Nissan Launches Bluebird Sylphy Sedan in Japan
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Could the Bluebird Sylphy be Our Next Sentra?
Nissan has just announced that the latest model in its legendary Bluebird lineup will be going on sale shortly in its home market of Japan. The Bluebird Sylphy, successor to the previous Bluebird, is Nissans upscale compact sedan. The Bluebird name comes from a rather long list of descendents that included our first generation Altima, and in more recent times, an upscale version of our Sentra sedan.
This latest Bluebird (aside from its very silly name which wouldnt go over well in the U.S.) has a lot of relevance to our American market, as something very similar will most likely become our next Sentra.
While its one hundred percent true that the current generation Sentra will, come 2006, be replaced by the Versa five-door hatchback and four-door sedan, it has been officially announced that the Versa is merely one part of a two-piece assault on our compact car marketplace, with a new Sentra arriving within two years. The Bluebird Sylphy is a strong candidate to the second part of the equation.
The Bluebird Sylphy is much more than a Versa with a different nose and tail: line up the Sylphy next to the Versa sedan, and youll soon see that theyre not carbon copies. The Bluebird measures in at 181.5 inches long, riding on a 106.3 inch wheelbase - that makes it a gigantic 8.5 inches longer overall and a whole 3.9 inches longer in wheelbase than the Versa!
Underneath, both cars are identical, riding on a MacPherson Strut front suspension and space-saving torsion-beam rear axle. The Sylphy is the largest car to be based on the Nissan-Renault B-Segment chassis, which is shared with the new Nissan Micra, Nissan Cube, and upcoming Versa, plus the Renault Clio and Renault Modus.
To go along with its bigger dimensions is a completely new exterior, which fits more in line with the current Nissan styling than the design used on the Versa. The nose, for example, draws from the Maxima with its vertically shaped headlamps, while the chrome-laden grille is borrowed from the Skyline, the Japanese-market Infiniti G35. In comparison to the Versas rather frumpy looking tail, the Bluebirds lengthier backside and more rakish roofline make it more pleasing to the eye.
Upon its launch, Nissan proclaimed that the Versa had the most interior volume in its class, with a big, spacious cabin influenced by the brands Modern Living design strategy - a new Nissan concept that stresses advanced design values in interiors. The new, bigger Bluebird builds on the Versas reputation for class-leading interior roominess, offering an even longer cabin that provides up to 26.7 inches of rear legroom. By comparison, thats in the same league as luxury-liners such as the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class! Trunk space is a class-leading 17.8 cu-ft.
As a luxury, upscale car, the Bluebird features a new two-toned dashboard with faux woodgrain trim, and all the goodies that are locked out of the high-value and low-cost Versa. Up front the driver sits on high-quality plush fabric, electrically adjustable seats, while such goodies as an upgraded sound system and DVD navigation provide convenience and added luxury.
Where the previous Sentra could be had in sporty SE-R trimline, the Bluebirds powertrain combinations are pedestrian by comparison. The main options include a base 109-horsepower 1.5-liter engine that can be upgraded to a 133-horsepower 2.0-liter engine. Both powerplants have been tuned to deliver 90 percent of their peak torque from just 2,000 rpm, making progress a quiet and efficient affair. The only gearbox choice is Nissans Xtronic CVT.
For 2007 and beyond, Nissan appears to be shifting to home-grown techniques in its attempt to conquer a rapidly growing North American compact car market. Like the Versa, the Bluebird offers space galore, but its distinctive styling and impressive list of luxury features would be appealing to Americans if packaged here similarly to how it is in Japan. Although there has yet to be any official information on the Bluebird, let alone the upcoming Sentra replacment, expect it to arrive sometime during 2008.
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| 1991 Nissan Sentra E | Chicago, IL | Price: $900 | |
| 1994 Nissan Sentra E | Memphis, TN | Price: $3,991 | |
| 1995 Nissan Sentra | Corpus Christi, TX | Price: $5,988 | |
| 1996 Nissan Sentra | Mcminnville, OR | Price: $2,995 | |
| 1997 Nissan Sentra | Hollywood, FL | Price: $3,992 | |
| 1997 Nissan Sentra | Red Lion, PA | Price: $3,995 | |
| 1997 Nissan Sentra | Auburn, WA | Price: $5,988 | |
| 1997 Nissan Sentra | Memphis, TN | Price: $3,993 | |
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| 1998 Nissan Sentra | West Palm Beach, FL | Price: $4,988 | |
| 1999 Nissan Sentra GXE | Corpus Christi, TX | Price: $3,992 | |
| 1999 Nissan Sentra GXE | Chattanooga, TN | Price: $5,438 | |
| 1999 Nissan Sentra GXE | Indiana, PA | Price: $5,989 | |
| 2000 Nissan Sentra GXE | Saint Paul, MN | Price: $5,991 | |
| 2000 Nissan Sentra GXE | Fort Myers, FL | Price: $6,000 | |
| 2001 Nissan Sentra GXE | Wallingford, CT | Price: $7,999 | |
| 2001 Nissan Sentra SE | Springfield, IL | Price: $4,942 | |
| 2001 Nissan Sentra SE | Englewood, CO | Price: $6,490 | |
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| 2001 Nissan Sentra GXE | Milwaukee, WI | Price: $6,600 | |
| 2001 Nissan Sentra GXE | Bellevue, NE | Price: $6,994 | |
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