FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

4 October 1999

NISSAN AT THE LONDON MOTOR SHOW

Nissan will have no fewer than five UK debuts on the stand at this year’s London Motor Show including the all-new Almera, the stunning Skyline GT‑R sports coupé, the acclaimed new Primera, plus 4x4s such as the next generation Terrano II and the new Navara lifestyle Pickup. Also available to see will be Nissan’s latest addition to the ever-popular Micra range, the highly acclaimed 200SX sports coupé and the rugged 4WD Patrol GR.

Micra

Nissan’s latest addition to the ever-popular Micra range will be on display at the London Motor Show – the limited edition Micra Mystique.

The Mystique, which is based on the luxury SE model with the addition of ChromaFlair® paint, is available with Nissan’s 16-valve 1.3-litre engine with manual transmission. ChromaFlair® paint changes colour depending on the viewing angle, angle of light and contour of the body panel. The Mystique is available only as a 1.3-litre five-door model with manual transmission and costs £11,250 on-the-road.

Standard equipment on the Micra SE and Mystique includes anti-lock brakes (ABS), driver’s and passenger airbags, front fog lamps, 14-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, leather steering wheel and single CD player. Side airbags are also an option. The Micra SE manual is available at £10,900 on-the-road while the
N-CVT costs £11,890.

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New Almera

Nissan’s new UK-built Almera will have its UK debut at the London Motor Show.  The new Almera, which goes on sale in March 2000, represents a multi-million Euro investment in Nissan’s European facilities – design, development and manufacturing, and confirms Nissan’s strategy to raise industry standards in the competitive C-segment.

The new Almera will introduce a host of innovations to the UK market including three-dimensional satellite navigation, active anti-whiplash head restraints and advanced 16-valve petrol and diesel engines that already exceed strict EU emissions targets.

In addition, the new Almera is the third model to be manufactured at Nissan’s award-winning plant in Sunderland – Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) Ltd (NMUK) has been independently rated as Europe’s most efficient and productive plant for the last three consecutive years.

From the front the new Almera displays a strong Nissan corporate identity with the radiator grille radically raked back, flowing into the bonnet and headlamps.  The rear view displays the twin, distinctive rear lamp assemblies, while the bumper is formed from a single strong curve with distinctive aerodynamically efficient ‘surf-tail’ roofline. The waistline is significantly higher than on its predecessor, giving the new Almera a robust and powerful sporting stance.

Power comes from a new range of environment-friendly multi-valve engines (1.5-litre, 1.8-litre and 2.2 litre). The 2.2-litre diesel engine is Nissan’s first application of direct injection diesel technology in a European passenger car.  The relatively large displacement (2.2-litres) includes the first applications of Nissan’s M-Fire modulated kinetics combustion technology for reduced soot and nitrous oxide emissions, improved performance and reduced noise. Two petrol

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engines are available for the new Almera and both DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engines are designed to exceed E IV regulations not due to come into force until 2005.

Skyline GT‑R

Nissan’s latest generation Skyline GT‑R will make its first public appearance in the UK and will begin sales at the London Motor Show. The price tag for the Skyline, one of the world’s most coveted performance coupés, is likely to be around £54,000.

Changes to the latest Skyline include new, more aggressive styling, increased grip, increased rigidity, improved aerodynamics and improved handling. The formidable 280 PS 2568cc twin-turbo straight six-cylinder engine has been further developed to provide more torque and quicker turbo response. A new six-speed close ratio Getrag gearbox and 18-inch alloy wheels further enhance the driving experience.  The Skyline GT‑R also comes with two colour choices of hand-crafted Connolly leather interior as standard.

New Primera

Nissan’s new Primera, which went on sale on 1 September, features a major exterior and interior re-design and a range of first-in-class technology, safety and security features. 

Recently voted ‘Most Secure Family Car’ in a giant security test by What Car? magazine, the Primera benefits from improved Superlocking, the latest NATS V5 immobiliser and Nissan’s advanced anti-hijack system. New safety features include Mechanical Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) as part of the ABS package, head and thorax side protection system, xenon headlamps for improved visibility and ISOFIX child restraint system.

