Nissan Sunny: История модели и её вариации

Car model

The Nissan Sunny (日産・サニー) is an automobile built by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1966 till 2004. In the early 1980s, the brand changed from Datsun to Nissan in line with other models by the company. Although production of the Sunny in Japan ended in 2004, the name remains in use in China and GCC countries for a rebadged version of the Nissan Almera. In North America, the later models were known as the Nissan Sentra; in Mexico, the Sunny is known as the Nissan Tsuru, which is Japanese for the bird species "crane". The latest versions of the Sunny were larger than the early models, and may be considered compact cars. Earlier versions (through at least the B11 series) were subcompact cars. All Sunnys through the 1982 model year (excepting the L engined Sunny Excellents) used Nissan A engine motors. It was designed to compete with the Toyota Corolla. The "Sunny" name has been used on other Nissan models, notably various export versions of the Nissan Pulsar model line. The Sunny has been imported and later manufactured worldwide under numerous names, and body styles, in economical, luxury and performance packages. Some configurations appear to be unique based on bodystyle appearances, but sharing a common platform. The Sunny was sold in Japan at a dedicated dealership sales channel called Nissan Satio Store, and rebadged versions later appeared at the other Japanese networks.

The Datsun Sunny truck debuted in February 1967 and was the light commercial truck variation of the B10 passenger models. It was based on the VB10 van chassis, and is a body style which is sometimes referred to as a "coupé utility", as the bed is not separate from the passenger area. The introduction of a pickup truck based on the Sunny gave Nissan Saito Store and Nissan Cherry Store Japanese dealerships the opportunity to sell a commercial vehicle that was originally only offered at Nissan Store. The 520 series Datsun Truck shared its platform with the Datsun Bluebird, plus the larger Nissan Junior sharing an engine with the Nissan Cedric; Nissan decided to duplicate the success it had with a Bluebird based pickup truck for the new Sunny platform. The Sunny was engineered by newly acquired Aichi Machine Industry Co., Ltd., and gave the new acquisition the ability to demonstrate their profitability to their new Nissan owners. The Sunny truck dimensions were in compliance with Japanese Government dimension regulations and the small displacement engines reduced the annual road tax obligation. The B20 used the same wheelbase and running gear as does the Datsun Sunny VB10 van, and shared its dimensions.

The second generation Nissan Sunny (B110) was launched in January 1970 and was known as the Datsun 1200 in export markets. This new model was slightly larger in all dimensions to match its market rival, the equally popular Toyota Corolla. The two companies continued a game of one upmanship which had started when Toyota gave the Corolla an 1,100 cc engine and prominently featured the additional displacement over its Sunny rival. Predictably, Nissan responded by giving the second generation Sunny a 1,200 cc engine and a somewhat controversial marketing campaign with the theme "the car next to me looks small." The Datsun 1200 featured MacPherson strut front suspension with optional disc brakes and an economical 1.2 litre A12 series engine, an enlarged version of the A10 used in the B10 series Sunny. A five door station wagon was added to the Sunny range in addition to the three door wagon. In April 1970 a GX (Grand Luxury) trim with twin carburetor engine was added for the Japanese market. In January 1972 a minor facelift occurred in the Japanese market with a new hood, grille and other small modifications and equipment fitting. In August 1972 the GX 5 model was added in Japan, which improved on the GX by fitting a direct fifth (non overdrive) five speed manual transmission. The Sunny Coupé 1200GX was offered as an alternative to the Toyota Corolla Levin and Toyota Sprinter Trueno, which were performance package trim levels on the more economical Corolla and Sprinter models. For the 1973 model year, US models were re specified with energy absorbing bumpers, fire resistant interiors and other government mandated safety items. The B110 made its racing debut at the Fuji 200 mile race on 23 November 1970 in the TS1300 class, a class dominated by the Toyota Corolla; only one works Nissan challenged Toyota yielding a victory for driver Makoto Suzuki. In Australia and New Zealand, the Datsun 1200 was highly regarded for its effectiveness as a rally car. The Datsun 1600 generally rated highest among entry level Datsuns, and the 1200 a close second. The 1200 also took road racing victories, such as winning Class A (for cars costing less than AU$1960) at the 1970 Bathurst 500. In South Africa, the B110 was sold through 1976. A pick up derivative, featuring a 1400 cc engine, was sold until 2008 when emissions laws forced the end of its production. Over 275,000 were sold to customers who appreciated the rugged rear wheel drive design. In New Zealand, a special edition Datsun 1200 SSS four door sedan with twin side draft Dell'Orto 40 mm carburetors, different camshaft, 5 slot aluminium wheels and cosmetic changes in both exterior and interior, it was assembled and marketed locally, about 800 were made. The 1200 was popular in New Zealand, where it was contract assembled at a two factories (sedans at Campbell Industries in Thames; three door wagons at Motor Holdings, Waitara). A small number of Deluxe sedans and more numerous coupes were imported from Japan. The car remained in NZ production well into 1974 as Nissan NZ was unsure how the public would react to the oddly styled 120Y successor.

