Cars & Bikes – 3 |

Small but perfectly formed – this supermini has a big personality.Perky little cars know no age barriers – they have massive appeal to everyone. Younger drivers enjoy the combination of under-bonnet zest and ultra-low car insurance, with the older end going for the long-life, economical engines, which also promise reliability. The design is something everyone can admire. It’s curvy and distinctive with a friendly face, and as well as helping it to stand out from the crowd, the long curving roof helps maximise interior space, which is good news for passengers front and rear.The diesel version is even more appealing. With a gutsy 1.5-litre unit under the curvy bonnet, it has a useful turn of speed, yet can clock up remarkable economy – over 60mpg is possible. What’s more, this sprightly model’s still only in car insurance group three, which means low premiums. The Micra offers excellent value for money, whether new or used. New models start at £7,535 although many dealers have special offers, which will cut that price even further.

The SUV market in India is expanding and we want to reinforce our portfolio by offering the Murano which is a very successful model globally to our Indian customers. With the BMW X3 and the upcoming Audi Q5, there’s surely a lot more interest in this segment. Positioned above the X-trail, driving home a Murano would make you pay anything upwards of Rs 45 lakh. But what you get for that is a 3.5 litre V6 producing 267PS and 336Nm of torque, paired with a continuosly variable transmission with revised ratios. Nissan says that you can expect it by by the year end.

At the Beijing Motor show, Carlos Ghosn began his speech at the Teana launch informally, without greeting the audience. But let us assure you there is nothing remotely informal about the car. The new Teana is sophistication personified. The world launch in China clearly signifies the importance of emerging markets in Nissan’s future. And India will definitely be on the list of the first few launch countries. While sales of 334 units last year in India haven’t been very encouraging largely due to well the same old pricing issue, this segment of the market is now expanding and that should bring cheer for Nissan. Expect this to roll in after the X trail. In china, the Teana is powered by a 2 litre, four cylinder petrol producing 133PS, something that is unique to the Chinese market. The other engine options are two V6 powerhouses, a 2.5 litre developing 200PS and a 3.5 litre variable valve timing equipped one developing around 255PS. All engines are mated to the Nissan Xtronic CVT.

After lingering around for a while, Nissan finally stepped on the gas for its Indian operations. Formalisation of the car manufacturing unit, a new India head, a dealer development tie-up, and guess what they are also talking about the models which will hit India soon. The Japanese car maker is not just revamping its current model line up but strengthening it with a new premium SUV. This is apart from its manufacturing plans including small cars which are going on full steam. In the next few months, Nissan will introduce a face lifted X-trail followed by the new Teana and then the 2009 Murano SUV. Nissan has appointed Hover Automotive to develop its marketing, services and after sales network across India. Nissan says We needed to move fast and therefore we have got someone who will bring the best practices of the industry on the table with this partnership. While some consider this as smart thinking on Nissan’s part as it can now focus solely on product decisions and homologations.

Nissan is currently working on a sub-Qashqai crossover vehicle. This is a secret information as the company is tight lipped about the development plans.Car India yet to be named small crossover may look like . It will take cues from the current Qashqai soft roader with a prominent horizontal grille upfront. The design of the car will liberate good interior space without sacrificing on the boat area. The vehicle will be based on the Nissan Micra platform and powering it will be either the 1.6 litre petrol or the 1.5 litre dCi diesel engines that currently do duty on the Qashqai. The compact crossover will be positioned below the Qashqai range and is speculated to go into production in 2009-10.