Nissan considering Pulsar SSS sedan

Nissan Australia is considering the release of a sedan version of next year’s born-again Pulsar SSS hot-hatch, a camouflaged version of which was snapped by motoring.com.au testing in Melbourne last week.

Although it won’t officially replace the unloved Tiida small car until late January, Nissan has already announced a sharp $19,990 starting price for its new Pulsar sedan line-up, which will be followed in May by the Pulsar hatchback, including the first SSS-badged version in more almost 13 years.

As we reported in October, the new Pulsar SSS hatch could be priced from less than $30,000, undercutting hotter small hatches like the Ford Focus ST ($38,290), Mazda3 MPS ($39,490), Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart ($44,490), Subaru Impreza WRX ($39,990) and Volkswagen Golf GTI (from $38,990).

A sub-$30K sticker price would also see the 140kW Pulsar SSS hatch (which was revealed at October’s Sydney motor show) undercut even the $31,990 150kW Veloster SR Turbo from Hyundai, which is also expected to release an SR version of its new i30 hatch.

Nissan has also confirmed Australia’s Pulsar and SSS hatchbacks will receive specific suspension and steering tuning following a local chassis development program, evidence of which can be seen in this lightly disguised SSS ‘mule’ we stumbled across recently, complete with ‘DIG Turbo’ badges.

Now, senior Nissan Australia executives have provided the first indication that a four-door sedan version will eventually join five-door SSS model – a move that would match the twin-model line-up for the WRX, Ralliart and Holden’s milder Cruze SRi turbo sedan and hatch (from $25,990).

Asked last week why a SSS sedan will not be made available, Nissan Australia Managing Director Bill Peffer said: “Today there may not be. I’m saying today there isn’t one. Why don’t we have an eight-cylinder Pulsar? Because we don’t.

“So we've got to start with sedan, then hatch. SSS will be there – it’s got a 140kW engine, so there's a lot of possibility but we're willing to talk about what we have today.”

Nissan Australia and New Zealand’s Product Planning General Manager Philip Galway went further, saying a number of Pulsar sedan and hatch variants – including a SSS sedan – were under consideration for future release.

“As Bill said, anything in the future is possible,” he said. “We’re studying the market opportunities in every segment including this segment for possible extensions or additions to our line-up.

“When the SSS hatch launches we will have a combination of a 1.8-litre and a 1.6 turbo and we'll continue to study opportunities.”

Asked if there was a market opportunity for a warmed-over small sedan like the SSS four-door, Mr Galway said: “Certainly there is a perception in the marketplace that if you’re going to have a hot car in the segment it should be a hot-hatch.

“But there are examples of hot sedans that have been sold in the small car segment, and we believe that if the right combination exists there could be a market for a hot sedan. So we certainly haven’t ruled out the potential that that engine won’t come into the Pulsar sedan.”

Mr Galway said the release of a SSS sedan would in part be dictated by the success of the new SSS hatch, and added that the Pulsar SSS sedan had been popular in the past.

“Every decision we make in the future is somewhat measured by the success of the past and we'll be watching closely how the market responds to the Pulsar sedan and hatch.

“We are always looking for how we can improve. So where are the areas that customers identify there’s room for improvement? Where are the motivators or drivers? And we take that info and work to enhance our lifecycle-planning of the vehicle. We did have a SSS sedan in the past.”

Nissan’s first SSS-badged model, the Datsun 1600, was launched in 1967 before becoming an instant hit and launching many rallying careers. Nissan’s last SSS, the N15-series Pulsar, was discontinued in 2000, before Nissan replaced the subsequent N16 Pulsar with the Tiida in 2006.

Since then sales of Nissan’s small car have been in constant decline, with just 3577 sales last year – about one-fifth of the last Pulsar’s sales in its last full year on sale. This year the Tiida is a further 19 per cent down in a mainstream small car segment that is two per cent up.

Nissan says more than 300,000 Pulsars remain on Australian roads and that more than 70 per cent of Australians are aware of the badge – compared to just 56 per cent for the outgoing Tiida.

Naturally, it hopes an all-new model and a return to a nameplate that spanned 25 years and five generations will bring it a dramatic sales lift – even in the face of the all-new Hyundai i30, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, and next year’s redesigned Mazda3, VW Golf and Kia Cerato.

Based on the same platform as the Pulsar sedan that will hit showrooms next February, the Pulsar SSS hatch is already on sale in China as the Tiida GTS.

It will be powered by a 140kW/240Nm 1.6-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol MR166DT engine dubbed DIG (direct-injection gasoline) Turbo. Transmission choices will be a six-speed manual or Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) with six gear ‘ratios’.

In China, claimed 0-100km/h acceleration performance is 8.2 seconds, fuel consumption is 7.8L/100km and top speed is 220km/h. The CVT model has a 0-100km/h time of 8.3 seconds, uses the same 7.8L/100km and is limited to a top speed of 205km/h.

Of  course, as seen at the Sydney show, the five-door Pulsar SSS will also wear a specific sports body kit, plus Bridgestone Potenza RE040 205/50 R17 rubber, 17-inch five double-spoke alloy wheels and leather-clad sports seats.

Nissan previously told motoring.com.au that unique suspension and steering tuning for both the Pulsar sedan, hatch and SSS models will concentrate on ride quality, handling dynamics and on-centre steering feel.

Standard Pulsars will be powered by a naturally aspirated 1.8-litre DOHC four-cylinder petrol engine delivering 96kW (not 102kW, as Nissan stated in October) and 174Nm, with a CVT auto – which will come standard on premium Ti variants - costing an extra $2250.

At more than 4.6 metres long, the Pulsar is longer, wider and lower than the Tiida and Nissan claims it will offer class-leading interior space and a sizeable 510-litre boot.

Standard features will include Bluetooth, MP3 and iPod connectivity, along with six-speaker audio and a multi-function steering wheel with reach and rake adjustment. ST-L and Ti variants get a colour media screen, turn indicators in the door mirrors and LED headlight accents, but only the Ti has dual-zone climate, satellite-navigation, a reversing camera, push-button starting and 17-inch alloys in lieu of 16s.

Nissan has also confirmed all Pulsar sedans will come equipped with six airbags, four wheel disc brakes with anti-lock brakes (ABS), Emergency Brake Distribution and Brake Assist, traction and stability control (VDC), five lap-sash seatbelts, front seatbelt reminders and LEAD tail-lights.

However, it is yet to reveal an independent crash-test safety rating.

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