- Nissan Pulsar hatch now on sale in Australia, following Pulsar sedan launch in February
- Pulsar hatch available in four grades, including the return of SSS badge
- ST and ST-L grades feature 1.8L; ST-S and SSS powered by 1.6L DIG Turbo
MELBOURNE, Australia – The Pulsar's comeback to the Australian market is now complete as Nissan launches the all-new Pulsar hatch today, including the return of the SSS performance variant.
The launch of the Pulsar hatch follows the re-introduction of the Pulsar sedan to the Australian market in February this year, which has already seen the much-loved nameplate return to the 'best sellers' list in the competitive Small Passenger Car segment.
"Nissan is excited to complete the comeback of the Pulsar today with the launch of the Pulsar hatch," said Nissan Motor Company (Australia) Managing Director and CEO William F Peffer Jr.
"The Australian market has embraced the Pulsar sedan since its launch in February. Now we can offer an even more compelling case with the four grades of Pulsar hatch, including two turbocharged variants.
"The Nissan Pulsar hatch is an extremely competitive, value-rich proposition for Australian new car buyers. And for those looking for additional excitement, the return of the Pulsar SSS offers affordable excitement from a performance hatch, powered by Nissan's well-renowned 1.6-litre DIG (Direct Injection Gasoline) Turbo engine."
Nissan confirmed in May that the Pulsar hatch pricing will start from just $18,990 MSRP (estimated drive-away $21,878^), with the Pulsar SSS price starting from under $30,000 MSRP (estimated drive-away $32,433^).
The launch of the Pulsar hatch is the latest installment in Nissan Australia's continued series of new-model introductions. The leading car maker will launch more innovative and exciting new vehicles by the end of the year, including the all-new Pathfinder SUV, funky Juke crossover and Altima mid-size sedan, all set to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2013.
Australian sales of new Nissan vehicles have powered to new heights in the previous 14 months, fuelled in part by the introduction of a number of popular all-new models such as the Nissan Patrol V8 and the all-new Pulsar Sedan, both launched in February.
A number of Nissan models have also received a variety of updates this year, including the all-conquering GT-R supercar, the 370Z coupe and roadster ranges and the ever-popular DUALIS small SUV, now available with a diesel variant.
Model range
The all-new Pulsar hatch is available in four model grades: ST, ST-L, ST-S and SSS.
The Pulsar hatch ST and ST-L are powered by an efficient 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which has a peak power rating of 96kW and a maximum torque of 174Nm. Adding spice to the Pulsar hatch range are the Pulsar ST-S and Pulsar SSS, both powered by Nissan's 140kW, 1.6-litre DIG (Direct Injection Gasoline) Turbo engine.
All Pulsar hatch grades come fitted with a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment. Nissan's Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) is optionally available in all grades, with the addition of a manual mode in the turbocharged Pulsar Hatch ST-S and SSS.
With the all-new Pulsar hatch range Nissan has again delivered when it comes to customer value. The entry-grade Pulsar hatch ST comes equipped with a generous collection of standard features and its impressive value is underlined by its Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $18,990 (estimated drive-away $21,878^). The same value-focused formula has been applied to the Pulsar Hatch ST-L, ST-S and SSS, with generous standard equipment lists matched to highly competitive prices. For details see Standard Equipment, below.
Exterior Styling
The all-new Nissan Pulsar hatch wears a sweeping, aerodynamic exterior design. Its excellent proportions are bolstered by sharp styling features such as the contoured design of its headlights and sloping waistline.
Body-coloured front and rear bumpers and exterior mirrors are fitted to all four grades of the Pulsar hatch range.
Filling the Pulsar hatch's wheel arches are standard-fitment 16-inch alloy wheels (Pulsar hatch ST and ST-L) and sharp 17-inch sports alloy wheels add a performance-oriented edge to the styling of the turbocharged Pulsar hatch ST-S and SSS grades.
The top of the range Pulsar hatch SSS wears a fully integrated sports body kit, comprising front and rear spoilers and side skirts. Dusk-sensing Xenon headlights with auto levelling and washers finish the sporty frontal design of the Pulsar SSS.
