By Theodore Opara

This looks like a big bang from Nissan representatives in Nigeria, Alliance Autos and Sun Motors. The new Nissan Almera Sedan which was presented to the Motoring press over the weekend in Lagos for a test-drive might be the joker Nissan will use to take over the highly competitive Nigerian passenger car market.

Though built to compete in the B Class auto segment, the new Nissan Almera has the attributes of cars in the C and D segments. With amazing interior space, generous luggage compartment, high level safety features and comfort, the new Almera handles like a ‘senior’ Sedan with less noise.

Speaking to the Motoring press shortly before the test-drive, the Managing Director Alliance Autos, Mr. Ian Middleton said  the new Almera is a global Sedan by Nissan and a very important model for the company in Nigeria.

*Almera

According to Middleton, the new Almera is very important for the Nissan development in Nigeria as they hope to sell over 3000 units of the Sedan annually.

He explained that the Almera is already making waves in most part of the world especially in India and China where it has been well received since introduction late last year.

Also speaking during the occasion, the General Manager, Sun Motors, Mr. Pankaj Arora described the new Almera as a smart and stylish car which has proved Nissan’s continuous endeavour to deliver quality and stylish car that gives value for money.

Accord to the General Manager, Marketing, Alliance Autos, Mr. Gaurav Kaul, the new Almera is a B segment car with  attributes of C segment cars in terms of size, safety features and comfort.

According to him, the car has the same level of legroom with BMW 5 Series with trunk capacity of 400 litres. This enables it to take more load than any car in its class.

Powered by a 1.5 litre engine, the new Almera comes with either manual or automatic transmission. Its fuel efficiency ranks about the best in class while the ground cleance is 5mm higher than the class leader in the segment (155mm ground clearance).

The Almera boasts very stylish design. Some of the journalists that took part in the test-drives described it as a Nissan teana in a compact size. It is classy and compact from the outside but very roomy inside.

Built on the Nissan V-platform, the Almera has the right contours in the right places, giving it the imposing look of a bigger Sedan. Nissan used quality materials in the Almera. The comfortable, yet functional interior endowed the Almera with the assets to meet real customer needs.

The Almera safe and easily suitable for  variety of uses from business to family excursions and corporate uses yet  affordable  with price starting from N2.5 million.

The Almera, no doubt, has raised the bar in terms of safety in its class. Standard safety features include two airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS), Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), electronics managing braking for shortest stopping distance while maintaining full control in emergency situations.

The excited Managing Director of Alliance Autos, Middleton said “with the new Almera, Nissan has not been afraid to do things differently – to get rid of past limitations and creating a car for the present.