Nissan Primera-X Concept: The story of the Japanese pioneer

Do you remember the Nissan Primera? Sold in three generations from 1990 to 2007, it was the Japanese manufacturer's benchmark saloon and estate. Built and sold in the UK, the Primera enjoyed a degree of success, especially in the late 1990s.

Subsequently, increasingly fierce competition in the segment and the arrival of the first crossovers reduced its presence on the market, without erasing its history. But how did this Nissan come into being?

Aerodynamics and high technology

The Primera's most direct ancestor is the Primera X concept, also known as the UV-X. Presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989, this prototype was designed for the European market.

Concept Nissan Primera-X (1989)

Nissan

The Nissan is characterised by extremely smooth, sinuous shapes developed on a body measuring 4.52 m long, 1.79 m wide and 1.37 m high. Thanks to its distinctive lines, the aerodynamic coefficient is just 0.25, one of the lowest of the decade.

There's a lot of technology on board. The Nissan is equipped with liquid crystal windows that darken at the touch of a button, rather like modern electrochromic panoramic roofs.

What's more, the UV-X is one of the first cars to be equipped with a reversing camera, the view of which is displayed directly on the rear-view mirror. Under the bonnet, on the other hand, is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 150 PS and 181 Nm, giving the concept a top speed of 143 mph.

History of the Primera

The first generation went on sale between 1990 and 1996, but it was with the second model that the Primera enjoyed its greatest popularity.

Nissan Primera-X Concept (1989), interior

Nissan

The Nissan range was further extended and special editions were launched in different parts of the world. For example, 1998 saw the birth in New Zealand of the SMX, built in collaboration with Stillen Sports Parts, a 26-piece version with a 160 PS 2.0 petrol engine and a more aggressive body kit.

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The same year, victory in the British Touring Car Championship was celebrated in the UK with the 400-strong GTSE version, fitted with Azev alloy wheels, sports seats and a Momo gear knob.

The third and final generation was launched in 2001. It was also sold with a 204 PS naturally-aspirated 2.0 engine, one of the most powerful engines ever fitted to the Primera. This was the swan song of the model which, due to the excellent initial sales of the Qashqai, was gradually withdrawn from the market.

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