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.
