sunny

B10~B18:
Though the Sunny stopped after 38 years in Japan (1966~2004, 9 generations), the 12^th generation B18 has been unveiled at the November 2019 Los Angeles Show as Sentra, under which name it has been sold in North America since it changed to front-wheel-drive in the early 1980s (as B11, 5^th generation) (the first four were the B10, B110, B210, B310). ‘Sunny’ didn’t sound ‘American’, and ‘Sylphy’, under which name the B18 was earlier introduced in April in Beijing succeeding on the B17 Sylphy, resembles Sylph, a mythological air spirit, so this name was not used in English speaking countries. The Sentra takes its name from a US consumer study and has no specific meaning. It should be noticed, that in Canada some ‘210’ B310 models, the last of the rear-wheel-drivers, received the ‘Sunny’ suffix. This same generation has been the only one that was named Sunny in Australia, after which it was decided to manufacture the Pulsar here incl. the later sedan. South Africa also never saw a ‘Sunny’, nor did South Korea, Brazil, Argentina and also Mexico, where the first three fwd generations were called Tsuru (origami crane) with the third one lasting from 1991 to 2017.

N10~N18:
As was the case with the Sunny, the first Cherry neither was imported to the USA, and disappeared here under the Pulsar name at the 4^th (N12) generation (the first three were the E10, F10, N10). As N17, the N-series came to North America again in 2011 as Versa, succeeding on the C11 Versa, and replaced in August 2019 by the N18 Versa. The C11 was called Tiida (Latio) in Japan, a new smaller car line, with of course no relation to the famous Skyline C10.

The Pulsar name had taken over at the 3^rd generation in 1978 in Japan (N10), and worldwide, but this name was not preferred for Europe, though the Brits choose to name their saloons ‘Sunny Pulsar’ soon after the Cherry was renamed Sunny in Europe in autumn 1986. The Greeks were allowed to keep the Cherry name for their locally assembled hatchbacks, but had to switch to Sunny the next generation. Eventually in 2015, the second Tiida was sold as Pulsar (hatchback) in Europe with bolder sheet metal (C13), succeeding on the Tiida, introduced here by 2008 to succeed on the Almera. Both models however were withdrawn after 3 years due to poor demand.

Japan:
The (N10, 1978) Pulsar was a hatchback (though the 4-door fastback received the hatch only in 1979), and was sold in Japan through the Cherry dealers (with a Pulsar signboard) until 1990. To suit the customers, a sedan with trunk was added to the Pulsar N12 in mid-1982. There was no N11, and this meant that starting with the B11/N12 the N-series exceeded the B-series in the numbering, usually ‘following’ after several months up to over a year at the B15/N16. The 2000 N16 was tagged G10 in Japan, and it was named ‘Bluebird Sylphy’ for selling at the Blue Stage (Bluebird and Nissan Motor) dealers to set it apart from the skipped Pulsar series (sold by Bluebird and Prince), as the Sunny now was sold at the Red Stage (ex Sunny and Prince) dealerships, established in 1999 after the merger with Renault.

In a contrary move to what happened at the Cherry dealers, the Sunny dealers started to sell a Sunny 3-door hatchback in autumn 1983 (though a coupe hatchback was part of the Sunny line since 1973), until the arrival of the B13 in 1990. Both Pulsar sedan and Sunny hatchback, initially were sold only with the larger 1.5-litre engine not to poach on one’s territory. The Pulsar’s prices started slightly lower than those of the Sunny, but after the arrival of the March, the Sunny 4-dr sedan was cheaper than the Pulsar 3-dr hatchback, and with 1.5 engine, cheaper than the Pulsar ‘saloon’.

B&N:
So, from 1986, there were both the B12 Sunny (Sentra in USA/Canada) and the N13 Sunny in Europe (Sentra in New Zealand). The 1990 B13/N14 were sold together only in selected, mostly South East Asian markets, as were the B14/N15. The 1995 N15 was sold as Almera in Europe, but still Sentra in New Zealand, until assembling stopped there and the global Pulsar name was adopted. There was no N15 ‘Sunny’.

‘transition’:
The B15 was the last ‘Sunny’ in the B-series. B15/N15 models were the last to be sold together in Japan as Sunny & Pulsar from autumn 1998 to autumn 2000. In some select markets, both car lines were sold as Sunny. The N16 Almera (G10 Bluebird Sylphy in Japan) was sold as Pulsar in Australia and New Zealand, but as ‘Sunny’ (or ‘Sunny Almera’, also Sentra) in other markets.

