country.”
Mr Paterson expanded a little on current supply levels, saying that “waiting for product is something that’s becoming a new reality for Australians, regardless of brand”.
“We have Navara, X-Trail and Leaf supply arriving weekly, though it’s very difficult to quote an exact wait time, but anywhere between 3-6 months. For Patrol you’re looking at approximately a 4-5 month time depending on trim and colour,” he said.
“I’d love to tell our dealer partners that there wasn’t any volatility from a production and supply standpoint. [But] there is definitely volatility, and we’re far from through any supply challenges.
“… We were expecting in the middle of this calendar year to have normalisation of supply, [but] that is not a reality,” he finished.
Mr Paterson added Nissan Australia’s engineering partner, Melbourne-based Premcar, had so far produced 1251 Navara Pro-4X Warrior utes since September last year, all of which are either in customer hands or on the way to them.
MORE: 2022 Nissan Qashqai specifications detailed
MORE: 2021 Nissan X-Trail officially revealed
MORE: 2022 Nissan Pathfinder to offer seven-, eight-seat options
MORE: 2022 Nissan Z: ‘Extreme’ Aussie demand, mostly for the manual
