The Nissan Rasheen is a compact crossover SUV with four-wheel-drive ability, built from November 1994 to August 2000. It is a five-seater with a rugged, quirky and angular five-door body, and often compared in style with Eastern European cars, particularly the Wartburg 353. It was the fifth and last of Nissan’s Pike car designs.
Nissan Rasheen at a glance
| Production | November 1994 – August 2000 |
|---|---|
| Body | five-door, five seats |
| Platform | Nissan Sunny B14, code RB14 |
| Engines | 1.5-litre GA15DE 105 PS; 1.8-litre SR18DE 125 PS from 1997; 2.0-litre SR20DE 145 PS from 1998 |
| Drive | full-time four-wheel drive with ATTESA |
| Built by | Takada Kogyo, on contract |
| Dealers | Nissan Red Stage |
| Facelift | January 1997, standard dual airbags and ABS |
| Total built | 72,793 |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Nissan Rasheen.
History of the Nissan Rasheen
A Pike car with four-wheel drive
The Rasheen was the fifth series and the last of Nissan’s Pike designs, after the Be-1, Pao, Figaro and S-Cargo, and like the Be-1 and Figaro it was built under contract by Takada Kogyo. A prototype was shown under the same name at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1993. It was sold only through Nissan Red Stage dealerships.
Engineering
The car shared its platform with the Nissan Sunny B14, using the derivative chassis code RB14, and powertrain components came from the four-wheel-drive Nissan Pulsar N14. Every model carried an N in its code to show four-wheel drive, with a further letter for the engine, so the 1.5-litre version was the RFNB14. The four-wheel drive was Nissan’s full-time ATTESA system, a viscous coupling that decided where to send torque based on traction.
Engines and updates
The Rasheen was first sold only with the 105 PS 1.5-litre GA15DE. A 125 PS 1.8-litre SR18DE joined in January 1997 with an automatic gearbox only, and a facelift that month brought a redesigned grille, clear front indicator lenses and standard dual airbags and ABS. After the 1997 Tokyo Motor Show, the Rasheen Forza arrived in April 1998 with a 2.0-litre SR20DE of 145 PS. Anti-lock brakes had first been introduced in September 1996. Production stopped in August 2000 during the restructuring that followed Carlos Ghosn’s Nissan Revival Plan, after 72,793 cars.
Design and features
- Last Pike car: the final member of Nissan’s retro special series.
- ATTESA four-wheel drive: a viscous coupling full-time system.
- Sunny platform: the B14 base under a rugged body.
- Rasheen Forza: the 2.0-litre version from 1998.
Nissan Rasheen versions
- Rasheen 1.5 (1994–2000): the original GA15DE model.
- Rasheen 1.8 (1997–2000): the SR18DE with automatic.
- Rasheen Forza (1998–2000): the SR20DE model.
The Rasheen was a Pike car alongside the Pao and S-Cargo, and shared its platform with the Sunny. More cars are in the Nissan collection.
Video: Nissan Rasheen
Video by YouTube on YouTube.
Sources
- Nissan Rasheen, English Wikipedia: production, Pike origins, platform, engines, ATTESA, total
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