Spanish brand extinct 22 years ago returns selling cars made from China — and well-known from Brazil

Galloper, a Spanish brand that disappeared in 2004, returns to the market in October with two stringer chassis SUVs made in China: the Ayanet pickup and the Gredos SUV. Both are renamed Nissan cars, equipped with a Mitsubishi engine, and will start at around R$ 154 thousand (26 thousand euros) in Spain.

The operation is in the hands of Galloper Ibérica, a company recently created to take back the name of the former importer. The strategy is the same as three decades ago. The Hyundai Galloper was a Korean reinterpretation of the Mitsubishi Montero, sold in other markets such as Pajero, with two generations launched in 1991 and 1997. In Spain, the utility vehicle was brought by Galloper España and distributed by Mitsubishi’s own network — with Mitsubishi emblems.

Nissan underneath, Mitsubishi on the hood

The Ayanet is, in practice, a Nissan Navara D23, the same generation that in Brazil is called Frontier. The Gredos, on the other hand, corresponds to the pre-restyling version of the Nissan Terra, an SUV derived from the pickup and not sold in the country. The external changes are limited to the Galloper lettering on the front and rear lid and a new emblem with three horizontal lines.

Inside, the panels are dominated by multimedia screens that occupy the entire center console — a solution shared with the Dongfeng/Oting Paladin, sold in China and Eastern Europe.

The most relevant change is under the hood, where Nissan’s sets have given way to a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine from Mitsubishi, with 221 hp and 36,7 kgfm. The transmission is an eight-speed ZF automatic, and all-wheel drive is provided by BorgWarner, with a reduced transfer case and rear differential lock.

According to Galloper Ibérica, the engine meets the Euro 6 emissions standard. To adapt to the stricter Euro 7, the company is studying to offer versions with a mild hybrid system and with LPG.

Chinese manufacturing, with Spanish assembly under study

The two models are produced by China’s Anhui Coronet under license from Zhengzhou Nissan, a company that Nissan has in partnership with Dongfeng. Galloper Ibérica is considering transferring the assembly to Spain in the future, without a defined deadline.

The commercial launch is scheduled for October in the Spanish market, with subsequent expansion to other European countries. Ayanet starts at 26 thousand euros and Gredos, at 39 thousand euros, equivalent to about R$ 232 thousand. The goal is to close the year with 60 dealerships.