The Nissan Pulsar hatch is 4295mm long (Pulsar hatch ST and ST-L; ST-S and SSS 4315mm), 1760mm wide (excluding exterior mirrors) and 1520mm high. Wheelbase is 2700mm and the car's track width (front and rear) is 1540mm (Pulsar Hatch ST and ST-L; ST-S and SSS 1530mm).
A full-size spare wheel is fitted to all grades of the all-new Pulsar hatch (16-inch steel wheel in Pulsar hatch ST and ST-L; 17-inch steel wheel in Pulsar hatch ST-S and SSS).
Nissan DIG Turbo Engine (MR16DDT) – Pulsar SSS and ST-S
Sitting at the top of the Pulsar range in the SSS and ST-S variants is a 1.6-litre DIG Turbo engine that develops 140kW of power and 240Nm of torque.
Direct injection has a number of advantages over multi-point fuel injection for petrol engines. In a conventional engine, as engine speeds rise so valve opening and closing times get progressively shorter, meaning there is less time available to inject fuel.
This is not a problem in the DIG Turbo engine as the seven hole, high pressure injector is placed directly inside the combustion chamber: adopting this direct path means far greater control can be exerted over the combustion process. This, in turn, increases the engine's fuel efficiency and helps raise power and torque outputs while emission levels can be more accurately controlled.
A low-friction and lightweight design, the 16-valve 1,618cc engine has a single scroll turbocharger and an intercooler to boost power while variable timing control for both intake and exhaust cycles (twin VTC) improves low-end engine response. A degree of overlap allows exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).
The combustion pattern varies from a conventional engine, using stratified combustion when the engine is started and during the warm-up period, reverting to homogeneous combustion at other times. The optimisation of the shape of the combustion chamber port and fuel spray patterns significantly improves power output and torque.
The result is an engine that's one of the most powerful in its class delivering the performance levels expected from a normally aspirated 2.5-litre engine but with the fuel economy of a 1.8-litre unit in a package that's no larger or heavier than a conventional 1.6-litre unit. Nissan engineers estimate that the DIG Turbo engine develops about 20 per cent greater torque than a conventional turbo engine with multi-point fuel injection.
"Our turbocharged direct injection gasoline engine shows the way ahead," said Andy Palmer, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Company Ltd. "Although displacing just 1.6-litres, it has the power of a much larger engine but with none of the drawbacks in terms of economy, emissions and weight."
Refinement is boosted by the many low friction techniques used in the engine's construction. These include the adoption of diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating for the valve lifters and mirror finish camshafts. Low tension piston rings with a hard ceramic chromium nitride (CrN) coating are used along with low friction engine oil.
Sodium filled valves lower temperatures to reduce engine knock, while the valve springs themselves are of a novel 'beehive' design, fatter in the middle than at either end. The benefits of the beehive spring are lower weight, reduced friction and they permit the use of smaller lifters ... a weight saving measure.
The turbocharged variants of the Pulsar Hatch come with a six-speed manual transmission or Nissan's Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) featuring M-Mode (Manual Mode) to allow seamless shifting – the luxury of an auto but the performance and control of a manual.
| Fuel Consumption** and Emissions: Pulsar ST-S and SSS (1.6L DIG-T) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Transmission | Fuel Consumption (combined) | CO2 Output (combined) |
| Six-speed Manual | 7.7 litres | 185 g/km |
| Xtronic CVT | 7.8 litres | 187 g/km |
Nissan MRA8DE Engine – Pulsar ST and ST-L
The Pulsar Hatch ST and ST-L feature the same engine that powers all three grades of the Pulsar sedan (ST, ST-L and Ti) launched in February earlier this year. The engine's long-stroke 1,798cc four-cylinder engine is equipped with twin continuously variable valve timing control (C-VTC) that modulates the opening time of both the intake and exhaust valves. This engine develops a peak power level of 96kW and a maximum torque of 174Nm.
New valve lifters and 'beehive' valve springs have been developed to reduce friction and inertial loss. These springs have a smaller diameter at the top to reduce the inertia weight of the valve-train system, improving fuel efficiency and resulting in smoother engine operation.
