The Nissan Sunny is back and if that name rings a bell then you’re probably just about as old as I am. The original Nissan/Datsun Sunny was introduced in 1966 and if you look really hard you might still find a few Sunny models on the road here in Australia.
Today’s Nissan Sunny is nothing like that near-prehistoric model … but then the Japanese automotive industry was nothing like what we have today either. Back then no one was thinking of launching a ‘global’ car but today it’s the ‘global’ car concept that is saving so many of the major car makers and today’s Nissan Sunny is Nissan’s global car.
Nissan launched the new Sunny yesterday at the 8th China (Guangzhou) International Automobile Exhibition and the new car will go on sale in China in January 2011. From there Nissan plan to market the Sunny … under a variety of other model names … across 170 other countries including Australia.
The all-new Sunny is expected to appeal to young families in their 30s looking for a medium sized sedan that combines outstanding fuel economy with a dynamic upscale design with the space, quality and features associated with the Nissan brand.
Combining the proven Nissan 1.5-liter HR15DE engine with dual injectors and a new-generation Xtronic CVT with an auxiliary transmission, the new Sunny will delivers a better driving experience for city drivers.
MacPherson struts are used for the front suspension and a torsion beam for the rear suspension, making for sporty and agile driving at low speeds and steady and stable driving at higher speeds.
There’s no indication of when we’re likely to see Nissan’s new global sedan here Australia.