Nissan Pulsar 2000 News

Cue cat, assemble the pigeons - the ultra-competitive small car segment is about to get even busier.Nissan is literally hatching a plan to shake up the segment with an $18,990 kick-off price when it throws the Pulsar hatch into an already-crowded marketplace from June 1. The prodigal SSS son will also re-appear in hatch form, slotting into the Nissan pricelist at $29,240, completing the nameplate's return.Nissan is banking on a volume boost from the Pulsar's resurrection - last month they sold 1644 sedans but the segment is dominated by hatchbacks - and has priced the five-door $1000 below the equivalent sedan.The Pulsar ST manual hatch features mirrors the four-door - a 96kW/174Nm 1.8-litre four-cylinder, six-speed manual (with the option of a continuously-variable transmission model for $21,240), 16 inch alloys, cruise control, Bluetooth, power windows, cloth trim, stability control, anti-lock brakes and air conditioning among the features.Stepping up to the $22,490 ST-L puts front fog lights, an upgrade to the cloth trim, six speakers and USB/auxiliary inputs for the sound system, a rear spoiler and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.The Ti model has been left out of the hatch range, with the ST-S added as part of a sports-model duo, priced from $24,990 utilising the 140kW/240Nm double-overhead cam turbocharged direct-injection drivetrain from the SSS but sitting on 17in alloy wheels.The SSS squeaks in under $30,000 - $29,240 for the six-speed manual - and has the obligatory sports body kit, a touchscreen infotainment and satnav system, leather trim, Bluetooth phone and audio link, automatic xenon headlights, rear camera, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and ignition.The CVT transmission - $2250 on the mainstream 1.8-litre models - is a $2500 option on the two 1.6-litre models.Introduced into Australia in 1991, Nissan last had the Pulsar SSS on its Australian pricelist in 2000, when it offered a 105kW/179Nm two-litre engine for just under $25,000.But the SSS nameplate has history with Datsun dating back to the 1960s, including the legendary 1600, as well as 180B and 200B models and appearances on the rumps of Bluebird and Stanza sedans.Nissan Australia managing director and CEO Bill Peffer is confident the return of the Pulsar hatch will be seen as a value for money. "My team and I are confident Australian small car buyers will find the all-new Pulsar hatch to be exceptional value, each grade in the model range has a compelling mix of price and standard equipment," he says. 

The all-new Pulsar sedan is available from just $19,990 drive-away. But you had better be quick because the deal is runs only to the end of April.

As the advertising campaign said way back then, the lazy guy in the pricing department hasn’t been doing a lot. Though imports of the new Nissan Pulsar will begin in February next year, we won’t see the complete range until midway through the year. Indeed, further models may still be released after that. Nissan is remaining tight lipped on details of them. As previously, Pulsar will be sold in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback bodies. Both are larger than in previous Pulsar generations, with a strong emphasis on interior space. We haven’t had a chance to drive them yet, but our seating tests of cars specially imported prior to the Sydney motor show showed them to have good legroom, headroom and width in the rear seat. Two adults could sit there in comfort for extended trips. Just as importantly from the point of view of family car buyers is the huge 510-litre boot in the sedan. The range will consist of Pulsar ST, ST-L and Ti. A high-performance model will revive the famed Pulsar SSS name and add a bit of life to what can be a fairly dull market segment when it comes to sporty driving. Equipment levels are high, with even the lowest cost model getting alloy wheels; Bluetooth, MP3 and iPod connectivity; and a six-speaker audio system. Topline Pulsar Ti gets satellite navigation, dual zone air conditioning (the others have single zone air) and a remote key.  The engine in the standard Pulsar range will be a 1.8-litre unit producing up to 102 kW of power and 174 Nm of torque. The hot SSS engine is a turbocharged 1.6-litre with a handy 140 kW and 240 Nm. Manual six-speed and continuously variable automatic transmissions are offered. Aiming to hit the sales floor with a big bang, Nissan is making a pre-sale offer on the 2013 Pulsar sedan. With a 10 per cent deposit and a comparison rate of 7.5 per cent per annum, customers who order an all-new Pulsar sedan ST manual now can pay as little as $299 per month with a guaranteed future value. A $1000 ‘Nissan voucher’ scheme is offered to those buying a car outright. Full details of these offers are available from your local Nissan dealer. Specification levels and prices for the first group of 2013 Nissan Pulsar models are: ST: $19,990 (manual), $22,249 (CVT automatic) ST-L: $23,650 (manual), $25,900 (CVT automatic) Ti: $28,990 (CVT automatic)  

