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Nissan has dropped a fresh teaser ahead of Auto China, and one of the two concepts it plans to unveil already has enthusiasts talking. The bigger surprise? It looks a lot like a future Xterra, only with a much more futuristic twist.
The Japanese automaker will also bring the new NX8 to the show, but it is the pair of mystery concepts that will draw the real attention. Nissan is keeping details tight, describing them only as another step in its push toward electrification and smarter technology. Corporate language, sure. Still, the hardware teased in images tells a far more interesting story.
A rugged face, and a very electric-looking one
One concept is clearly built for the dirt. It wears slim headlights, a full-width light bar, illuminated Nissan branding, and five glowing elements across the nose. Add in the chunky front bumper, hood-mounted auxiliary lights, thick all-terrain tires, and serious ground clearance, and the message is obvious. This thing wants trails.
There are more details tucked in across the body, too. An illuminated roof rack, marker lights on the fender flares, and the upright stance all point to a hard-core off-roader rather than a lifestyle SUV dressed up for the city. And unlike the upcoming Xterra expected later in the decade, this concept appears to use a fully enclosed grille. That strongly hints at an all-electric powertrain.
If so, Nissan may be previewing something much more ambitious than a simple revival of a nameplate. An electric Xterra-style SUV would slot neatly into the brand’s broader EV strategy while giving it a boxy, adventure-ready model that could stand apart from softer crossovers.
The second concept is harder to read, but it does not look nearly as wild. What is visible suggests a conventional crossover silhouette, with lighting elements that seem to borrow from the newly redesigned Leaf. There is also a hint of a shark-nose front end, though the teaser leaves just enough ambiguity to keep speculation alive.
What is easier to confirm is the shape. The roofline slopes gently toward the rear, and a spoiler sits neatly on the liftgate, giving the concept a cleaner, more road-focused profile than its rugged sibling. So while one Nissan teaser is aimed squarely at off-road fans, the other appears to lean toward the mainstream electric crossover crowd.
Auto China is shaping up to be an important stage for Nissan, and these concepts suggest the company wants to show more than just new sheet metal. It wants to show direction. One concept points to electrified adventure, the other to the next phase of Nissan design. Both should get people talking.
Source: carscoops
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