Triumph for the Nissan X-Trail at Baja Aragon Rally

A small team of dedicated engineers from Nissan’s technical centre in Barcelona successfully entered and completed the Baja Aragon Rally in a modified X-Trail e-4ORCE, powered by Nissan’s unique e-POWER system.

What is the Baja Aragon Rally?

The Baja Aragon Rally is a prestigious and challenging off-road motorsport event held annually in the rugged terrain of the Aragon region in Spain. Known for its demanding course, the rally attracts top competitors from around the world who navigate a demanding route filled with a variety of obstacles, including rocky paths, steep inclines, and unpredictable weather conditions.

Over the course of several days, drivers and their teams must demonstrate exceptional skill, endurance, and precision to complete the rally. The Baja Aragon Rally not only tests the limits of the vehicles but also highlights the importance of teamwork and innovative engineering in overcoming some of the toughest terrains in the motorsport world.

Nissan at the Baja Aragon Rally

Over two gruelling days (July 27-28 2024), the X-Trail covered more than 310 miles of demanding, unforgiving terrain to finish the rally. The vehicle was expertly modified and prepared by a team of seven engineers from the powertrain function at Nissan Technical Centre Europe – Spain (NTCE-S).

The X-Trail was driven by Jonatan Gijón from the chassis dynamics team and Cesar Fernández from the powertrain tuning team, both of whom are experienced and highly trained Nissan test drivers.

Competing in the “Open” category, the team aims to participate in next year’s event in the “Stock” category, which includes vehicles based on standard production specifications, including hybrids.

We are so happy and proud to have achieved our target for entering the Baja Aragon Rally, which was to simply finish. The conditions were very demanding – with high temperatures and difficult terrain. The fact that we finished is a great recognition of e-POWER and the e-4ORCE twin motor all-wheel system. And it’s also a credit to the passion and commitment of this small group of engineers who worked so hard to bring this crazy idea to reality.

Miquel Sasot, Manager, Powertrain Group, NTCE-S.

Power in the e-POWER Powertrain

The X-Trail’s unique powertrain, named e-POWER, remained unmodified compared to the standard production version. The only modifications for the Baja event included enhanced cooling capacity, upgraded suspension, the installation of a roll cage, a competition fuel tank, a stripped-out interior, and the mandated safety equipment.

The project to modify the X-Trail for participation in the Baja Aragon Rally began in February 2023 as a “passion project” after a small group of engineers at Nissan’s technical centre studied the X-Trail and its powertrain. They concluded that, without significant modifications to the powertrain, it had the potential to compete in a rally competition. Using their evenings and weekends to carry out the modifications and with support from the leadership team at NTCE-S, the project gained momentum.

In the research and development function at Nissan, we place a high value on a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Therefore, when the team presented us with the results of the work they had carried out on the feasibility to modify an e-POWER X-Trail, with its advanced e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system, to compete in a rally, we were fascinated. It didn’t take long to agree that it represented a great platform to demonstrate how robust the powertrain is.

David Moss, Senior Vice President, Region Research & Development, Nissan’s AMIEO (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe & Oceania) region.

Challenging The Norm

The unique configuration of the e-POWER system is a key factor in its popularity among buyers of both the Qashqai and X-Trail. Unlike traditional hybrid systems, e-POWER uses only an electric motor to drive the wheels, resulting in a smooth, responsive, and linear driving experience. With an advanced petrol engine on board solely for generating electricity, customers do not need to plug in. Since its introduction, over 150,000 e-POWER-equipped vehicles have been sold in Europe.

The X-Trail combines the e-POWER system with Nissan’s advanced twin-motor e-4ORCE all-wheel drive system, providing traction and confident performance in all conditions. Designed specifically for electrified powertrains, it monitors available traction 1,000 times per second, constantly adjusting power distribution to ensure the X-Trail remains stable under all conditions.

In Nissan, we challenge ourselves and each other to ‘Defy Ordinary’ – where we actively search for ways to go further, be bolder and challenge conventions. The small team in Barcelona who recognised the potential of X-Trail e-POWER with e-4ORCE embodied this spirit. We’re delighted and proud of them and their extraordinary achievement in the Baja Aragon Rally.

Coralie Musy, Region Vice President, Brand & Customer Experience.

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In conclusion, the innovative e-POWER system, coupled with the advanced e-4ORCE all-wheel drive, showcases Nissan’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive technology. This unique combination offers drivers a smooth and responsive driving experience, with the added benefit of not needing to plug in.

The success of e-POWER-equipped vehicles in Europe, with over 150,000 units sold, underscores the appeal and effectiveness of Nissan’s engineering. As Nissan continues to innovate and challenge itself, it remains at the forefront of delivering cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving needs of its customers.