The price battleground is buoyed by the strong Australian dollar, low interest rates and "the most competitive market in the free world". The new version of the world’s best-selling car, the Toyota Corolla, has wound back the clock to the same price it was 11 years ago. It goes on sale today starting from $19,990 plus on-road costs (not to be confused with the runout model which has been advertised for $18,990 drive-away in some states). Other big brands have joined the fray. Ford dropped the price of its Focus hatch last month, and Nissan has announced a $19,990 starting point for its Pulsar three months before it goes on sale. Meanwhile, the top-selling Mazda3 is currently on offer for $20,990 drive-away – a saving of about $3000. The heavy discounting will put further pressure on the Holden Cruze, the only locally-made small car. “It’s a ballistic segment,” says the boss of Nissan Australia, William Peffer. “There are some 500-pound gorillas doing really well in that segment -- Toyota, Mazda, Hyundai -- so it’s going to take our A-game to get in there and do well. “I think the ultimate winner here is the customer.” Peffer has just arrived at Nissan Australia from his previous position in North America and says Australia is the most competitive car market in the world. “There is no place that I’m aware of in the free world that has the number of brands per 1 million sales as Australia. There are low barriers to entry, anyone can compete.” The executive director of sales and marketing at Toyota Australia, Matthew Callachor, says prices are down because cars are cheaper to build than ever before. “It is cheaper for us to build new cars versus old ones,” Callachor says. “You get new materials, new production methodologies and other cost efficiencies. “The competition in this market has been tough for a while … so you’ve got to stand out. “In my memory it’s the toughest market. It’s as good an offering as are ever going to get.” DRIVE A BARGAIN Toyota Corolla: From $19,990 plus on-road costs (the last time a Corolla was $19,990 was in 2001). Nissan Pulsar: From $19,990 plus on-road costs (the last time a Pulsar was $19,990 plus on-road costs was in 2006). Ford Focus: From $19,990 drive-away (was $21,990 plus on-road costs – approx $4000 saving). Mazda3: From $20,990 drive-away (was $20,330 plus on-road costs – approx $3000 saving). MOST CAR PRICES ARE “PLUS ON-ROAD COSTS”, TYPICALLY $3000 OR SO FOR DEALER DELIVERY AND REGO ETC. “DRIVE-AWAY’ PRICES ARE USED IN ADVERTISING AND ARE TYPICALLY SPECIAL OFFERS.  

The SSS Pulsar storms back on to the local hot hatch stage with its Australian debut at AIMS, ahead of going on sale early next year.