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Exterior styling features give the new Primera a sporty and elegant new look.  A new sculptured bonnet and bolder grille contribute to a more purposeful stance.  Lower sill extensions carry the new style along the side of the car to the integrated tail-end.

Inside, a more comfortable cabin ambience has been created with a new two-tone dash, redesigned front seats, an all-new instrument cluster and fully integrated audio and climate controls.

Four engines, including a new 1.8-litre petrol engine, and three transmissions offer wider customer choice. Prices for the 15 new models start at £14,000 for the 1.6-litre E to £21,000 for the top-of-the-range 2.0-litre SE+.

New Terrano II (2000MY)

Nissan’s latest Terrano II 4WD, which goes on sale on 1 January 2000, will make its UK debut at this year’s London Motor Show. The latest generation Terrano II benefits from a new look, added safety and security features and will be the first production car in Europe to introduce water repellent glass technology.

This latest generation Terrano II will be available in three new grades – S, SE and SE+, featuring different equipment levels and unique colours and trim patterns. Like its predecessor, three-door or five-door variants will be available.  Engine sizes offered are 12-valve 2.4-litre 118PS petrol engine or 125PS 2.7-litre turbo-diesel intercooler, which is available with either five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. All variants feature selectable two or four-wheel drive with high and low ratios.

200SX

Nissan’s highly-acclaimed 200SX sports coupé will feature on the stand at the London Motor Show. For 1999, the 200SX has a redesigned bonnet, grille, front

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bumper and front wings. These improvements give the 200SX a wider, lower, more muscular stance and the Touring Pack model also boasts side skirts. The rear lamp clusters have been restyled to give a smoother, sleeker look.

With a 0-62 mph performance of under eight seconds, a top speed of 146 mph and peak power of 200 PS available from its 2.0-litre turbo charged engine, the rear-wheel drive 200SX has been widely acclaimed as one of the most entertaining coupés on the market. Prices remain competitive at £22,000 for the standard car and £24,700 on-the-road for the Touring Pack edition.

Patrol GR

Nissan’s latest edition Patrol GR features improvements in almost every area over its predecessor. A completely redesigned body brings sophisticated styling and transforms passenger and luggage space. All versions of the new Patrol GR – short wheelbase three-door and long wheelbase five-door – provide dramatically improved levels of luxury and comfort.

Under the bonnet, Nissan’s six-cylinder 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine, with intercooler and electronically controlled fuel injection, is the Patrol’s most refined engine to date, developing 130 PS at 4,000rpm and 186 lb.ft of torque at just 2,000 rpm.

Interior features include improved leg, shoulder and elbow room and more luggage space. Safety features include ‘intelligent’ ABS – which functions perfectly even when the rear differential is locked - driver’s airbag, optional passenger airbag, front seat-belt pretensioners and Nissan’s A/ELR rear seatbelts.

Improved security measures include Superlocking, Nissan’s latest immobiliser system, alarm and rolling code keyless entry option.

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Pickup

Nissan’s lifestyle Pickup, the Navara, is to make its UK debut at the 1999 London Motor Show. Based on the commercially successful Nissan Double Cab, the Navara possesses the comfort and specification of a passenger car with the load carrying capability of a 4WD commercial vehicle.

With air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, alloy wheels and two-tone metallic paint all as standard, the Navara caters for the growing niche market of customers whose lifestyle requires the performance of a rugged off-roader, the practicalities of a pickup and the comforts of a five-seater passenger vehicle.   

Other versions of the Pickup are available in the UK with a choice of three body styles; Single (bench for three people), King (two individual front seats plus secure storage area behind the seats) and Double Cabs – combining passenger and load carrying space, with room for five people. A choice of two engines are available - a normally-aspirated 2.5-litre diesel and a class-leading 2.5-litre 104 PS turbo diesel with intercooler. The pickup range comes with either a 4x4 or 4x2 drivetrain.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andrew Roberts        Manager, Product Affairs                 01923 899930

e-mail:                         andrew.roberts@nissan.co.uk

Linda Robinson         Press Officer, Product Affairs          01923 899930

e-mail:                         linda.robinson@nissan.co.uk

25420/041099