sunny

Nissan Sunny (B14) January 1994/Sentra (export mainly)

Using the rear compact flex-beam application of the Y10 AD models, but with the Panhard rod replaced by a more sophisticated Scott-Russell linkage, Nissan lengthened the wheelbase of the B14 with this ‘multi-link beam’ suspension to 10 cm over that of the previous B13 with its independent parallel links, allowing the usage of smaller shock absorbers, and thus creating more trunk space.

This Sunny was in Japan promoted as ‘12 miles Sunny’ as the fuel efficiency was improved to 12 miles, that is 19.6 km per liter for the manual 1.5 model (vs 18.6 for the 1.3). A lean burn version of the 1.5 engine moved this figure up to 20.5 in May 1994. Three concepts were ① "Low fuel consumption like a March", ② "Wide packaging like a Primera" and ③ "High quality ride like a Laurel".

As before, in Japan full-time all-wheel-drive was offered for the 1.5-litre, while the diesel now received the Attesa system. These models kept the parallel link independent rear suspension. The viscous limited slip differential was repeated from the previous generation, and offered in North America until autumn 1997, when in Japan it became standard with the GA16DE engine, now that the 1.8 engine was deleted.

Next to the B14, the 2-door B13 was sold in Canada for two years as Sentra Coupe, and the 4-door B13 over a longer period in Latin America, as well as in Taiwan. In 1998, Mexico built more B13 than B14.

The longer Presea, that arrived a year after the Sunny, now had its wheelbase extended 4.5 cm as compared with the Sunny. As with the Sunny, the looks were not that different from the previous generation. The viscous limited slip differential no longer was standard for the 2.0 model, but optional for all engines. Sales in 1996 were about a quarter of those for the Sunny, with about 90% automatics, vs 70% of the Sunny. Four-wheel-drive was not offered, probably because of its unique wheelbase.

Nissan Sunny Lucino Coupe (B14) May 1994/200SX (USA/Canada)

Succeeding on the NX Coupe, the Lucino Coupe likewise played a modest role in Japan, with about one coupe out of every 20 Sunnys sold in the 1996, dropping to about one out of 50 the next year. In the United States, the 200SX sold one to every five Sentras in these years. The entry-level model in Japan, with the 1.5 engine, was cheaper than the basic Sunny, which had the 1.3 engine. In the United States, the prices of the 200SX started at a $1,000 lower level than those of the Sentra.

Four-wheel-drive was not offered. By January 1996 Autech offered the SR20DE engine, with the viscous limited slip differential, that came also standard with the SR18DE engine, and by September 1997 with the NEO (Nissan Ecology Oriented performance) VVL (Variable Valve Lift & timing) SR16VE engine in the VZ-R, replacing the SR18DE.

Nissan Pulsar/Lucino Hatchback (N15) January 1995/Almera (Europe)/’Sentra’ (New Zealand)

This Pulsar started in Japan as sedan and as Pulsar Serie 3-door hatchback. To supply Nissan Sunny dealers with a hatchback of this size after the deletion of this body style for the previous generation Sunny in 1990, the Pulsar 3-door was sold as Lucino. In May 1996, the 5-door hatchback was added as Pulsar Serie S-RV and Lucino S-RV, now promoted as a wagon, with a roof rack and on 15 inch wheels, and followed by a 5-door hatchback Pulsar Serie and Lucino in September 1997 without the S-RV amenities. Pulsars and Lucinos sold at the same price. This was the last generation for this sized Nissan hatchbacks in Japan, but the Tino MPV filled the gap. The Lucinos stopped in mid-1999, when the Sunny dealers were renamed into Satio.

By January 1996 Autech offered the SR20DE engine in the two-wheel-drive Pulsar Serie 3-door hatchback with the viscous limited slip differential, that was also standard in the Pulsar Serie and Lucino 3-door hatchbacks with the SR18DE and the SR16VE engine (VZ-R), the latter available with a manual gearbox only, replacing the SR18DE manual in September 1997. There was also a VZ-R Pulsar sedan. A Sunny VZ-R arrived in October 1998 at the next generation B15, that looked not that different from the Pulsar N15.

The (5-door hatchback) S-RV models arrived at the same time as the Wingroad, but the prices of the latter started lower for the entry-level models, with the S-RV selling only one trim line, well equipped, the two-wheel-drive model with the 1.5 engine, the four-wheel-drive with the 1.5 or the 1.8 engine, with the Attesa system for the latter. The two-wheel-drive model was the most popular, while the 1.8 four-wheel-drive model was offered an Aero Sports package by Autech from 1997 with an optional spare tire carrier at the back. Wingroads sold twice as much as S-RVs. In September 1997 the two-wheel-drive S-RV VZ-R with the SR16VE engine arrived, while the SR20DE engine by Autech was added to the 4wd models, retaining the GA15DE and SR18DE engines.