The Pulsar was replaced by the awkward-looking and oddly-named Tiida in 2006 – and Nissan used Sex InThe City’s Kim Cattrall in TV ads to take attention away from the car’s drab styling. But the public wasn’t buying it – or the car – and sales of Nissan’s sole contender in the most popular vehicle category in Australia plummeted. The new Pulsar goes on sale early next year with the same price it left with – and where it was 16 years ago – $19,990 plus on-road costs. “At this price, the only inflation is in the tyres,” says William Peffer, the boss of Nissan Australia at a preview of the car ahead of the Sydney motor show, which opens this Friday. Nissan dealers protested angrily when the company dropped the Pulsar name in favour of the global Tiida badge – and they’ve been vindicated. Nissan says 7 out 10 of car shoppers still recognise the Pulsar badge even though it hasn’t been on sale for six years. “The Pulsar means a lot to this country,” says Peffer. “We made the right decision to return to the nameplate that for so long characterised and shaped Australia’s small car landscape.” With the new Pulsar sedan arriving in showrooms next February – followed by the Pulsar hatch 100 days later – the company is gunning for the top-selling Mazda3 and the new generation Toyota Corolla, launched later this week. “We hope we will outsell Corolla,” says Peffer. Buoyed by a recent bout of nostalgia, kicked off with the 50th anniversary of the Patrol 4WD, Nissan is also reviving the Pulsar SSS name for its hot hatch. The turbocharged 1.6-litre performance model (140kW/240Nm) will go on sale in the middle of next year priced about $35,000. Meanwhile, at the other end of the scale, grey nomads holding out for a diesel version of the new Patrol continue to be disappointed. The new Patrol, which goes on sale in February priced between $82,000 and $114,000, will be powered exclusively by a petrol-guzzling 5.6-litre V8 – the same type used as the basis for Nissan’s V8 Supercar next year. The old Patrol, which has been on sale for close to 15 years, will continue to sell alongside the new model as a diesel-only model.  

A few years when Nissan decided to drop the Pulsar name, everybody told them they were making a mistake. But they did it anyway. What followed next was the Nissan Tiida which made its debut at the 2005 Sydney show. And, ho hum, wasn't/isn't it boring...the one thing Tiida had going for it was plenty of room inside which made it popular as a rental. “Tiida offers a giant leap forward for Nissan customers with its modern design, premium finishes and spacious interior,” we were told at the time. “The Tiida exterior features a dynamic look with the emphasis on attention to detail. The body form and long roofline suggest both Tiida's performance capabilities and the roominess inside.” (they must have been talking about some other car). Fast forward and Nissan Australia CEO, Bill Peffer, said the new Pulsar will add a powerful dimension to Nissan's rapidly improving passenger car portfolio. He said Pulsar sedan has the looks, packaging and expected value to make it the leading choice in the booming small car segment. Unveiled to the world in Beijing, we'll get the sedan first in Australia followed later by a hatch variant. Nissan have even alluded to a replacement for the oft-lamented Pulsar SSS sports model which was always so popular with young buyers. Powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, the emphasis however is expected to be on ride and handling, rather than outright performance. All will be revealed soon. Details, including technical specifications for Australia, will be available at a later date.  

Nissan Australia managing director Bill Peffer Jr last week confirmed performance variants are high on the agenda as the importer looks to resurrect the Pulsar name - and the company's share of the small car class - but refused to give details. “The sedan will arrive early 2013 and the hatch versions will follow about 90 days after,” Peffer says. “We will offer vehicles across the price range that will be hot hatches.” Just as Pulsar is instantly identified with Nissan and small cars, so is the SSS moniker seen as the performance variant. Both badges will be pivotal in regaining sales lost when Nissan was forced to adopt the Tiida name. The Tiida was introduced in Australia in 2006 and was an instant dud. Nissan's share of the small car segment dived from around 10 per cent in the Pulsars final years to about1.5 per cent last year. Nissan has sold fewer than 2000 Tiidas to the end of July this year, which is less than the monthly sales of the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, Holden Cruze and Hyundai i30. Nissan is claiming a “product renaissance” over the next 18 months and the revived Pulsar plate will do most of the heavy lifting as the company looks to step up from being the sixth most popular brand in the country. “Pulsar - our 500-pound gorilla as I call it - 82 per cent of our plan for growth next year comes on the back of these two cars: sedan and hatch,” Peffer says. The Pulsar will be joined by a new Patrol four-wheel drive and the mid-sized Altima sedan, which will replace the Maxima. A new Pathfinder will follow in 2014. Nissan has already launched the Almera light sedan - based on its popular Micra hatch - and is aiming for 250 sales a month. “We won't get a lot of sales out of Almera, it's not one of our core models and around 80 per cent of the light car segment are hatches,” Peffer notes. “The Accent and Barina (sedans) are doing 3000-4000 a year and we think we can do around that number. “It's part of our strategy to compete in any segment where there is growth and the light car market is one area we need to be.”