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Nissan Latio 1.6 and 1.8 Short Test Drive Experience

Nissan Latio Test Drive
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The new Nissan Latio has arrived on our local shores a few months ago, and has redefined the B-class economy sedan segment somewhat. We are very used to the baseline Japanese models having 1.5 liter engines as with the Vios and the City, but the Nissan Latio comes with 1.6 liter and 1.8 liter, the same engine displacements that the Nissan Sentra previously was offered with.

Read more about the new Nissan Latio after the jump.

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Chrysler and Nissan enters Versa rebadging deal

small_logo_nissan.jpgChrysler and Nissan has entered a rebadging deal, which involves Chrysler selling the Nissan Latio (called the Nissan Versa in North America) with a Chrysler marque in South America. I’m not sure if the Latio/Versa/Tiida will be badged as a Chrysler or a Dodge.

Chrysler already has does rebadging in South America - Dodge-badged Hyundai cars. This is Nissan’s second cooperation with Chrysler, with the first being a transmission deal - Nissan’s Jatco has been supplying Chrysler with transmisisons since 2004.

Next up: Chrysler assistance for next generation Nissan pickups perhaps?

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Taped up Nissan Bluebird Sylphy spotted again!

Nissan Bluebird Sylphy Spyshot 1
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Reader NathenNod snapped these photos of another Nissan Bluebird Sylphy on test in the Segambut today. This is the second photographed sighting of the Civic-sized car on this blog this year. Will we see the Nissan Sentra replaced with an aptly-priced new Nissan Bluebird Sylphy next year?

More spyshots after the jump.

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Nissan FORUM Concept

Nissan FORUM

Nissan’s FORUM Concept will be showcase at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show in January next year, and it is a vehicle that Nissan hopes to produce in the future for all your Nissan Grand Livina buyers to graduate to one day.

Nissan designed the Nissan FORUM Concept to offer an ‘engaging space’ for children and a ’sophisticated space’ for adults. The interior is done up in leather and aluminium, and features wireless displays for DVD and gameplay.

The 2nd row seats can swivel 180 degrees to create a “living room” configuration, with the second and third row seats facing each other. Passengers can easily engage in activities during a long tiring “balik kampung” drive this way.

The second and third row is accessed via long sliding side doors using a special hinge system to allow for a clean, trackless profile, and the omition of the B-pillar, safely engineered by reinforcing the roof and door frame.

Each headrest has speakers in them, and the audio system is engineered by Bose. Cameras mounting the 2nd and 3rd rows send images to a display at the front - a CCTV system of sorts to monitor your kids. There is also a “time out” button to pause all media (each passenger can view his own media, like on a plane), allowing the front occupants to announce whatever they need to announce.

More photos of the Nissan FORUM Concept after the jump.

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Nissan Grand Livina front grille modification

Nissan Grand Livina
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Here are some ideas from graphic artist Theophilus Chin for those who are into modifying their cars and plan to get a Nissan Grand Livina. Above is the Nissan Livina Geniss grille, which is not the same as the one Edaran Tan Chong Motor has chose to specify on our Malaysian Nissan Grand Livina car. Ours is more Murano-like, similiar to the Grand Livina in Indonesia.

Anyway you will find after the jump a few creations from Theophilus inspired by the Nissan Skyline, the Nissan Murano and the Nissan Qashqai.

View the images after the jump.

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Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 and 1.8 unveiled in Malaysia

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Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 and 1.8 unveiled in Malaysia

Nissan Grand Livina

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd has unveiled the new Nissan Grand Livina MPV in Malaysia, and it comes in three variants - 1.8 automatic, 1.6 automatic and 1.6 manual. Simple and easy, no highline or lowline stuff for you to fret with.

The basic NIssan Grand Livina is the 1.6 liter manual model powered by the HR16DE. This is not exactly the same HR16DE as the one in the Nissan Latio though, somehow Tan Chong has elected to equp the Grand Livina 1.6 with a variant of the HR16DE that does not have variable valve timing. It puts out 105 horsepower at 5,200rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,400rpm, while the Latio’s HR16DE does 109 at 6,000rpm and 153Nm at 4,400rpm. The gearbox for the manual is a 5-speed, while the slushbox is a 4-speeder.

