Indian pre-production of first South Africa-bound new Nissan starts
Confirmed for arrival in 2026, the first of two new SUVs will be based on existing Renault products assembled at Chennai Plant now wholly owned by the French brand.
The first of two new Renault-based Nissan SUV will arrive in 2026. Both have been confirmed for South Africa. Image: Nissan
With speculation continuing to grow about Nissan's alleged closing of its Rosslyn Plant outside Pretoria, the automaker has indicated that two of its three products bound for India have entered pre-production ahead of their market reveals next year.
Nissan by Renault
Teased back in March as part of its restructuring process that saw Ivan Espinosa replace Makoto Uchida as CEO, the initial pair of models consist of a Nissan-badged version of the Renault Triber and a restyled take on the new Duster.
Not shown in the mentioned images, the incoming third model will use the Dacia Bigster as a base and could replace the X-Trail as a more affordable option in select developing markets.
ALSO READ: Reports claim Rosslyn to be one of Nissan's plants facing closure
A facility that had been of Nissan's biggest outside Japan and even North America, the plant currently produces the Kiger and Triber, as well as the Magnite for 65 markets in both right-and-left-hand-drive.
In addition, it will soon produce the Duster currently made in Romania and Turkey, and by extension, the mentioned Nissan model.
Plans for India
Addressing Nissan's supposed market exit, Vatsa told Autocar India, 'I am also happy to say that all our product plans are on track and well underway and, in fact, pre-production of our upcoming B-MPV and C-SUV has already begun at the Renault plant in Chennai.
'Reports of our exit are all untrue, and there is no reason for us to exit. As you can see from our continued development of the Magnite and the new products planned, we are not pulling back from anything'.
Nissan-badged version of the Renault Triber will go on-sale in India next year. Image: Nissan
Confirming the Triber-based model as debuting in the first quarter of next year, Vatsa stated that the Duster underpinned model, which could revive the Terrano name used on a rebadged version of the original, would make its unveiling in mid-2026 and go on-sale soon after.
Although sold exclusively with five-seats in Europe, Vatsa remarked that the Bigster derived Nissan, which will also become Chennai-assembled Renault, will be engineered from the start to have seven-seats as opposed to being a '5+2' model.
Accordingly, this model will debut in 2027, suggesting the Renault version as either becoming a reality in late 2026 or early the next year ahead of the Nissan.
Made in India for South Africa
More significantly, both SUVs have received approval for South Africa, the former set to replace the Qashqai that quietly departed the local market last year.
'[These] products will be Nissan's answer to the Chinese competition in South Africa. We believe [India] is a good source to bring competitive and technologically advanced to market,' Nissan Managing Director for South Africa and Independent African Markets, Maciej Klenkiewicz, told the media at the unveiling of the facelift Magnite in Cape Town last year.
Dacia Bigster will become a Renault once production kicks-off in India. A local market debut is anticipated to happen either in 2026 or 2027. Image: Dacia
A line-up also set to include the all-new Y63 Patrol in 2026, the alleged closure of Rosslyn, which currently only produces the Navara for South Africa and Sub-Saharan African markets, has so far not been commented on as one of the seven plants facing closure.
This comes after the announcement of the Re:Nissan strategy by Espinosa that would see a reduction in production facilities from 17 to 10 and lead to job cuts of 20 000 on top of the 9 000 announced last year.
Uncertain future
Locally, the Rosslyn Plant, which has been in operation since 1966, employees an estimated 1 200 workers, which had been reduced by 400 in 2023 following the discontinuation of the NP200 and the shelving of its almost finished successor due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As it stands, Nissan South Africa has so far remained mum on the reported closing of Rosslyn, though, expectations are that an official an official announcement will be made in due course.