Temperature efficiency is enhanced by the smaller combustion chamber area afforded by the engine's long stroke architecture, while by overlapping the open cycles of both intake and exhaust valves, exhaust gasses are recirculated into the cylinders, reducing pumping loss.
A hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon coating on top of the valve lifters reduces the level of friction of previous coatings by around 50 per cent.
Clever redesign of the Xtronic CVT results in less oil stirring for a 30 per cent reduction in friction and higher fuel efficiency. Smaller, more compact engine pulleys are 13 per cent lighter than those previously used – again for higher fuel efficiency.
| Fuel Consumption** and Emissions: Pulsar ST and ST-L (1.8L) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Transmission | Fuel Consumption (combined) | CO2 Output (combined) |
| Six-speed Manual | 7.2 litres | 169 g/km |
| Xtronic CVT | 6.7 litres | 161 g/km |
Standard Equipment
Example standard equipment inclusions for each grade of the Nissan Pulsar Hatch range are summarised below. A full specification sheet is also now available.
Pulsar Hatch ST:
- 1.8-litre petrol engine with 96kW of power and 174Nm of torque
- Six-speed manual transmission (Xtronic CVT optional)
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Air-conditioning
- Cruise control
- Four-speaker audio with MP3 capability and AUX-IN
- Bluetooth hands-free telephone system
- Steering wheel-mounted audio controls
- Power windows
- Central locking with remote keyless entry
- Cloth seat trim
- Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC)
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) with Brake Assist (BA)
Pulsar Hatch ST-L:
All of the features of the Pulsar Hatch ST plus/or:
- Front fog lights
- Rear spoiler
- Six-speaker audio with MP3 capability, AUX-IN and USB/iPod connectivity
- 4.3-inch QVGA colour display
- Leather-accented steering wheel #
- Premium cloth seat trim
- Rear Centre armrest
Pulsar Hatch ST-S:
All of the features of the Pulsar Hatch ST-L plus/or:
- 1.6-litre DIG Turbo petrol engine
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- (Xtronic CVT with M-Mode optional)
Pulsar Hatch SSS:
All of the features of the Pulsar Hatch ST-S plus/or:
- Xenon headlights with automatic levelling and washers and dusk-sensing function
- Front spoiler, side skirts, rear lower spoiler
- 5.8-inch integrated colour display with touch screen and steering wheel-mounted controls
- Satellite navigation with 3D mapping, six-speaker audio with MP3 capability, AUX-IN, USB/iPod connectivity and Bluetooth audio streaming
- Rear-view camera with distance guidelines
- Leather-accented seat trim #
- Dual-zone climate control
- Intelligent Key keyless entry system
- Push-button engine start function
Nissan Pulsar Hatch - Pricing
| MSRP* (Manual / CVT) | Estimated Drive-Away Price^ (Manual / CVT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pulsar Hatch ST | $18,990 / $21,240 | $21,878 / $24,196 |
| Pulsar Hatch ST-L | $22,490 / $24,740 | $25,481 / $27,799 |
| Pulsar Hatch ST-S | $24,990 / $27,490 | $28,010 / $30,585 |
| Pulsar Hatch SSS | $29,240 / $31,740 | $32,433 / $35,008 |
* Manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP)
^ Maximum recommended drive-away price for vehicle in Victoria including 12 months' registration, 12 months' CTP and other applicable statutory charges, dealer delivery and administration charges. Price is based on a private owner aged 40 with a good driving record and the vehicle being garaged in Victoria. Prices may differ depending on State purchased, individual's personal circumstances and will vary from dealer to dealer. Metallic paint $495 extra. CVT transmission $2,250 (MSRP) extra on 1.8L models and $2,500 extra (MSRP) on 1.6L models.
** Fuel consumption figures have been calculated in accordance with ADR81/02. Actual fuel consumption will vary depending on driving conditions, driver behaviour, the condition of the vehicle and accessories fitted.
# Leather accented features and upholstery may contain synthetic materials.
About Nissan Motor Company
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 267,000 employees globally, Nissan provided customers with more than 4.9 million vehicles and generated revenue of 9.6 trillion yen (USD 116.16 billion) in fiscal 2012. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of over 60 models under the Nissan and Infiniti brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history.
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