For the 35th anniversary of the start of production at the Sunderland plant, Nissan announced the release of a special modification of the Nissan Bluebird – the first car to roll off the production line at the plant in 1986. The car, named Newbird, was developed for a special project and equipped with a fully electric drivetrain Nissan LEAF.
For the integration of the LEAF electric drive, the Nissan Bluebird model underwent significant modifications. Instead of the original gasoline engine and transmission, the car received the LEAF motor, inverter, and a 40 kW battery pack, with battery modules installed in the engine bay and trunk for optimal weight distribution.
The power steering, braking system, and heating system were upgraded to work with battery power. In addition, the car received a specially designed suspension tuned to accommodate the additional weight of the battery modules.
The external distinguishing feature of the electrified version is the original Nissan emblem on the hood with illuminated LED backlighting when the car is stationary.
The car is charged using a charging port located behind the original fuel tank cap. The vehicle can be charged with a power of up to 6.6 kW, and the battery charge level is displayed by the fuel level indicator: the original instrument panel has been connected to the electric drive system for this purpose.
Although the car has not yet been certified, the estimated range on a single charge is about 210 km, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes less than 15 seconds. For the vehicle’s exterior, the London-based Nissan Design Europe developed a new graphic style inspired by the traditions of 1980s consumer design combined with 21st-century aesthetics.