The American B15 Sentra with the sheet metal different from the Sunny, was sold in Mexico next to the N16 Almera (hatchback, imported from the UK) and in Chile to the ‘Samsung SM3’. In other Latin American countries the B15 Sentra was sold next to the N16 Almera sedan (exported from South Korea).

As the next larger G11 wasn't distributed outside Asia (and Russia), it was probably not tagged an N-series. The 2007 B16 was mainly American, and was sold in USA/Canada next to the smaller C11 Versa.

The ‘N17’ came only as a sedan, and, though grown, on a smaller wheelbase now than the B16, was called Almera in South East Asia, Australia and Africa, but ‘Sunny’ in China (where the ‘Sunny’ N16 was introduced in 2003). In North America the ‘N17’ ‘Versa’, launched in 2011, preceded the B17 ‘Sentra’ by a year, and by a half year in China for the ‘N17’ ‘Sunny’ and B17 ‘Sylphy’. In Japan, the B17 ‘Sylphy’ succeeded on the ‘N17’ ‘Latio’ in December 2012 after two months, and both ended here late 2016.

So while the Sentra B-series soldiers on since the 1982 B11, the ‘Sunny’ now has become an N-series, and the Pulsar in Australia a B-series (deleted in 2017), with the N18 sedan, still Almera in South East Asia, now to be sold as Sunny in the Middle East. A B18 Pulsar is not (yet) envisaged, after the C12/C13 ‘Pulsar’ stopped in 2018.

B11/N12

wheelbase 240, length 399.5~425.5, width 162, opt. power steering

w/b 241.5, length 396~410.5, width 162, opt. p/s

w/b 241.5, lgth 412.5, wdth 162, opt. p/s

market:

from

B11

rear suspension: trailing link, coil*

from

N12

trailing link, coil

from

KN12

trailing link, coil

market:

Japan

8110

Sunny (AD")

F2h: 8310

N44 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4**

8204

Pulsar

N4: 8206

F2h4h N4

8204

Pulsar EXA

C2 Ca2

Japan

8201

Laurel Spirit

not 1.3

8206

Langley

not 1.3

F2h4h

8210

Pulsar AD", Datsun AD"

N44 F2h C2h W44 V2 Wf4

8206

Liberta Villa

not 1.3

F2h4h N4

USA

8203

Sentra

8210 > 1.6

N24 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

8302

Pulsar

'83 only

F2h4h N4

8209

Pulsar NX

USA

Canada

Sentra

N24 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

n/a

F2h4h N4

Pulsar NX

Canada

Mexico

8404

Tsuru

'86 > 1.6

N24 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

n/a

Mexico

Europe

8206

Sunny

N24 F2h C2h W44 V2 Wf4

Cherry (Europe**)

F2h4h

n/a

Europe

South Africa

n/a

8311

Pulsar/Langley

F2h4h/N4

8403

Langley EXA, 8801 > 'EXA'

South Africa

Australia

Pulsar

N24 F2h C2h W44 V2

8211

Pulsar"

8603 > 1.6

F4h4h N4

8310

Pulsar EXA

Australia

New Zealand

8212

Sunny

N44 F2h C2h W44 V2 Wf4

8311

Pulsar

F2h4h N4

Pulsar EXA

New Zealand

Taiwan

8306

Sunny

N44 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

n/a

Taiwan

export

Sunny

N24 F2h C2h W44 V2 Wf4

Pulsar

F2h4h N4*

Pulsar EXA

export

cc:

L4 ohc 988

J USA MEX EUR AUS NZ exp

E10

N44 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

J NSA EUR RSA AUS exp

E10

F2h4h

L4 ohc 988

L4 ohc 1270

J USA MEX EUR AUS NZ exp

E13

N24 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

J NSA EUR RSA AUS exp

E13

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc 1270

L4 ohc 1488

J USA MEX EUR AUS NZ exp

E15

N24 F2h C2h W44 V2 Wf4

J USA EUR RSA AUS exp

E15

F2h4h N4

J USA RSA

E15

C2 Ca2

L4 ohc 1488

E15E

N44 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

E15E

F2h4h N4

E15E

L4 ohc 1488

8209

E15ET

N44 F2h C2h W24 V2

8305

J USA EUR RSA AUS

E15ET

F2h4h N4

8305

J USA RSA AUS exp

E15ET

L4 ohc 1488

L4 ohc 1597

J USA MEX EUR AUS NZ exp

E16

N24 F2h C2h W44 V2 Wf4

J USA EUR RSA AUS

E16

F2h4h

J USA

E16

L4 ohc 1597

J USA MEX ('Ninja turbo')

