Nissan Almera/Sunny – to be priced from RM71k?

UPDATE: Edaran Tan Chong Motor earlier requested the removal of the photo of the ad, and so we’ve kindly obliged the request. The company has also followed up with a clarification on the matter:
“ETCM hereby would like to clarify the contents of the ad are inaccurate and the posting of this ad is not officially authorised by ETCM. However, ETCM is pleased to see the overwhelming interest in Nissan Almera and we would like to thank all our Nissan fans for your enthusiastic support. Rest assured, ETCM will keep you informed soon.”
It looks like the pricing for the Nissan Almera (or Sunny) has already been detemined. Reader Joo saw an ad posted on the wall at the Tan Chong showroom in Jalan Chan Sow Lin, and it has the sedan listed as open for booking, with a tentative starting price of RM71k.
The car has already been spotted a couple of times, back in March and more recently in Melaka, sans disguise. The ad states that it’ll be available in both manual and auto guise and in 1.5 litre form, which means that we’ll be getting the version wearing the HR15DE mill. As for output, the Chinese-market engine has 112 PS and 139 Nm, though as pointed out by a reader, the same engine in the Almera sold in Singapore offers 99 PS and 134 Nm for numbers, so it’s anyone’s guess as to what the actual figures for the Malaysian version will be.

The Almera was launched in Thailand last October as a 1.2 litre model, and though the engine choice differs, chances are the name will also be found on the car sold here. It debuted in China at Auto Guangzhou in late 2010, and is known as the Sunny in that market – the 1.5 litre unit equips the Chinese Sunny.
Joo adds that the sales personnel at the outlet said the new iteration of the Sylphy, which made its debut at Auto Beijing back in April, is due in next year.

The Nissan Sunny has been spotted again, this time by reader Jack at the Ayer Keroh highway rest stop. Unlike the previous time, it has been caught completely undisgiused, with even the Nissan and Almera badges on show. The Sunny is known as the Almera in some markets, such as in Thailand, where it’s an Eco Car powered by a three-cylinder 1.2L engine.
Not sure what this large B segment sedan will be called here when it comes, which it will, but we’re guessing that it won’t be sold here in 1.2 litre form. In Thailand, fuel economy is the main point of an Eco Car, but km/l alone will be a tough sell for the demanding Malaysian carbuyer. A 1.5 litre HR15DE four-pot, as used in China, is more likely.
Built on Nissan’s V platform that also underpins the March hatchback, the Almera is big bodied for a car aimed at the Vios and City segment, a similar approach chosen for the Latio. It is 4,425 mm long, 1,695 mm wide and 1,500 mm tall, while wheelbase is a class leading 2,600 mm. Nissan says that rear knee room is at D-segment levels, and having sat in it before, I agree. Boot space is 490 litres.

Nissan and Ministry of Sound presents the Juke Box

Deep down inside, I knew that this would happen. How can you not, especially when its name is Juke. In any case, this is the Juke Box and it resembles nothing like those you find in pubs, bars and the occasional fast food chain.
No, this Juke Box is the lovechild of Nissan and Ministry of Sound. The premise is simple – to create the world’s ultimate mobile sound system. To do this, the Ministry turned to Martin Audio; they’ve worked before hooking up the main room in MOS’ London home.
In the Juke Box’s case, the partnership has resulted in a 150 decibel, 18,900 W sound system, louder than a jumbo jet in takeoff. To do this, the car is fitted with a custom-built 19 kilowatt rig, a set of custom made cabinets and enclosures housing two 18 inch powered sub units and the same Mid Hi enclosures found at MOS. Yes, all of that fits nicely into the tiny Juke.
The mini-crossover also features an integrated radio studio that can stream and broadcast music from Ministry of Sounds’ digital radio app. This means that you only need to pop the boot to turn a car park into a dance club.
The Juke Box had its debut at Le Mans and will tour across Europe in throughout summer. You can also listen to the special ‘Nissan Juke Box Sessions’ that is being broadcasted on Ministry of Sound’s Digital Radio channel every fortnight on Mondays from 5 pm to 7 pm GMT.

Production Nissan Juke Nismo revealed at Le Mans

It’s no supercar baiting Juke-R, but the Nissan Juke Nismo will be mad enough for most of us. Shown as a concept at Tokyo 2011 and Geneva 2012, the production Nismo tuned Juke made its debut at the ongoing Le Mans 24 Hours race. It will hit the streets in early 2013.
The Nismo aerodynamics kit features lower front and rear bumpers, wider wings and sill side skirts, and a modified grille and tailgate spoiler which control airflow. These reduce front and rear lift without increasing drag, according to Nismo. 18-inch alloys with fat tyres offer improved grip.
Under the hood is a tuned-up version of the standard 1.6 litre direct injection turbo engine, although outputs were not revealed. It’s bound to be quick, since the existing MR16DDT already has 190 PS and 240 Nm, good enough for 0-100 km/h in 8.0 seconds in a 2WD six-speed manual Juke.
They also threw in stiffened suspension and steering mods for “sportier direct handling” and improved traction control. The Juke Nismo will also be available with torque vectoring.
The Nismo treatment continues inside, where the steering wheel, pedals, gauges, gear knob and door trim have been redesigned. Special suede-trimmed Nismo sports seats with red stitching take the place of the standard chairs. No images of the cabin were released, but you can view live pics of the concept’s cabin here.
The Juke Nismo will be built in Sunderland, UK alongside the standard Juke. European sales start in January 2013. Japan and America will get it, but at a later date.

