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Nissan India has been rather quick in bringing out the diesel version of its hot-selling new offering, the Sunny. Just three months after its launch, Nissan Motor India Private Limited have gone ahead and offered their second engine option, with prices starting at Rs 7.98 lakh for the XL version and Rs 8.68 lakh for the XV version, ex-showroom, Delhi.
The Nissan Sunny diesel is powered by the K9K motor that can be currently found under the hood of the Nissan Micra/Renault Pulse as well as the Renault Fluence, Mahindra Verito and the to-be-launched Renault Duster. Unlike any of these offerings, the Sunny produces 85 bhp at 3750 rpm and a healthy 20.3 kgm of peak torque from 2000 rpm onwards. Mated to a five-speed manual, the Nissan Sunny delivers a very respectable 21.64 kpl under ARAI test conditions. The car weighs 70 kg more than its equivalent petrol trim.
The Sunny has emerged as a force in the entry-level C-segment after the launch of the petrol version in September and with the emergence of a diesel version, it should be able to expand its marketshare even further. Built at the Renault-Nissan plant in Chennai, the V-platform based Sunny may also spawn a Renault version in 2012 as both Renault and Nissan are working towards common synergies and product strategies to boost their marketshare in India.
In India, the Sunny diesel will compete against the diesel versions of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, the Mahindra Verito, Maruti Suzuki SX4, Toyota Etios diesel, Tata Manza and Ford Fiesta Classic among others. Watch this space for a driving impression of the Nissan Sunny diesel soon.
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