Nissan Avenir: the Bluebird wagon’s successor

The Nissan Avenir was a line of station wagons built by Nissan of Japan from May 1990. It replaced the Bluebird wagon and the Skyline Van and was a larger companion to the Wingroad and AD van. The budget delivery version, first the Avenir Cargo, was renamed the Nissan Expert in June 1999. The whole line was cancelled in September 2005, the Expert lasting until December 2006.

Nissan Avenir at a glance

based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Nissan Avenir.

History of the Nissan Avenir

W10 (1990)

The W10 Avenir arrived in May 1990 with a 1.8-litre SR18Di in front-wheel drive or a 2.0-litre SR20DE, while the Avenir Cargo van used a 1.6-litre GA16DS petrol or a 2.0-litre CD20 diesel. Front-wheel-drive cars had a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual; four-wheel drive came in October 1990, automatic only in the Avenir and manual only in the Cargo, with ATTESA available. A 2.0-litre CD20T turbodiesel and a light facelift followed in January 1993, along with the improved SR18DE engine. In December 1993 a cheaper special edition called the Avenir Salut appeared, and the name later spread across the passenger range.

The Salut and GT turbo

Strong sales of the second-generation Subaru Legacy Wagon led Nissan to restyle the Avenir’s rear in a similar way in August 1995. The passenger cars were now all badged Salut, and a turbocharged GT turbo joined them with a 210 PS version of the 2.0-litre SR20DET, available only with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox.

W11 (1998)

The W11 was introduced early in 1998 with 1.8 QG18DE, 2.0 SR20DE, 2.0 SR20DET and 2.0 CD20ET2 turbodiesel engines. Petrol front-wheel-drive cars had a four-speed automatic or a CVT with six-speed tiptronic function; four-wheel-drive cars kept the four-speed automatic, and the turbo stayed four-wheel drive with an automatic, now at 230 PS. This generation was not sold outside Japan. From May 2000 the turbo Salut became the GT4, and in October 2000 the Avenir Blastar added ground clearance and larger wheels with ATTESA as an answer to the Subaru Outback. In August 2002 the SR20 engines gave way to the QR20DE.

Design and features

• Wagon for Japan: the replacement for the Bluebird wagon, sold as the Primera estate in Europe.
• GT turbo: 210 PS in the W10, 230 PS in the W11, four-wheel drive only.
• Avenir Blastar: a raised, Outback-style version from 2000.
• Expert van: the cargo version, sold separately from 1999.

Nissan Avenir versions

• Avenir W10 (1990–1998): first generation, Salut from 1995.
• Avenir Salut GT turbo (1995–2000): 210 PS turbo, four-wheel drive.
• Avenir W11 (1998–2005): second generation, GT4 from 2000.
• Avenir Blastar (2000–2005): raised version with larger wheels.
• Nissan Expert (1999–2006): the former Avenir Cargo delivery van.

The Avenir was the larger companion of the AD and Wingroad, and its place in the range was later taken by the Serena. More cars are in the Nissan collection.

Sources

• Nissan Avenir, English Wikipedia: generations, engines, Salut, GT turbo, Blastar, Expert