Nissan for the first time removed the helmet of its main test driver in Europe, internally known as The Stig.
The role of Paul – or The Stig – is one of the key pieces in the development of all new Nissan models. As one of only four expert drivers outside of Japan who have the highest Nissan driving rating, Paul is tasked with ensuring that each new vehicle is dynamically as suited as possible to the roads and tastes of Europeans.
Paul has 20 years of experience at the brand and therefore instinctively recognizes whether a new Nissan chassis is optimized to have the best balance between performance and passenger comfort. What's more, the Nissan Stig is able to “shuttle off” the driver's skin – or the helmet… – and think like a typical customer, which helps to respond to demand from those interested in Nissan models.
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Asked about the new Nissan GT-R, the jewel in the Japanese brand's crown, the pilot explains:With the new GT-R, which will be available for sale this summer, the aim was to make it as exciting, grippy and stable as possible when driven to the limit, which is what a GT-R owner wants.
Paul's job isn't just to take milliseconds out of lap times (although he's pretty good at doing that). He also has a responsibility to replicate how Nissan customers will actually drive their cars in the real world. He further explains that Qashqai and Juke, by way of example, "have to be as agile, stable and secure as possible, but at the same time provide comfort and flexibility for buyers."
How do you test a Nissan performance?
I drive at different speeds, in different positions on the road, up and down curbs, through rutted tracks, on highways and in stop/start situations with heavy traffic congestion. For Nissan, it's all about the quality of the driving experience. Only then can I really assess a car's true dynamic performance and ensure it's fit to be driven by a Nissan customer.”
At the moment, he is working very closely with autonomous driving engineers, perfecting the ProPilot technology – scheduled for next year's Qashqai debut – for European customers that aims to keep the pleasant elements of driving and eliminate some of the less pleasant parts. , as well as increasing customer security.