NOW READ: New Patrol coming as Nissan releases fresh details for South Africa
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
‘Warrior' Henco Venter departing Glasgow reluctantly after two stellar seasons for the Scottish URC champions
Glasgow Warriors' Henco Venter will reluctantly leave the club after not receiving a contract extension ahead of the next season. Image: Backpagepix South African Henco Venter, who has been a standout acquisition for the defending United Rugby Championship (URC) winners, the Glasgow Warriors, for the last couple of seasons, might play his final game for the team this coming weekend. They face Leinster in Dublin in the semi-finals on Saturday afternoon and depending on the result, it could be the swansong for the Free State native. He recently returned to the side following a ban and immediately made his impact felt, playing 72-odd minutes against the Stormers in the URC quarters. He terrorised his compatriots and spearheaded the Glasgow defence and breakdown play to help them to a comfortable 36-18 victory. He's been a thorn in the side of the Stormers, especially in the tournament, and seemed to always lift his game when facing the men from the Cape. In last season's final against the Bulls, Venter also made a telling impact to help his side lift the URC title against the odds at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Now, he is on the cusp of exiting the side that became his second home since leaving South Africa, and ahead of a move to French Pro D2 club Brive, he is poised to put his best foot forward. According to Venter, after a directive from higher-ups in Scottish rugby, the Warriors must focus on young talent and not foreign soldiers from next season. Despite being forced to leave, Venter told BBC Sport he loved his time in Glasgow and would've liked to extend his stay after two seasons there. 'It's a tricky question,' he said after being quizzed about leaving. 'It's also from above and all the stuff going on in Scotland regarding foreign players. That's basically one of the main reasons. I love this place, and I'd love to stay, but... (let's) leave it there. 'They want more Scottish players, and I understand that is their plan going forward and I respect that. I am not Scottish, so it's a privilege to be here and give back to the club and the country. If they make their plans and have a will to make Scottish rugby better, I hope they succeed in it.' The 33-year-old played for the Cheetahs before venturing overseas to Japan for a season. He returned and played for the Sharks in an unsuccessful spell before signing for Glasgow. Last season, he was one of the standout campaigners during their title-winning run. He has been more than a handy replacement when the Scotland players have been in camp during the Six Nations and that experience is what they will likely miss going forward. Venter, however, is looking forward to playing another big role this weekend when they take on Leinster in the semi-finals. He is also hopeful there will be a title-defending match after this weekend's duel at the Aviva Stadium.
The Citizen
9 hours ago
- The Citizen
Arms deal: Thales and Zuma acquittal applications dismissed
The Pietermaritzburg High Court has dismissed the application for acquittal by former president Jacob Zuma and French arms company Thales in the decades-long arms deal corruption case. The Witness reports that Judge Nkosinathi Chili also ruled that the court doesn't have authority to withdraw charges, adding that 'it would be incompetent for the court to grant the relief (permanent stay of prosecution) sought'. He said the state has the exclusive right to stop prosecution. Chili reserved his decision in April after hearing arguments from both parties. Zuma and Thales were seeking a permanent stay of prosecution, claiming that unreasonable delays had prejudiced their right to a fair trial. Thales argued that the deaths of two key witnesses — former company directors Pierre Moynot and Alain Thétard — had crippled its defence. Both men were central to the events surrounding the allegations and were the only Thales directors based in South Africa at the time of the deal. According to court papers, Thales became aware in late 2021 that Moynot had died on January 18, 2021, and that Thétard had died in Germany on September 7, 2022 — although confirmation was only received in 2024. Zuma joined Thales' application, arguing that the state's case against him is 'symbiotically conjoined' with that of Thales. His lawyer, Advocate Dali Mpofu, said the deaths of Moynot and Thétard also weaken Zuma's ability to challenge the evidence against him — particularly in relation to the controversial 'encrypted fax' at the heart of the allegations. In his ruling, Chili said he was not persuaded that Thales and Zuma would suffer irreparable prejudice or that their rights to a fair trial would be compromised if the matter proceeds. Mpofu said it was likely that Zuma would file an application for leave to appeal the ruling, which must be done by June 24. Zuma is accused of accepting bribes from Thales during his tenure as deputy president in the late 1990s. These payments were allegedly facilitated by his former financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, who was convicted of corruption in 2005. Chili agreed with National Prosecuting Authority Advocate Andrew Breitenbach, that the full extent of any potential prejudice could only be assessed once evidence is led at trial. The judge had previously dismissed Zuma's bid to remove lead prosecutor Advocate Billy Downer, as well as a subsequent application for leave to appeal that decision. Mpofu said today that Zuma has since filed a petition with the Supreme Court of Appeal to challenge Judge Chili's ruling. The matter has been adjourned to December 4. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Daily Maverick
