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Nissan Launches Bluebird Sylphy Sedan in Japan

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Could the Bluebird Sylphy be Our Next Sentra?

Nissan has just announced that the latest model in its legendary Bluebird lineup will be going on sale shortly in its home market of Japan. The Bluebird Sylphy, successor to the previous Bluebird, is Nissans upscale compact sedan. The Bluebird name comes from a rather long list of descendents that included our first generation Altima, and in more recent times, an upscale version of our Sentra sedan.

This latest Bluebird (aside from its very silly name which wouldnt go over well in the U.S.) has a lot of relevance to our American market, as something very similar will most likely become our next Sentra.

The elegant car pictured here is the Japanese market Nissan Bluebird Sylphy. (Photo: Nissan North America) normal;"/>While its one hundred percent true that the current generation Sentra will, come 2006, be replaced by the Versa five-door hatchback and four-door sedan, it has been officially announced that the Versa is merely one part of a two-piece assault on our compact car marketplace, with a new Sentra arriving within two years. The Bluebird Sylphy is a strong candidate to the second part of the equation.

The Bluebird Sylphy
The Japanese-market Bluebird, slated to be the successor to our Sentra, is much larger than the Nissan Versa, despite sharing the same underpinnings. (Photo: Nissan North America)
is much more than a Versa with a different nose and tail: line up the Sylphy next to the Versa sedan, and youll soon see that theyre not carbon copies. The Bluebird measures in at 181.5 inches long, riding on a 106.3 inch wheelbase - that makes it a gigantic 8.5 inches longer overall and a whole 3.9 inches longer in wheelbase than the Versa!

Underneath, both cars are identical, riding on a MacPherson Strut front suspension and space-saving torsion-beam rear axle. The Sylphy is the largest car to be based on the Nissan-Renault B-Segment chassis, which is shared with the new Nissan Micra, Nissan Cube, and upcoming Versa, plus the Renault Clio and Renault Modus. The Bluebirds styling reflects an upscale image, with inspiration coming from the larger Maxima and Infiniti G35. (Photo: Nissan North America) style="font-weight: normal;"/> To go along with its bigger dimensions is a completely new exterior, which fits more in line with the current Nissan styling than the design used on the Versa. The nose, for example, draws from the Maxima with its vertically shaped headlamps, while the chrome-laden grille is borrowed from the Skyline, the Japanese-market Infiniti G35. In comparison to the Versas rather frumpy looking tail, the Bluebirds lengthier backside and more rakish roofline make it more pleasing to the eye.

Upon its launch, Nissan proclaimed that the Versa had the most interior volume in its class, with a big, spacious cabin influenced by the brands Modern Living design strategy
High quality materials and simple shapes give the Bluebird the feeling of a "traditional Japanese living room". (Photo: Nissan North America)
- a new Nissan concept that stresses advanced design values in interiors. The new, bigger Bluebird builds on the Versas reputation for class-leading interior roominess, offering an even longer cabin that provides up to 26.7 inches of rear legroom. By comparison, thats in the same league as luxury-liners such as the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class! Trunk space is a class-leading 17.8 cu-ft.

As a luxury, upscale car, the Bluebird features a new two-toned dashboard with faux woodgrain trim, and all the goodies that are locked out of the high-value and low-cost Versa. Up front the driver sits on high-quality plush fabric, electrically adjustable seats, while such goodies as an upgraded sound system and DVD navigation provide convenience and added luxury.


 
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