05/09/2008 22:31. Nissan , which next year plans to similarly test the water in the US with a compression-ignition engined Maxima, is set to release a diesel version of the X-Trail SUV in Japan.

The new X-Trail 20GT, which goes on sale on 18 September, has been designed expressly for the home market. The 2.0-litre I4 turbocharged 'M9R' engine, a modified version of an existing Renault Nissan Alliance unit, is the first from any OEM to meet Japan's new emissions standards.

The unit's torque figure is claimed to be 360Nm, with stated power of 170hp (127kW).

The Japanese public has long been alarmed by media reports of the dangers of particulates, so Nissan has a major marketing challenge ahead if it wishes to change opinions. In Tokyo, the former mayor, a popular man, loudly and constantly denounced... // Automotive World