For the last couple of months Nissan is already in the news for its new global sedan Nissan Sunny and very recently the same car has been unveiled at the 2011 New York Auto Show. Interesting part is that the Sunny showcased at the New York Auto Show has been named as Nissan Versa.
Clearing the clouds of confusions, only the car’s name has been changed and the rest remains the same. It’s the same sunny based on Nissan V-Platform that is expected to be launched in our market in the next couple of months.
The car will be available in Versa Sedan 1.6 S (offered in 5MT and CVT versions), Versa Sedan 1.6 SV (CVT only) and Versa Sedan 1.6 SL (CVT only) variants and will go on sale during summer 2011 in the US market.
In the Indian market this new car will compete against Ford Fiesta, Toyota Etios, Hyundai Verna and others in the same segment and hopefully inject cut throat competition into the market.
Official Press Release
2012 NISSAN VERSA SEDAN – THE “BIG SMALL CAR” BRINGS INNOVATION WITHIN REACH
Small on the outside, big on the inside. Smart technology with next-generation efficiency. A $10,990 starting M.S.R.P. and low cost of ownership. New dual injector system and sub-planetary CVT design. Expected combined city/highway fuel economy of 33 miles per gallon. New global “V” (for Versatile) platform. Sophisticated styling, high quality interior.
Small When You Need It, Big Where You Want It
Knowing that entry-level vehicles are used as “workhorses” – for commuting on weekdays, errand running on weekends and transporting family and friends all week long – the designers of the new Versa Sedan sought to combine five-passenger practicality with a high degree of comfort and refinement. It also offers an unexpected level of available entertainment and connectivity features, such as Bluetooth, navigation system with 5-inch touch-screen display, Satellite Radio and an iPod®/USB interface.
Other available interior features include trip computer, power windows with driver’s one-touch down, speed-sensing auto door locks, remote trunk release lever and steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Two interior colors are available, Sandstone and Charcoal.
The Versa Sedan’s new exterior design is also a departure from most current compact sedans, offering a fresh, refreshing design character that is both sophisticated and highly aerodynamic.
To achieve the new Versa Sedan’s upscale look, the designers gave the exterior shape a strong sense of volume, with a wide shoulder width and a smooth silhouette. In front, Versa Sedan features Nissan’s new signature sedan grille design and jewel-like headlights.
The front end blends smoothly into the cabin, which offers flowing curves, while design elements such as the shape of the trunklid help give the new Versa Sedan excellent aerodynamics, including a low coefficient of drag of just 0.31.
The 2012 Versa Sedan is offered in eight exterior colors, including Metallic Blue, Blue Onyx, Super Black, Brilliant Silver, Magnetic Gray, Red Brick, Fresh Powder and Titanium – which has previously been reserved for the Nissan GT-R among Nissan models.
Next-Generation Efficiency and an All-New V Platform
The 2012 Nissan Versa Sedan’s all-new front-wheel drive global “V” platform, designated “V” for Versatile, utilizes nearly 20 percent fewer platform components and weighs around 150 pounds less than the previous “B” platform. While retaining the same 102.4-inch wheelbase and 66.7-inch width as the previous generation Versa Sedan, the new model is 1.2 inches lower in height (59.6 inches) and 0.6 inches shorter in overall length (175.4 inches). The biggest dimensional gain, however, is in the visible gain in trunk length – provided by a more compact engine/transmission design that allows for a 2.7-inch increase in rear overhang (the distance from the center of the rear tire to the rear bumper).
The second-generation 1.6-liter HR16DE 4-cylinder engine includes a range of cutting-edge technologies, making it one of the most advanced powerplants in class. For example, while the average engine uses only one injector per cylinder to inject fuel, the new Versa Sedan engine is equipped with two streamlined injectors mounted near the inlet valve for each cylinder. This dual injector system allows a wider injection of fuel, with the smaller nozzles delivering a finer spray (approximately 57 percent finer than the previous generation single injector design’s particle size) to help achieve stable combustion.
The new compact, lighter weight engine also utilizes a twin Continuously Variable Timing Control (CVTC) system mounted on both intake and exhaust ports (versus conventional CVTC systems which are mounted only on the intake port), similar to the system used on the flagship Nissan Maxima. Other enhancements include the addition of a piston oiling jet, tuning of the piston top shape and expansion of the exhaust manifold diameter.
The new 1.6-liter engine is rated at 109 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 107 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm.
The Nissan Versa Sedan is available with a 5-speed manual transmission (1.6 S model only) and with a next-generation Xtronic CVTTM transmission. The CVT allows continuous change of the transmission gear ratio by connecting the two pulleys with a metallic belt and changing their diameter by using hydraulic pressure. The new CVT design adds an auxiliary gearbox using planetary gearing, helping improve efficiency.
The CVT also features a transmission ratio of 7.3:1, which is broader than those of conventional CVTs and even typical 7-speed automatic transmissions. Friction is reduced by about 30 percent, weight by about 13 percent and overall size by about 10 percent versus the previous Versa Sedan CVT design.
Versa also offers low rolling resistance P185/65R15 all-season tires with available 15-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
Fuel economy for the 2012 Versa Sedan is estimated at 30 mpg City, 37 mpg Highway and 33 mpg Combined with the CVT transmission (27/36/30 mpg with the 5-speed manual transmission) (preliminary estimates).
All 2012 Nissan Versa Sedans are equipped with an independent MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension, with front and rear stabilizer bars. Other standard equipment includes Electric Power Steering and power-assisted front disc/rear drum brakes. An Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA) is also standard on all Versa Sedan models.
Standard safety features found on every 2012 Versa Sedan include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) (includes dual-stage front supplemental air bags and front seat side-impact supplemental air bags for chest protection), seat-mounted driver and front passenger side-impact supplemental air bags, and roof-mounted curtain side-impact air bags for front and rear outboard occupant head protection.
Additional safety features include standard LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) system, child safety rear door locks, child seat upper tether anchors and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Traction Control System (TCS).
