The Nissan Almera continues to go places – the next stop for the car is Russia, with the sedan making its debut at the ongoing Moscow International Autosalon.
There’s a fair bit of difference with this Almera though – it’s developed specifically for Russia and is built locally at the company’s plant in Togliatti. It’s basically a reworking of the current Sylphy sold in Malaysia. A new iteration of the Sylphy has already been unveiled globally, the car debuting in Beijing earlier in the year.
The Russian “Almera” measures in at 4,656mm from bumper to bumper and the wheelbase is 2,700mm, the same length as the current Sylphy’s. Conversely, the Malaysian Almera runs 4,426 mm and 2,600 mm for the equivalent numbers.
The car – available in three grades: Welcome, Comfort and top-of-the-range Tekna – will also wear a different powertrain choice, a 1.6 litre mill offering 102 hp and 145 Nm of torque, but will feature similar drivetrains, either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
Specific to the Russian edition is a set of tropicalisation features to suit local needs and conditions. Revisions include extended ground clearance and underbody protection against poor road surfaces.
Here, the bottom of the engine bay is covered by a two millimetre thick steel plate, while potentially vulnerable brake and fuel pipes running under the car are also covered by a steel plate. Also on, a small aero deflector to help improve the car’s aerodynamics for better high-speed stability.
The Russian Almera also features revised components to the suspension system – a front anti-roll bar improves handling performance while the bar, the rear beam axle and the coil springs have all been stiffened to ensure durability.
At the same time, noise reduction programmes have resulted in the use of thicker steel for the platform to reduce stone chipping and splash noise, while the upper body structure has been strengthened and stiffened giving both refinement and durability improvements.
Additionally, the chrome trim on the car incorporates anti-corrosion technology, with a unique trivalent chrome compound to withstands attack from the chemicals used to de-ice the roads in Russia. The result, the company says, is a car that’s capable of withstanding severe winter conditions and meeting the needs and requirements of the Russian customers.