In the UK the Datsun 1200 was the first Japanese car to sell in large numbers, being the company's best seller there when its sales soared from just over 6,000 cars in 1971 to more than 30,000 a year later. The 120Y model, launched there in the autumn of 1973, helped take the brand from strength to strength, as did the smaller Cherry models. It was well equipped for its price with disc brakes and reclining front seats. This model established Datsun as the top Japanese exporter of cars to the United Kingdom. In Portugal, Entreposto Comercial assembled the 1200 locally from 1972 until 1974. It was very successful in the Portuguese market, and dominated the local racing and rally scene. The 1200 was so popular in competition that a single car racing series, the Troféu Datsun 1200 ("Datsun 1200 Trophy"), was instituted and ran for several years. To capitalize on its competition success, a sporty Datsun 1200 S1 two door sedan was also derived by Nissan's local affiliate. The S1 made use of the free flow exhaust from the Troféu cars, a modified camshaft, increased compression ratio, modified valves with double springs, polished cylinder head and manifold headers, and double carburetors. Power increased from the of the standard car to Cosmetically, it received side stripes, wider wheels and tires, a sports steering wheel by De Moura, and a centre console with additional instrumentation. The New York Yankees used a Datsun 1200 as a bullpen car in the 1970s. The Datsun 1200 was rated the most fuel efficient vehicle in the United States by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1973, in overall driving pattern. as rated by the government at The Sunny, however, was only rated the most fuel efficient as the EPA had not yet tested the Honda Civic. These values dropped in 1972 as various power sapping anti smog measures were introduced. It was assembled locally and marketed in New Zealand during the 1980s in two trims: "RoadStar" and "SportStar". It was capable of B120s were not sold in North America, partly due to the US "Chicken Tax" and partly because perceptions of vehicle size meant that the 620/720 series were considered small pickups. In 1978, in the Japanese market, the B121 model replaced the B120, with the most notable change being a switch to a plastic grille of the type used by the B110 coupé. Also notable was a change to upscale round instrumentation. The B120 was particularly successful in South Africa. In 1977, for instance, it was the most sold commercial vehicle of any type there. It continued in production there long into the 21st century. It received a very mild facelift in 1978, with a new grille and taillight treatment, as well as interior upgrades.

Exported as the Datsun 120Y and Datsun B210 (in North America), the third generation (1973–1978) Sunny was extremely popular as it debuted during the 1973 oil crisis. It was first shown on 1 May 1973 in Japan, as the 1.2 or the 1.4 litre Excellent. Both engines were offered in two different levels of output, from the lowest powered 1.2 to the Excellent GX Coupé. Six body styles were offered: the four door sedan, two door sedan, two door fastback, three door wagon, five door wagon, and a three door van. The coupé retained its fastback styling, but now featured a full hatchback door rather than the small trunk lid of the previous generation Sunny. The wagon and van were not offered in North America. In 1975, Japan models were fitted with emission control technology, called Nissan NAPS to be in compliance with Japanese Government emission control regulations enforced that year. The related Sunny Excellents continued until 1976 as PB210 models, at first fitted with a 1.4 litre L14 engine. American market B210s were the first Sunnys to have the larger collision bumpers, due to the USA's safety standards at the time. Other markets continued with the more tightly fitted chrome bumpers. In most markets, the B210 line featured as the only engine option a re designed A12 engine. As usual for Japan, the wagon (three and five door models alike) was marketed as a van for commercial use, where it was only available with the lowest powered 1.2 engine (VB210). The van, in its lowest standard equipment level, came equipped with a three speed manual gearbox with a column mounted shift lever. This chassis formed the basis for the S10 underpinning the Nissan Silvia coupé, which allowed Nissan to sell the Sunny Coupé at two Nissan Japanese dealership networks. The Sunny was exclusive to Nissan Satio Store, while the Silvia was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store, alongside the Nissan Skyline.