E16ST

N24 F2h C2h W44 V2

L4 ohc 1597

L4 ohc 1681

8210

J USA MEX EUR AUS NZ exp

CD17

N24 F2h C2h W24 V2 Wf4

8305

J NSA EUR RSA AUS exp

CD17

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc 1681

transmissions:

45M3A

body style

transmissions:

45M3A

body style

transmissions:

45M3A

body style

turbo

" 8805 > 'Nissan AD'

* W24, V2: rigid, leaf, till 1990

" 8408: F4h Holden Astra

* N4 selected markets

USA turbo 1984 only

Ca2: 8505

turbo

diesel

W4: 8210, W2V2: 8307, F2h 1.3: 8504

** Wf4: 'Sunny California'

** F2h 1186cc, 1490cc Alfa Romeo flat engines

diesel

USA incl. CDN, AUS incl. NZ, if applicable

MEX C2h 1.5: 'Samurái'

** F2h4h 'Alfa Romeo Arna' also 1351cc engine

12"/13"wheels

In Japan, 1488cc and 1681cc engines are quoted 1487cc and 1680cc, due to rounding down the decimal

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

Nissan Sunny (B11) October 1981/Laurel Spirit January 1982/Sentra (USA/CDN)

After the Sunny had switched to front-wheel-drive in autumn 1981, becoming a Nissan, it became the best-selling car in the world in 1983 (and import in the UK). The Pulsar N12 (Cherry in Europe), with a 1.5 cm longer wheelbase, adopted its front train in spring 1982. The Sunny B11 became popular in South East Asia and Chile, and was sold there for 10 years and longer, eventually next to its second ‘successor’. It put Malaysia on wheels, where it lasted 15 years, and deleted there after the arrival of the B14 ‘Sentra’. The higher-roofed VB11 Sunny wagon lasted through 1990 in Europe and Japan (where it no longer was a Sunny by 1988). The van derivative was the only B11 marketed in Australia (as Pulsar), and also South Africa didn’t see any B11 (nor its predecessor), while the B12 Sentra for one generation replaced here the Pulsar N12. After Europe, Australia and new Zealand preferred the N13 Pulsar line (under various names), the B12 and later Sunny or Sentra sedans were not marketed here (but the B17 became a Pulsar down under).

Nissan Sunny (B12) September 1985/Laurel Spirit August 1986/Sentra (USA/CDN/RSA/SE Asia/NZ/Latin America)

So, with the VB11 wagon/van soldiering on until 1990, the B12 was made with the same body selection as before, but the sporty wagon no longer had a lower roof, while the 3-door hatchback was now also exported to the USA, but not elsewhere. Many markets, continuously selling the Sunny B11 sedan (then still made in Mexico, Malaysia and Thailand) switched to the ‘Sentra’ name for the B12.

As the Europeans liked hatchbacks, and Nissan made its Sunny hatchback only as a 3-door (which was 3.5 cm shorter than the Pulsar hatchback), it was decided to stop selling the Sunny sedan here, now that there was also a sedan in the N-series, and from September 1986 sell the N13 sedan and hatchback as ‘Sunny’, replacing Sunny B11 sedans and Cherry N12 hatchbacks. Both the Sunny B12 wagon, as well as the 3-door coupe (hatchback) came to Europe at the same time to broaden the range, now that the Pulsar and Sunny models had started to share platforms.

Similar things happened in New Zealand, but here the N12 was a Pulsar, and it was decided to name B12 and N13 neither Pulsar or Sunny, but Sentra instead. South Africa chose the B12 Sentra to take the place of the N12 Pulsar/Langley, but the next generation became the N14 Pulsar.

The Americans liked 2-door sedans, which were exclusive now for that continent, after Europe was one of the few other areas where the previous (B11) Sunny was marketed in this form.

