MADRID -- Nissan may consider a sportier version of its Qashqai compact crossover along the lines of the Range Rover Evoque.
A coupe-styled version of the Qashqai could win sales in Europe where the Evoque started a trend toward crossover coupes, said Marco Fioravanti, Nissan Europe's general manager for product planning and strategy.
"We are observing the moves of other automakers such as Audi, Honda and Volvo. We will not stand watching," Fioravanti said during a press event for the new Qashqai here.
A Nissan spokesman said the company currently had nothing in its product plans for an Evoque-style Qashqai. "Nissan constantly studies model trends and mulls ideas. Some make their way to production and others fall at various stages," the spokesman said.
Fioravanti said Nissan will not build a Qashqai hybrid version. "Our traditional engines have excellent fuel consumption. We want to keep an high 'value for money' formula on the Qashqai," he said.