B211 is the chassis code for the minor facelift of the B210, introduced in February 1976. It included a changed grille and other minor changes, such as new wing mirrors and hubcaps. The most important differences were under the hood, where the engines had been upgraded to meet Japan's 1976 emissions standards. The Sunny Excellent now only came fitted with the larger 1.6 litre engine, with the more compact A14 engine replacing the L14 and being installed in the regular bodied model (HB211). The Excellent's chassis code changed from PB210 to GB211 and was now considered a trim level option for the regular B211 rather than as a separate model. Although regular production in Japan as well as sales in most countries ended in late 1977 for the 1978 model year, the B210 series continued to be produced by Nissan South Africa through 1980. The van models were not replaced until later.

The Datsun B210 continued to be the fuel economy leader in North America and it was one of the least expensive cars available. This was in part due to the light metal; small A13 or A14 engine with OHV technology and a very basic vinyl interior used in its construction. Introduced for 1974 with a 1.3 litre four, this was replaced by a larger and more powerful 1.4 litre version for 1975. This engine remained in use, continuing to be installed in the next generation B210. At the time, their body styles were popular with buyers – mainly the hatchback coupé as the sedans were considered by some to be less appealing. Datsun dealers were instructed to describe the coupé as having "the image of a Mini Z Car". The only other bodywork available at the time of introduction was a four door sedan; later a four door wagon joined the lineup. All South African Datsun Y's received the longer Sunny Excellent front sheet metal, allowing the fitting of the L14 engine. In October 1976, a version of the 140Y with a three speed automatic transmission appeared, which had a engine. During 1978 the Y series received a facelift, which mostly consisted of a retouched front grille. Datsun Nissan South Africa also decided to fit the bigger L16 engine. This motor, now with DIN ratings, produced in GX specifications and in the 160Z. The 140Y sedan received the new A14 engine, while the 140Y station wagon retained the earlier L14 unit. The 160Z appeared in November 1978, with 120 cars built that year, and 121 built in 1979.

When introduced in the UK, the 120Y quickly gained popularity, further strengthening Datsun's position, helping it to gain second place amongst foreign imports. The car's popularity was helped by high equipment levels for a car of this size, while also being competitively priced as well as Datsun cars have a reputation for being reliable, while at the same time UK manufactured cars were in short supply due to the regular strikes and stoppages affecting British car plants. British Leyland was particularly hard hit by these crises, while at the same time several of its model ranges were gaining a reputation for being unreliable and badly built.

In Taiwan, Yue Loong continued building the B310 series until the 1990s as a lower priced alternative to more modern Sunnys. Originally introduced as the YLN 302, with SD or DX equipment (Standard, DeLuxe)

Introduced in late 1981 (at the Tokyo Motor Show), the B11s were the first front wheel drive Sunnys, predating by a year and a half the switch to front wheel drive by their main Toyota Corolla rival, and were exported to the United States as the Nissan Sentra from the 1982 model year onwards. European sales began in May 1982, with this version of the Sunny going on sale at a time when front wheel drive was quickly becoming the most popular layout on family cars in Europe. The B11 series shared its engines and much of its underpinnings with the Nissan Pulsar (N12) which launched around the same time, effectively providing the hatchback body style in this size class which in the European market was becoming the widely preferred configuration. Because the Sunny and Cherry/Pulsar had grown substantially to fill this market need, the supermini size class was filled by the Nissan Micra/March that also launched the same year. Ultimately, the Sunny and Cherry/Pulsar lines converged in the European market for the N13 generation in 1986. The chassis code returned to the original "B" designation, then added "11" to signify a new start. The B11 was the first Sunny to be available with a diesel engine, the CD17 of 1.7 litres. Most markets received 1.3 or 1.5 litre four cylinder engines, although for some markets with strict taxation (such as Greece), the 1 litre E10 engine was also available. In Chile it was mainly sold with the E13 and E15 engines, although a handful of the turbocharged 1.6 were also delivered as the "Sunny Ninja Turbo" and the 1.7 litre diesel was available in the sedan model for a few years. The B11 Sunny was the most sold car in Chile in 1989 and 1990 and continued to be available alongside the B12 as well as the B13 Sunnys; these were sold as the "Sentra" and the "V16" so as to separate them in the marketplace. It was marketed as the YLN 311 SD or GX, depending on equipment levels. Taiwanese Sunnys were fitted with the larger bumpers as used in the North American markets; it is unknown why this is the case.

A five door station wagon on Sunny basis meant for use as a delivery van was also introduced. This had different bodywork from the Sunny California wagon and was called the Nissan AD Van in the domestic market. It was also exported to many countries, usually with "Sunny Van" badging. It used the E15S, the E13S, and the CD17 diesel engine.