In mountainous Japan, on-demand four-wheel-drive was available from the start on the 1.5 sedan/wagon, mainly replaced by full-time all-wheel-drive a year later (with a viscous coupling at the front of the propeller shaft), the latter also for the later introduced Laurel Spirit after another year, and by 1989 in the export 1.6 wagon, replacing the on-demand system. In June 1988, one with a triple viscous coupling became available, as earlier introduced in the N14 Pulsar. In January 1988 the fwd 1600 Twin Cam VR (by Autech) for rally purposes had arrived with standard a viscous limited slip differential. In Japan, a 4-speed automatic with lock-up torque converter was available in the turbo, and later with other engines as well. The 3-speed automatic had the lock-up in North America and Europe, but not in Japan.

Nissan Pulsar (N13) May 1986/Langley/Liberta Villa October 1986/’Sunny’ (EUR)/’Sentra’ (NZ)

Now built on the same platform as the Sunny, with a new parallel link independent rear suspension for the front-wheel-drive models, in Japan the Pulsar hatchback again was priced lower than the Sunny hatchback, while the Sunny sedan was the cheapest of all B12 and N13 models.

Langley changed the 5-door hatchback by a 3-door, which was added to the Liberta Villa line. The rear end of both sedan and hatchback differed from those of the Pulsar, with the hatchback having a more sloping back and a minor deck lid. The Australians built this sedan body for their Pulsar Vector and brought the minor curve at the back end of the rear side window for their 5-door hatchback in line with the sedan.

In 1987, half of the Pulsar/Langley/Liberta Villa sales in Japan were Pulsars with the other half three Langleys to every two Liberta Villas. Pulsar and companions sold at about 60% of Sunny/Laurel Spirit. Both Nissan car lines combined sold on 2/3 level of their Toyota Corolla (II)/Sprinter/Corsa/Tercel competitors.

In Japan, on-demand four-wheel-drive and permanent all-wheel-drive, similar to the B13 Sunny, were available from the start for the 1.5 sedans, the latter also for the later introduced Langley and Liberta Villa sedans by January 1987, when one with a triple viscous coupling had arrived for the Pulsar 3-door hatchback as well (with limited slip differentials front and rear), together with an optional viscous limited slip differential for the fwd 1.6 dohc models. By April 1988, Pulsar 1.5 sedans were available with a choice of three different four-wheel-drive arrangements. On-demand four-wheel-drive N13 sedans and B12 wagons were sold in Europe, and the latter elsewhere as well, changed into permanent all-wheel-drive by 1989.

The Pulsar came at a moment that Nissan for their performance models started to prefer the dohc valve train to the turbo, so there was no Pulsar turbo any longer.

In Japan, a 4-speed automatic was available in the injection model and by 1987 for other engines as well, gaining a lock-up torque converter. The 3-speed automatic had the lock-up in Australia and Europe, but not in Japan.

The worldwide B12/N13 engine choice doubled from 10 to 20, as compared with the previous generation B11/N12. Exhaust gas emission regulations enforced additional 1.6-litre engines with single point fuel injection, and more efficient multi-valve engines were launched at the facelift, while Japan often used engines with a smaller displacement due to MITI fuel economy standards applied by 1985.

In Malaysia, the imported Sentra B12 sold poorly next the Sunny B11 and was soon replaced by the assembled N13, evolving this market to one of the rare ones where both B12 and N13 sedans were sold.

B12/N13

wheelbase 243, length 399.5~427, width 164, optional power steering

w/b 243, length 403~427, width 164, opt. p/s

w/b 243, l 423, w 168, std. p/s

market:

from

B12 rear suspension: parallel link (4wd transverse arm), coil

from

N13 rear suspension: parallel link*, coil

from

KN13 rr susp: parallel link, coil

market:

Japan

8509

Sunny (RZ-1/California)

C2h: 8602

N4 F2h/C2h/W4

8605

Pulsar

F2h4h N4

8610

EXA

C2h (T-top)

Japan

8608

Laurel Spirit

≠E13,E15ET

8610

Langley

≠E13,E15E

F2h4h N4

8610

Liberta Villa

≠E13

F2h4h N4

USA

8603

Sentra

F2h till '88

N24 F2h C2h W4

n/a

8611

Pulsar NX

C2h (T-top)

USA

Canada

Sentra

N4 till '93

N24 F2h C2h W4

n/a

Pulsar NX

C2h (T-top)

