1998 Nissan Primera Wagon WP11 Photos, engines & full specs

Nissan didn’t intend to create a station wagon for the second generation of the Primera, but after it saw the high demand for such vehicles in Europe, it quickly adapted and introduced this type of bodywork for its mid-size contender in 1998.

While the sedan and the hatchback versions of the Primera were praised for their driving abilities, other automakers enjoyed their sales figures for their mid-size vehicles. Moreover, customers started to forget about MPVs and turned their attention to station wagons. These cars were more practical in terms of size and cheaper to buy and run. As a result, Nissan was caught off-guard, and since it didn’t have such a vehicle on offer, it had to create one as quickly as possible. Thankfully, it already had a trustworthy platform, so all it had to do was to create a new rear-end for the car. That took it some time and cost the automaker some sales. But eventually, it managed to launch the Primera Wagon in 1998.

Since Nissan introduced the second generation of the Primera in 1996, the automaker hasn’t considered introducing a facelift for it along with the station wagon version, even though the outdated front fascia design was obvious. The horizontal headlights resembled those from the cars penned in the mid-80s. Still, the lower side of the bumper looked more modern, especially when fitted with fog lamps.

From its profile up to the B-pillars, the Primera Wagon had the same body panels as its hatchback and sedan brothers. The rear doors, on the other hand, were reshaped, sporting different upper areas. Furthermore, behind the C-posts, the automaker installed a third row of windows next to the trunk space. Finally, at the back, the automaker placed a slightly tilted forward tailgate. Unlike the previous Primera generation, this one sported part of the taillights, making the car more visible. It is worth noting that Nissan assigned a different code for the vehicle. While the sedan and the hatchback versions were named P11, the Wagon was known as the WP11.

Inside, customers found a neatly designed dashboard that featured the instrument cluster’s visor extended above the center stack. At the front, the automaker installed a pair of bucket seats divided by a narrow center console that housed the gear stick and the handbrake. In the back, the automaker placed a split-folding bench seat that could host three adults. Thanks to the longer wheelbase than on its predecessor, the 1998 Primera Wagon offered more legroom for them. By folding down the rear seats, customers could expand the trunk space. Another unique feature of the vehicle was found in the trunk area, where the carmaker installed a clever system with a flip-over base that featured a plastic tray on one side and a flat, carpeted area on the other.

Under the hood, Nissan installed a choice of three engines paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. As an option, the two-liter version was available with a four-speed automatic as well.