In 1995, Nissan reintroduced the 200SX nameplate in United States and Canada to designate a two door version of the Sentra (B14 chassis, a front wheel drive car), known in Japan and Mexico as Lucino, replacing the Sentra coupé and NX (discontinued in 1993). The 200SX came in base, SE, and sportier SE R models. All shared their front end appearance, front drive chassis, dashboard, and many dimensions with the Sentra and Japanese market Lucino. Base and SE editions shared the Sentra's twin cam GA16DE engine four cylinder engine. The SE R inherited the 140 horsepower 2.0 L SR20DE engine used in the previous 2 door Sentra SE R. All three came with a 5 speed manual transmission or 4 speed automatic, and were equipped with dual airbags. Antilock brakes were optional in the SE and SE R.

The B15 series was the last Sunny, produced from October 1998 to the end of 2004. A facelift was launched in May 2002. In 2004 in Japan, the Nissan Tiida (C11) and Nissan Bluebird Sylphy (G11) replaced the Sunny, marking the end of an almost 40 year long production life. While earlier North American market Nissan Sentras were very similar to their Japan market B series Nissan Sunny twins, the B15 Sentra (2000–2006) is diverged greatly from the B15 Sunny. The Sentra B15 took styling cues from the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy (G10/N16), while the Sunny B15 body had a more traditional squared off three box sedan design. In Japan, the B15 Sunny was offered with 1.3, 1.5, 1.6 and 1.8 litre petrol or 2.2 litre diesel engines. In North America, the B15 Sentra was offered with 1.8, 2.0 and 2.5 litre engines, and carried on the B series Sunny/Sentra lineage with the B16 Sentra. The Wingroad station wagon and the badge engineered Mazda Familia Van (1.3, 1.5 and 1.8 litre) continued to be spun off from the main Sunny range. A facelift for the Wingroad in 2002 gave it a new front end treatment, though the rear was much the same. The two door variant was discontinued internationally. Renault Samsung Motors, a South Korean Automaker planned to use this vehicle for their R Car project. However, Renault acquired Samsung Motors and announced that the R Car would be rebranded as the SM3, although it ended up being based on the related Nissan Bluebird Sylphy.

Although the Nissan Pulsar and Bluebird Sylphy ranges (N series family) were a separate model line with different heritage from Sunny (B series family), for various reasons the Sunny name was—in some markets—applied to various Pulsar/Sylphy vehicles.

The Nissan Sunny name was used on the Nissan Pulsar (N13) in Europe from 1987 to 1991, which was introduced as a replacement for both the Nissan Sunny B11 Sunny and N12 Cherry.

The Nissan Pulsar N14 series was introduced in 1990 in Japan and in 1991 for Europe, badged as the Nissan Sunny. It was replaced by the Nissan Almera N15 in 1995 which was itself a rebadged version of the Nissan Pulsar N15 series.

Although the Bluebird Sylphy G10 did not spawn a Sunny range in Japan, it was sold as the Sunny Neo in Thailand and as the Sunny in Hong Kong, Kenya, Singapore, Sri Lanka and the People's Republic of China, where it is produced by the Dongfeng Motor Company, a joint venture with Nissan. Also, the N16 series was sold in parts of Latin America and in Europe as the Nissan Almera. The N16 series was also sold in Bangladesh through Pacific Nissan dealers in the EX Saloon trim, from 2001 to 2011, with two minor facelifts. In Sri Lanka, Nissan sold the Bluebird Sylphy G10 as the Nissan Sunny N16 in two trims: EX saloon and Super Saloon. While there were differences in measurements and exteriors, the interiors were mostly the same. Nissan offered various models with different nameplates like Bluebird, Sylphy, and Cefiro, each having modified specifications. It's important to note that these nameplates didn't exactly match the global models with the same names. The EX saloon had a black grill and was offered with the 1.3 L QG13DE engine. From the 2007 model year, its platform changed to the Renault Samsung SM3, that is sold in parts of Europe as the Almera Classic. Also since 2007, the Renault Samsung SM3 is sold as the Nissan Sunny in the Middle East, with a solitary trim that comes with a 1.5 litre engine.

The N17 series Sunny was unveiled at the 2010 Guangzhou International Motor Show in China. Sales began in 2011. It was also sold in the Indian and many Middle Eastern markets under the same name. Other names include the Almera in Southeast Asia and the Versa in Americas.

The N18 series Sunny was unveiled in the United Arab Emirates at the Dubai International Motor Show in November 2019.