Nissan's ballistic bush-basher

NISSAN has responded to the question nobody has yet asked: What do you get when you cross a Skyline GT-R with a compact off-roader? The answer: Nissan's new X-Trail GT.

The Japanese car-maker has turned up the wick on the X-Trail by offering the special edition GT with nearly twice as much power as the cooking model.

A Japan-only model at this stage, the X-Trail GT could possibly make it to our shores under the low-volume import scheme.

"There is some interest here for the GT, so if the opportunity arrives we would certainly have a closer look at it," Nissan Australia media relations manager Karl Gehling said.

The GT should be to its junior sibling what the ML55 AMG is to Mercedes-Benz's base M-class.

The X-Trail's designers have given the GT a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that develops approximately 205kW of power at 6400rpm and 309Nm of torque between 3200-6400rpm.

The four-wheel drive system has been developed from the one used on the current R34 Skyline GT-R.

Exterior modifications are limited to the grille, front bumper, fog lights, roof-mounted rear spoiler and larger wheel/tyre combination, making the X-Trail GT an all-new breed of Q-car.

Interior changes include a Skyline GT-R-style three-spoke steering wheel, sports seats, aluminium pedals and wood panelling.

The brakes and suspension have been beefed up to handle the extra power and performance potential. Surprisingly, it is only available with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Until the release of the X-Trail, Nissan was one of the few manufacturers not represented in the compact off-road segment.

The X-Trail GT will enable Nissan to compete against the likes of the Subaru Forester STi in its home market.

Nissan Australia previewed the standard X-Trail at last week's Melbourne motor show. A positive response from show-goers has Nissan around 90 per cent confident of importing the compact off-roader, with an announcement due later this month.

The standard X-Trail is expected to arrive here around November, provided it gets the green light.