Nissan Mistral
Encyclopedia
The Nissan Terrano II is a mid size SUV manufactured by the Japan
ese automaker
Nissan. It was also made by Nissan's Spanish
subsidiary Nissan Motor Ibérica S.A. for the European market, where it was marketed as Nissan Terrano II, and also supplied under an OEM
agreement to Ford Europe
for sale as Ford Maverick on the continent. First launched in 1993 and discontinued only in 2006, the model enjoyed long market life in just one generation, with its basic form unchanged, albeit having been significantly updated throughout its lifetime. Nissan's internal designation for this model was R20.
The R20 was based on the WD21 Nissan Terrano platform, and came in two body styles differing in wheelbase
—a shorter three-door and longer five-door model. For the British market chiefly, a panel van
version of the three-door was also made. The vehicle's body, tall compared to most competitors and providing for high ground clearance, was designed by the Italian I.DE.A Institute
.
Production of the R20 started in Spain in February 1993 and the Terrano II went on sale in Europe in May that year. The Mistral was launched in Japan in June 1994, at first available in the five-door version only - the three-door Mistral joined in 1995. In 1996, the car was facelifted
, gaining round headlights.
In the beginning of 1999, both the JDM Mistral model and the Ford Maverick were phased out, while the remaining Terrano II was facelifted again, gaining a new front fascia more in line with contemporary Nissans, as well as an updated interior. In 2002, yet another facelift took place, giving the model the steering wheel from the Nissan Primera P12. Presented in March at the 72nd Geneva Motor Show the model was hence marketed as simply "Nissan Terrano" in Europe, the previous Terrano being marketed as Pathfinder. The R20 was sold in Europe until 2006, when production in Spain ceased. It was replaced indirectly by three different models; the Nissan X-Trail
, which had been sold alongside it since 2001, the Nissan Pathfinder
and the UK
-built Qashqai
. While the Terrano II had two or five doors and a body-on-frame
platform, the Qashqai has 5 doors and a unibody platform.
s at its launch in 1993; from 1996 the petrol engine became injected and the diesel intercooled
, with 2.4i and 2.7 TDi replacing the previous models. From 1999 until 2006 a 3.0 TDi DOHC, direct injected, turbodiesel intercooled engine was produced, using a version of the Nissan ZD engine
, the ZD30DDTi, that also mounts the bigger and heavier Nissan Patrol
. In the Mistral/Terrano, the 3.0 TDi engine provides much more power and fuel efficiency than the 2.7 TD engines.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese automaker
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
Nissan. It was also made by Nissan's Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
subsidiary Nissan Motor Ibérica S.A. for the European market, where it was marketed as Nissan Terrano II, and also supplied under an OEM
Original Equipment Manufacturer
An original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and retailed under that purchasing company's brand name. OEM refers to the company that originally manufactured the product. When referring to automotive parts, OEM designates a...
agreement to Ford Europe
Ford Europe
-History:Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 on the merger of the British and German divisions of the Ford Motor Company. The original Ford Transit range of panel vans launched in 1965, was the first formal co-operation between the two entities, simultaneously developed to replace the German Ford...
for sale as Ford Maverick on the continent. First launched in 1993 and discontinued only in 2006, the model enjoyed long market life in just one generation, with its basic form unchanged, albeit having been significantly updated throughout its lifetime. Nissan's internal designation for this model was R20.
The R20 was based on the WD21 Nissan Terrano platform, and came in two body styles differing in wheelbase
Wheelbase
In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel...
—a shorter three-door and longer five-door model. For the British market chiefly, a panel van
Panel van
A panel van is a form of solid van, smaller than a lorry or truck, without rear side windows...
version of the three-door was also made. The vehicle's body, tall compared to most competitors and providing for high ground clearance, was designed by the Italian I.DE.A Institute
I.DE.A Institute
I.DE.A Institute is an automobile design and engineering company in Turin, Italy, founded in 1978...
.
Production of the R20 started in Spain in February 1993 and the Terrano II went on sale in Europe in May that year. The Mistral was launched in Japan in June 1994, at first available in the five-door version only - the three-door Mistral joined in 1995. In 1996, the car was facelifted
Facelift (product)
A facelift is the revival of a product through cosmetic means, for example by changing its appearance while leaving its underlying engineering or design intact....
, gaining round headlights.
In the beginning of 1999, both the JDM Mistral model and the Ford Maverick were phased out, while the remaining Terrano II was facelifted again, gaining a new front fascia more in line with contemporary Nissans, as well as an updated interior. In 2002, yet another facelift took place, giving the model the steering wheel from the Nissan Primera P12. Presented in March at the 72nd Geneva Motor Show the model was hence marketed as simply "Nissan Terrano" in Europe, the previous Terrano being marketed as Pathfinder. The R20 was sold in Europe until 2006, when production in Spain ceased. It was replaced indirectly by three different models; the Nissan X-Trail
Nissan X-Trail
The Nissan X-Trail is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan since 2001. It was one of Nissan's first crossover SUVs and was released about the same time as several other companies competing car-based compact SUVs including the Ford Escape and its Mazda Tribute sibling,...
, which had been sold alongside it since 2001, the Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan Pathfinder
The Nissan Pathfinder is a SUV manufactured by Nissan Motors since 1986, derived from Nissan's compact pickup truck platform. The Pathfinder is slotted in size between the Murano and Armada or Patrol, but in price between the Xterra and Murano...
and the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-built Qashqai
Nissan Qashqai
The Nissan Qashqai, known as the Nissan Dualis in Japan and Australia, is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan since 2007...
. While the Terrano II had two or five doors and a body-on-frame
Body-on-frame
Body-on-frame is an automobile construction method. Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame that supports the drivetrain was the original method of building automobiles, and its use continues to this day. The original frames were made of wood , but steel ladder frames became common in the 1930s...
platform, the Qashqai has 5 doors and a unibody platform.
Engines
The Mistral had 2.4 petrol and 2.7 TD turbodieselTurbodiesel
Turbodiesel refers to any diesel engine with a turbocharger. Turbocharging is the norm rather than the exception in modern car and truck diesel engines...
s at its launch in 1993; from 1996 the petrol engine became injected and the diesel intercooled
Intercooler
An intercooler , or charge air cooler, is an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device used on turbocharged and supercharged internal combustion engines to improve their volumetric efficiency by increasing intake air charge density through nearly isobaric cooling, which removes...
, with 2.4i and 2.7 TDi replacing the previous models. From 1999 until 2006 a 3.0 TDi DOHC, direct injected, turbodiesel intercooled engine was produced, using a version of the Nissan ZD engine
Nissan ZD engine
The Nissan ZD30 engine family is a 3 litre , inline four cylinder, diesel engine that replaced the Nissan QD engine. Available in both traditional turbo, variable geomtery turbo, and non turbo versions...
, the ZD30DDTi, that also mounts the bigger and heavier Nissan Patrol
Nissan Patrol
The Nissan Patrol is a four-wheel drive vehicle manufactured by Nissan in Japan since 1951. In Japan since 1980, it has been known as the Nissan Safari. The Patrol is available in Australasia, Central and South America, South Africa, parts of Southeast Asia and Western Europe as well as Iran and...
. In the Mistral/Terrano, the 3.0 TDi engine provides much more power and fuel efficiency than the 2.7 TD engines.