Nissan Sylphy and Livina X-Gear Tuned by Impul unveiled at Super GT Round 3 in SIC

Looks like this is becoming a tradition. During last year’s Super GT in Sepang, Nissan launched the Grand Livina tuned by Impul. This year, Nissan has thrown the covers off the Sylphy and Livina X-Gear Tuned by Impul.
As the name of the cars suggest, Impul have lend their customisation expertise and added something extra in these everyday cars. The changes are just cosmetic, which leave the engine untouched.

The extra kit that comes with the Sylphy and Livina X-Gear Tuned by Impul includes the Impul Blast 2 Exhaust Muffler, Impul Aura SX-20 17 inch alloy wheels and Impul Complete Aerokit Rear Wing Spoiler. The cars also come with Impul Sports Suspension System that lowers ride height and delivers a sportier handling.
The X-Gear comes at a price of RM90,800 and the Sylphy is yours for RM125,988. Both prices are on-the-road with insurance. All Impul parts comes with a three-year or 100,000 km warranty on manufacturing defects if they are purchased and fitted by ETCM on a brand new X-Gear or Sylphy.

Nissan Urvan – ETCM initiates a service campaign

If you own a Nissan Urvan, this will definitely be of interest. Edaran Tan Chong Motor has been officially notified by Nissan that certain units of the Urvan produced and sold by ETCM may need rectification work on a couple of affected parts, and a recall has been issued to fix the issue.
The affected parts are the front hub bearing (assembled by ETCM from May 2007 to March 2011) and the clutch pedal bracket (produced in Japan from May 7, 2001 to January 25, 2007).
As a preventive measure, owners will be asked to send their Urvans in to check the front hub bearing as well as the clutch pedal bracket and, where necessary, the affected part(s) will be replaced for the model. Tan Chong Express Auto Service Centre will contact affected Urvan owners, and all labour and replacement parts for the service will be conducted free-of-charge.

ETCM forms First Energy Networks – subsidiary to build and operate charging infrastructure and system for EVs

Nissan looks like its ready to up its EV game here, what with Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s recent announcement of the incorporation of a wholly-owned subsidiary called First Energy Networks. The start-up’s principal activity, according to the statement made in its filing to the Bursa, will be to build and operate the charging infrastructure and system for electric vehicles and any related facilities.
The company already has the Nissan Leaf about, though the EV isn’t running commercially, but as part of a pilot programme to create public awareness of the car and the tech. Still, the move beyond just that now looks certain, and with the formation of the new subsidiary, ETCM looks like it’s planning early for the future.
Perhaps it’s all spurred by the suggestion that the Government may pile on more incentives for hybrid and EVs. Reports indicate that the Government is looking at various avenues to help spur the uptake of such vehicles, and the incentives will supposedly be revealed when the second revision of National Automotive Policy is announced sometime this year.

Nissan achieves record sales, first quarter profit doubles

Nissan is doing well compared to its Japanese peers. It was announced that profits made a sharp jump in the first quarter of 2012 on the back of an aggressive push in fast-growing markets. The Yokohama-based company reported a net profit of 75.3 billion yen (US$943 million), up from 30.8 billion yen from 2011.
Global sales hit 4.8 million units in its 2011 financial year, a company record. For the full FY ending in March 2012, Nissan reported net income of 341.4 billion yen, a 7% rise on the previous year. Japan’s second-biggest carmaker outperformed rivals Honda and Toyota, both of which reported lower profits.

The past 12 months have been a tough one for Japanese carmakers. The tsunami and earthquake disaster in Japan disrupted production lines and caused power shortages. And just when they were back on steam, the massive floods that covered Thailand – a regional base for most Japanese brands – bogged them down again. Nissan bounced back faster from these setbacks to create today’s headline.
In addition to the natural disasters, a strong currency has hurt Japanese exporters as it makes their goods more expensive overseas and eats into the profits they bring back. “It is an even more encouraging performance given the headwinds created by natural disasters, an over-valued yen and uncertain global economic conditions,” underlined Nissan’s CEO Carlos Ghosn.
No resting on laurels – Nissan is predicting an even better showing for the current financial year. Global sales is forecasted at 5.35 million units, an increase of more than 10%, while net profits are predicted to hit 400 billion yen.

Nissan Juke-R goes into production, very limited run

Good news. The Nissan Juke-R will go into production. The bad news: Juke-R will be made in limited numbers on built-to-order basis. The price remains undisclosed but as my ex-Creative Director once told me, “If you need to ask for the price, you cannot afford it.”
There are three reasons why the Juke-R will be made; two of the reasons are high-profile and well-respected members of Dubai society. No hint on who the third person is. You see, the Juke-R made its debut in Dubai in January and have without a doubt caught the eye of some the nation’s elites.

Gareth Dunsmore, Marketing Product Manager for the Juke, said: “With such a strong reaction, and with three genuine offers on the table, we decided we had to make the car a reality. We can’t let down enthusiasts who are this keen to add to their collection of cars. The Juke-R has become something of a phenomenon and I’m enormously proud of the impact it has had. There will be more news to come on Juke later in the year.”
While the original Juke-R was based on the MY10 GT-R running gear, the production Juke-R will get the drivetrain and chassis of the MY12 GT-R. As a recap, the Juke-R has a 3.8 litre engine that produces 545 bhp and can reach a top speed of 160 mph, or about 257.5 km/h.

Nissan will be taking orders in the coming four weeks before officially starting production. The first three owners will get their cars in late summer.