ACURA.TL
18-03-2006, 06:43 AM
http://us.autos1.yimg.com/img.autos.yahoo.com/i/nctd/q/07s-versa-1.jpg
On Sale:
Summer 2006
Expected Pricing:
$12,000-$15,000
Nissan is getting back into the price-conscious slice of the market with an all-new line of subcompacts. Scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2006 as a 2007 model is the Nissan Versa, first as a five-door hatchback, then in the fall as a sedan.
The Versa, a name intended to reflect the car's versatility, will have a front-wheel-drive powertrain as new to the U.S. as the car itself. The engine will be a 120-horsepower, inline four-cylinder. The standard transmission will be a six-speed manual. Optional will be a four-speed automatic and the latest evolution of Nissan's continuously variable transmission, an earlier and more robust version of which is currently offered in the Nissan Murano.
Other than the CVT, there's nothing truly new or envelope-stretching in the Versa's powertrain. No variable valve timing, variable intake or exhaust runners or high tech electronics are incorporated. Instead, the company touts a strong emphasis on basics, citing as examples the engine's compact size and a marked reduction of internal friction accomplished with the likes of micro-finished surfaces and low-tension piston rings. First-in-class electric power steering contributes, too, to the engine's efficiency by eliminating the load a hydraulic pump adds.
With this, Nissan hopes the Versa's powertrain will make up with power and fuel economy what it may lack in high-tech credentials. Nissan expects EPA-estimated combined fuel economy in the range of 38 miles per gallon with the CVT. The automatic will fall about 12 percent short of this figure, the manual around 6 percent. These data in most cases exceed those reported by the competition, which includes the Ford Focus, the Chevrolet Aveo, the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio and the Scion xA; of these, only the Focus comes with a more powerful base engine
The Versa casts a larger shadow than all but the Focus, but compensates in a couple of ways. One is a significantly longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels), which generally means a smoother ride. The other is a roomier interior in all but one or two measures; the Focus and the Scion xA offer marginally more rear head room, the new, 2006 Accent more than an inch additional rear leg room. Cargo capacity is tops, too.
Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist are standard on the Versa, as are front seat-mounted side airbags and active head restraints and a tire-pressure monitoring system, which all of the competitors can't say. In the same vein, side curtain airbags are optional.
The Versa hatchback shares some styling cues with the Nissan Quest minivan. Its headlights are deeply set into the fenders and its angular taillights are perched on the rear fenders and notched into the flanks. The grille sports the trademark, blockish vertical divider holding the Nissan logo. The Versa isn't exactly a shrunken version of the Quest, however, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's spared the protruding fender blisters and the squat look of the mammoth minivan.
Company officials say the starting price should be about $12,000, with a fully optioned model topping out around $15,000. There are some interesting options available for a car in this price range: Intelligent Key, Nissan's keyless start system; Bluetooth capability; satellite radio; and Nissan's premium Rockford-Fosgate sound system with sub-woofer. The Nissan Versa will compete with the upcoming Toyota Yaris as well as subcompacts such as the Kia Rio. Versa will be built in Aquascalientes, Mexico.
http://www.nissannews.com/multimedia/nissan2007/800px/07_versa_15.jpg
http://www.motiontrends.com/2005/m09eng/nissan/versahatchbs2.jpg
TL
On Sale:
Summer 2006
Expected Pricing:
$12,000-$15,000
Nissan is getting back into the price-conscious slice of the market with an all-new line of subcompacts. Scheduled to arrive in the summer of 2006 as a 2007 model is the Nissan Versa, first as a five-door hatchback, then in the fall as a sedan.
The Versa, a name intended to reflect the car's versatility, will have a front-wheel-drive powertrain as new to the U.S. as the car itself. The engine will be a 120-horsepower, inline four-cylinder. The standard transmission will be a six-speed manual. Optional will be a four-speed automatic and the latest evolution of Nissan's continuously variable transmission, an earlier and more robust version of which is currently offered in the Nissan Murano.
Other than the CVT, there's nothing truly new or envelope-stretching in the Versa's powertrain. No variable valve timing, variable intake or exhaust runners or high tech electronics are incorporated. Instead, the company touts a strong emphasis on basics, citing as examples the engine's compact size and a marked reduction of internal friction accomplished with the likes of micro-finished surfaces and low-tension piston rings. First-in-class electric power steering contributes, too, to the engine's efficiency by eliminating the load a hydraulic pump adds.
With this, Nissan hopes the Versa's powertrain will make up with power and fuel economy what it may lack in high-tech credentials. Nissan expects EPA-estimated combined fuel economy in the range of 38 miles per gallon with the CVT. The automatic will fall about 12 percent short of this figure, the manual around 6 percent. These data in most cases exceed those reported by the competition, which includes the Ford Focus, the Chevrolet Aveo, the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio and the Scion xA; of these, only the Focus comes with a more powerful base engine
The Versa casts a larger shadow than all but the Focus, but compensates in a couple of ways. One is a significantly longer wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels), which generally means a smoother ride. The other is a roomier interior in all but one or two measures; the Focus and the Scion xA offer marginally more rear head room, the new, 2006 Accent more than an inch additional rear leg room. Cargo capacity is tops, too.
Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist are standard on the Versa, as are front seat-mounted side airbags and active head restraints and a tire-pressure monitoring system, which all of the competitors can't say. In the same vein, side curtain airbags are optional.
The Versa hatchback shares some styling cues with the Nissan Quest minivan. Its headlights are deeply set into the fenders and its angular taillights are perched on the rear fenders and notched into the flanks. The grille sports the trademark, blockish vertical divider holding the Nissan logo. The Versa isn't exactly a shrunken version of the Quest, however, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's spared the protruding fender blisters and the squat look of the mammoth minivan.
Company officials say the starting price should be about $12,000, with a fully optioned model topping out around $15,000. There are some interesting options available for a car in this price range: Intelligent Key, Nissan's keyless start system; Bluetooth capability; satellite radio; and Nissan's premium Rockford-Fosgate sound system with sub-woofer. The Nissan Versa will compete with the upcoming Toyota Yaris as well as subcompacts such as the Kia Rio. Versa will be built in Aquascalientes, Mexico.
http://www.nissannews.com/multimedia/nissan2007/800px/07_versa_15.jpg
http://www.motiontrends.com/2005/m09eng/nissan/versahatchbs2.jpg
TL