You can differentiate the 1.6 liter and the 1.8 liter unit via the front grille, which is chrome for the 1.8 liter - very Murano-like. The 1.8 liter only comes with a 4-speed automatic gearbox and its MR18DE engine produces 126 horsepower at 5,200rpm and 174Nm of torque at 4,800rpm. This engine is the same one in the Latio 1.8, and is equipped with Continuously Variable Valve Timing.

The Nissan Grand Livina can carry 7 in a 2-3-2 arrangement. Suspension is a MacPherson strut setup at the front, while the rear uses a torsion beam. This is a similiar setup to the Nissan Latio, in fact the Nissan Grand Livina is actually built on the Nissan Latio’s platform. This should bode well for its rear passengers - none of that discomfort associated with body on frame MPVs derived from pick-up truck platforms!

As with most vehicles designed to carry lots of weight, it has Electronic Brakeforce Distribution which automatically varies braking force between the front and rear brakes. This so the Nissan Grand Livina will remain stable under heavy braking with heavy loads. Other safety features include ABS and dual passenger airbags for all variants.

The other external difference between the Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 and 1.8 liter variants are the alloy wheels. While both variants use 15 inch alloy wheels with 185/65 R15 tyres, the alloy wheels on the 1.8 liter model is polished. The 1.8 liter model also has foglamps. Under the hood, the 1.8 liter model has an engine cover while the 1.6 liter unit does not. In the interior, both models have a cream interior but the 1.6 liter variant gets silver trim while the 1.8 liter model gets wood trim. All models have 7 cupholders but the 1.8 liter model’s front cupholder has a lid. Seats are cloth for both models but leather is an available option at extra cost.

Tan Chong has taken down 1,800 orders for the Nissan Grand Livina to date in a pre-launch booking campaign, so the initial stock already has owners. You will have to wait for the Serendah plant to produce more before you can have yours delivered if you book now.

Pricelist:
Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 Manual - RM82,000
Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 Auto - RM86,600
Nissan Grand Livina 1.8 Auto - RM95,000

More photos and videos after the jump.

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Nissan Livina spotted on trailers in Malaysia

Nissan Livina on Trailers

LATEST UPDATE: Nissan Grand Livina 1.6 and 1.8 launched in Malaysia

This trailerload of Nissan Livina MPVs was snapped by reader Gupta. The MPVs were undisguised - this should mean a launch is imminent really soon! We can count at least three colours here - white, grey and black.

Check out a few more photos after the jump.

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Nissan and Chrysler in technical collaboration talks

small_logo_nissan.jpgNissan and Chrysler are current exploring the possibilities of a technical collaboration to help each other with new vehicle development. Nissan is interested in leveraging on Chrysler’s full-size truck expertise, while Chrysler is interested in Nissan’s appealing small cars.

The Nissan Versa is the best seller in the American subcompact car class, and Chrysler has not had much success in its talks with Chinese manufacturer Chery for the latter to build a car for them as according to Chrysler, Chery did not have a model that met its standards yet.

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Nissan Bluebird Sylphy spotted in Malaysia

Nissan Bluebird Sylphy

Reader Chris sent in these photos of several Nissan Bluebird Sylphy units spotted in Segambut. The cars have their badges taped up and bear trade plates. ETCM must be doing local road tests, which could mean a launch is imminent.

This is just a theory - the fact that the car is using steel wheels could mean a local supplier for the car’s alloy wheels is not ready for production yet - leading to my suspicion that the car will be locally assembled.

A question many would ask would be where in the price range would Tan Chong price these Sentra-replacement Nissan Bluebirds, considering the Teana which is supposed to be a Cefiro replacement has been priced too far away from the average Camry/Accord/Cefiro buyer’s reach.

UPDATE: The Nissan Sylphy has been launched in Malaysia!

More shots after the jump.

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ETCM begins export of Nissan Sentra to Indonesia

Nissan Sentra Sport Indonesia

Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd will begin exporting Nissan Sentras to Indonesia, with a first batch of 136 units already on their way to Indonesia. Both Tan Chong and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd are taking advantage of the AFTA free trade agreement with this export deal, and the Nissan Sentras contain more than 60% ASEAN content, which exceeds the AFTA requirement of 40% ASEAN content.

Nissan Motor Indonesia indicates that more orders will be placed in the year 2008, so this means more foreign money coming into Malaysia, something that is always good.

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