Nissan will unveil the saloon version of the Micra at the Guangzhou show in December this year. Nissan will christen this new compact saloon the "Sunny". This name holds a very strong heritage in Nissan’s history; this moniker was used by Nissan for its small saloon since 1966 for many decades. However, it is not clear if the Sunny moniker will be used for India as Bajaj has rights to the name (The Bajaj Sunny is a scooterette launched in the 1990s but is now discontinued).
The Sunny is based on the same architecture as the Micra hatcback and the interiors are likely to be similar too. The ‘V-platform’ on which it is based has been designed primarily to make financial sense in emerging markets, while being sophisticated enough for Western Europe. Engineered by Nissan in Japan, the V-platform project focuses on reductions in both weight and in the number of components that make up the future models. The Sunny will come with two engine options for India; a 1.5 litre four-cylindr motor producing around 100bhp and the 1.5 litre diesel that will be shared with the Micra hatchback.
The Sunny will compete with the likes of Maruti Swift Dzire, Volkswagen Vento, Ford Fiesta, Hyundai Verna and Chevrolet Aveo. Apart from engines, the new saloon may share interior panels with the Micra Hatch as parts sharing will help Nissan price the saloon competitively. According to sources the Micra saloon will be launched in the second half of 2011.
Thanks to: Autocar India
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