Nissan rolls out a "new world sedan," the Sylphy to most global markets and the Sentra in the U.S.
You might want to take a close look at the new Nissan Sylphy making its debut at Auto China 2012 this week. Sure, it’s an unfamiliar name – to Americans, anyway – but what you see is what you’ll soon be getting pretty much everywhere in the world, whether it’s called Sylphy or Sentra.
The debut of what Nissan officials are calling their “new global sedan” was the highlight of their news conference at the Beijing Motor Show and underscores the aggressive tact the maker is taking as it pushes forward with a goal to gain a hefty 10% of the global automotive market.
The next-generation, 2013 Nissan Sentra, for Americans, is a significant shift in strategy, at least from a styling approach. The Sentra has been the dull and largely ignored fraternal twin to the more striking – and expensive – Nissan Altima, that model also getting a complete redesign for 2013.
Nissan offers a tease of the U.S. version of the new sedan, the replacement for the old Sentra.
As with Altima, Nissan is giving the 2013 Sentra a more coupe-like and curvaceous shape that should draw attention from buyers who want a stylish and well-equipped midsize sedan without breaking the bank.
The new model, Nissan suggests, takes a “one-class-up” approach in terms of both features and roominess, which approaches the full-size category.
During the maker’s reveal, CEO Carlos Ghosn and other officials found opportunity to repeat the word, “luxury,” over and over again. This is definitely not the old, bound-for-the-rental market Sylphy/Sentra retail buyers have come to largely ignore. While it’s a stretch to call it a luxury car, such details as LED-bordered headlamps and LED taillights add to the more up-market appearance.
Another look at the new Nissan Sylphy.
And in most markets, the Sylphy/Sentra will get such high-tech amenities as the new NissanConnect infotainment system.
On a more practical level, the version shown in China features a new 1.8 liter engine and next-generation XTRONIC CVT, or Continuously Variable Transmission, the pair expected to yield something on the order of a double-digit improvement in fuel economy.
Specific details, including powertrain options, for the U.S. have yet to be released. Nissan insiders suggest they don’t want to steal the thunder from the 2013 Altima, which was unveiled at the NY Auto Show only a few weeks ago. We should be hearing more about the ’13 Sentra in a few months, ahead of its autumn launch.
The new model will be built in a variety of plants around the world, including one in China and another in the States. And Nissan has high expectations for the new world sedan, with sales forecasts pushing upwards of 500,000 annually.
Why launch it in China? The Sylphy is expected to become a major part of the maker’s growth strategy for that market. The Middle Kingdom already accounts for 25% of Nissan’s global sales and CEO Ghosn is pushing to grow 2011’s total volume from 1.2 million to 2 million by 2015.