9 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
How Luis Enrique transformed PSG from individual superstars to a unified family
Following Paris Saint-Germain's emphatic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the 2025 European Champions League final, Luis Enrique's reputation as one of the best coaches around has been reinforced. Often there is an overused phrase within the workplace — 'We are all family here.' Usually the environment is hardly anything like family though — instead being a vile and competitive space where people are trying to outshine each other. That was said to be the case even at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) before the arrival of manager Luis Enrique in 2023. PSG's policy of recruiting the best players in the world for transfer fees that equate to the economies of the poorest countries in the world fostered this type of environment. Players such as Neymar, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi came to the club as both footballers and celebrities. As such, their influence in the dressing room was significant — for better or worse. They were also arriving at a PSG side whose history as an all-conquering outfit is still being written. The French champions are not Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United or Liverpool in history or stature, even though their recent European Champions League success has set them on the right path to hopefully reach such heights and pedigree one day. Change in philosophy The culture shift that Enrique demanded of the PSG hierarchy was pivotal to the serial champions finally conquering Europe — 14 years after Qatar Sports Investments took over the club and began pouring billions into it. The objective? To propel PSG to the summit of French soccer, then conquer Europe. The first objective was achieved hastily and easily. Since Qatar Sports Investments' arrival in 2011, the Parisians have increased their Ligue 1 gold medal haul to 13 overall. Prior to the Qatari takeover PSG only had two French league trophies to their name. Now they have overtaken traditional powerful French teams such as Saint-Étienne, Marseille, Monaco and Lyon. However, for the elusive European success to come to fruition, PSG truly had to become a work family in its purest sense. Everyone was required to pull in the same direction, at the same time. Previously, the team's superstars had even been accused of insubordination and undermining the club's managers. If they were unhappy, they would allegedly leap over their coaches and report directly to club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. A similar modus operandi was said to be in place at English Premier League side Chelsea when they were still owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, with senior players wielding more dressing room power than some of the managers who worked at the Blues during the Abramovich era. Mass exodus The no-nonsense Enrique made his conditions clear when he took over the reins from Frenchman Christophe Galtier two years ago. The Spanish tactician wanted a team consisting of players who would fight for the PSG badge, as opposed to placing individual glory at the forefront. 'I never imagined myself coaching PSG because their policy was to attract the biggest superstars. But now they want to change,' he told Spanish documentary filmmakers in 2024. When there was buy-in from the PSG hierarchy towards the former Barcelona mentor's proposed philosophy for the club, there was a max exodus. Influential players such as Messi, Neymar and midfielder Marco Verratti were shipped out upon Enrique's arrival. Mbappé followed them in 2024. After that, the focus turned to recruiting young, talented players who Enrique would be able to mould like clay. Players who were not so settled in their habits. Enter Désiré Doué, João Neves, Bradley Barcola, Willian Pacho and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia — to name a few. Despite his spring cleaning exercise upon arriving in France, Enrique did hold on to some senior players, such as the club's long-time captain Marquinhos. The Brazilian has been at PSG since 2013 and his presence was crucial for imparting the core values of the club beyond its excessive spending habits. Humility equals harmony Enrique preached humility to his newly crafted squad — reminding them how privileged they were to be in the position they found themselves in. 'We're just very fortunate people with a skill that happens to be paid very well,' Enrique told his players before their Champions League final against Inter. 'If we were playing table tennis we wouldn't even get noticed. We'd be walking, taking the bus or riding bikes and nobody would look at us twice. How lucky we are to be good at something that pays well,' the former Spain midfielder added. This is the mantra that Enrique has whispered into his players' ears over the past couple of years. It has clearly paid dividends. Whereas PSG previously consisted of uber-talented individual superstars, the Parisians are now truly a family — a cohesive unit working for the greater good of the club. 'It's amazing. It is a feeling that I try to instil in my players. You see it on the pitch. One for all and all for one, like the Three Musketeers. That is marvelous in a team sport,' stated Enrique. 'Yes, there's a star, a star that shines more brightly than anything else, that is the team. That is the star, the team,' he said. This young and ambitious family can now build what Qatar Sports Investments has long dreamt of — a European dynasty to complement their total dominance of French soccer. For Enrique, such success would further entrench his legacy as one of the greatest soccer tacticians of this era. DM