Opening its quota of Japanese cars in 1997, the N15 Pulsar S-RV was the first Nissan car to be imported to China. By 2003, the N16 ‘Yangguang’ Sunny was to be built here, still on the same platform.

In 1997, 70,000 Sunny sedans were sold in Japan, vs 1,500 Lucino Coupe and 10,000 Lucino Hatchback, with one out of every seven Sunny/Pulsar an S-RV.

Worldwide B14/N15 engine choice fell down from 14 to 9, with the cleaner engines now settled. Singapore was one of the markets outside Japan, where both Pulsar, Sunny and Presea were marketed.

With the majority of Sunny/Sentra produced in America, the most produced Nissan in Japan in 1998 was the Pulsar/Almera. Some 190,000 were built, of which 157,000 were exported (124,000 to Europe). The next generation Almera N16 was to be produced in the United Kingdom.

B14/N15

wb 253.5, length 425, width 169, J: std. p/s

wb 253.5, length 412~432, w 169, J: std. p/s **

wb 258, l 448, w 169.5, p/s

market:

from

B14 rear suspension: flex-beam*, coil

from

N15 rear suspension: flex-beam*, coil

from R11 flex-beam coil

market:

Japan

9401

Sunny (Lucino)

C2: 9405

N4 C2

9501

Pulsar/Lucino S-RV: 9605

F2h4h N4

9501

Presea

N4p

Japan

USA/Canada

9501

Sentra/200SX

N4 C2

n/a

USA/Canada

Mexico

Sentra/Lucino

N4 C2

n/a

Mexico

Europe

n/a

9510

Almera

F2h4h N4

n/a

Europe

Australia

n/a

Pulsar

F4h4h N4

n/a

Australia

New Zealand

n/a

Sentra, '98 > Pulsar

F4h4h N4

Presea

N4p

New Zealand

Taiwan

Sentra

Pulsar S-RV

F4h4h N4

n/a

Taiwan

export

Sunny, Sentra

Pulsar, Almera

F2h4h N4

Presea

N4p

export

cc:

body style

cc:

L4 dohc

1295

J USA MEX exp

GA13DS

L4 dohc

1295

L4 dohc

1295

J USA MEX exp

GA13DE

L4 dohc

1295

L4 dohc

1392

J USA MEX exp

GA14DE

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

GA14DE

F2h4h N4

L4 dohc

1392

L4 dohc

1497

J"USA MEXexp

GA15DE

N4 C2

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

GA15DE

F2h4h N4

J exp

GA15DE

L4 dohc

1497

L4 dohc

1597

J USA MEX'exp'

GA16DE

N4 C2

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

GA16DE

F2h4h N4

J exp

GA16DE

L4 dohc

1597

L4 dohc

1596

9709

J USA MEX exp

SR16VE

N4 C2

9709

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

SR16VE

F2h4h N4

L4 dohc

1596

L4 dohc

1838

J USA MEX exp

SR18DE

N4 C2

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

SR18DE

F2h4h N4

J exp

SR18DE

L4 dohc

1838

L4 dohc

1998

J USA MEX exp

SR20DE

N4 C2

9607

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

SR20DE

F2h4h N4

J exp

SR20DE

L4 dohc

1998

L4 ohc

1974

J"USA MEXexp

CD20

J"EUR AUS NZ exp

CD20

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc

1974

5M4A

diesel

" also * 4wd rear susp.: independent, parallel link

diesel

USA incl. CDN

' also GA16DNE w/o variable valve timing

** not VZ-R N1 Race Base

13", 14", 15" wheels

flex-beam with Scott-Rusell linkage

In Japan, 1597cc and 1974cc engines are quoted 1596cc and 1973cc, due to rounding down the decimal

engine availability by market and by body style independent of each other

The next generation 1999 B15 Sunny/Sentra and 2000 N16 Almera (G10 Bluebird Sylphy in Japan, Pulsar in Australia and New Zealand, Sunny/Sentra in East Asia) continued on this 2535 mm platform, but when in December 2005 the G11 Bluebird Sylphy arrived, Nissan adopted the more common H-shaped compound crank rear suspension as used by Renault (also for the four-wheel-drive models), to be adopted in America for the 2007 Sentra B16.

Sources: sales brochures, Driver magazine, publicly accessible internet sites

Far East Auto Literature

1 February, 2020