Canada

Mexico

87-IV

Tsuru II (C2h: 'Hikari')

N24 F2h C2h W4

n/a

Mexico

Europe

8609

Sunny

N24 F2h C2h W4

8609

Sunny**

F2h4h N4

n/a

Europe

South Africa

8710

Sentra

N44 F2h C2h

n/a

South Africa

Australia

n/a

8709

Pulsar/Pulsar Vector

F4hti /N4

EXA

C2h (T-top)

Australia

New Zealand

Sentra

N24 F2h C2h W4

Sentra

F2h till '88

F2h4h N4

EXA

C2h (T-top)

New Zealand

Taiwan

Sunny, Sentra

N44 F2h C2h W4

n/a

Taiwan

export

Sunny, Sentra

N44 F2h C2h W4

Pulsar

F2h4h N4

n/a

export

cc:

L4 ohc

988

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E10S

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

J EUR AUS NZ exp

E10S

F2h4h N4

J USA AUS exp

L4 ohc

988

L4 ohc

1270

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E13S

N44 F2h C2h W4

J EUR AUS NZ exp

E13S

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc

1270

L4 ohc

1488

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E15S

N4" //iii C2h W4"

J EUR AUS NZ exp

E15S

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc

1488

L4 ohc

1488

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E15E

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

E15E

F2h"mN4"

L4 ohc

1488

L4 ohc

1488

J till 8709

E15ET

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

J EUR AUS NZ exp

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc

1488

L4 ohc

1597

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E16S

N24 F2h C2h W4"

J EUR AUS NZ exp

E16S

F2h4h N4"

L4 ohc

1597

L4 ohc

1597

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E16(Sp)i

N24 F2h C2h W4"

J EUR AUS NZ exp

E16(Sp)i

F2h4h N4"

J USA CDN AUS

E16i

L4 ohc

1597

L4 ohc

1597

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E16E

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

L4 ohc

1597

87-IV

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E16ST

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

1598 AUS NZ exp

GM 16LF

F4h4h N4

L4 ohc

1597

1991

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

E16ET

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

1796 AUS NZ exp

GM 18LE

F4h4h N4"

L4 ohc 3v

1392

8810

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

GA14S

N4" F2h C2h W4

8810

J EUR AUS NZ exp

GA14S

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc 3v

1392

L4 ohc 3v

1497

8709

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

GA15S

N4" F2h C2h W4"

8804

J EUR AUS NZ exp

GA15S

F2h4h N4"

L4 ohc 3v

1497

L4 ohc 3v

1497

8709

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

GA15E

N4" F2h C2h W4"

8804

J EUR AUS NZ exp

GA15E

F2h"mN4"

L4 ohc 3v

1497

L4 ohc 3v

1597

8810

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

GA16S

N44 F2h C2h W4"

8810

J EUR AUS NZ exp

GA16S

F2h4h N4"

L4 ohc 3v

1597

L4 ohc 3v

1597

8810

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

GA16i

N24 F2h C2h W4"

8901

J EUR AUS NZ exp

GA16i

F2h4h N4"

8809

J USA CDN AUS

GA16i

L4 ohc 3v

1597

L4 dohc

1598

8608

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

CA16DE

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

J EUR AUS NZ exp

CA16DE

F2h4h N4

J USA CDN AUS

CA16DE

L4 dohc

1598

L4 dohc

1809

8810

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

CA18DE

N44 F2h C2h Wf4

8810

J EUR AUS NZ exp

CA18DE

F2h4h N4

8801

J USA CDN AUS

CA18DE

L4 dohc

1809

L4 ohc

1681

J USA CDN MEX EUR RSA NZ exp

CD17

N4" F2h C2h W4

J EUR AUS NZ exp

CD17

F2h4h N4

L4 ohc

1681

4A: Japan only

45M34A

body style

4A: Japan only

45M34A

body style

5M34A

body style

turbo

" also 4wd

* 4wd: transverse arm

" also 4wd

turbo

diesel

** Greece F2h4h: 'Cherry'; UK '88 N4: 'Sunny Pulsar'

diesel

In Japan, 1488cc and 1681cc engines are quoted 1487cc and 1680cc, due to rounding down the decimal

13"/14"wheels

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

Sources: sales brochures, Motor-Fan issues, publicly accessible internet sites

Far East Auto Literature

5 February, 2020