This is the Nissan Lannia, a compact sedan that is only sold in China. It is a car aimed at a young audience, and therefore it comes with a daring and rather different design. Pretty or not pretty, it is certainly special.
The Lannia was designed by the Nissan China Design Center (NDC) and the Nissan Global Design Center (NGDC). It is manufactured in China by the long-running Dongfeng-Nissan joint venture that makes a wide range of Nissan-branded cars for the Chinese car market.
The Lannia launched on the Chinese car market in 2016. debuted in 2014 in concept form, and the production version was shown in September on the Chengdu Auto Show. The Chinese name of the Lannia is ‘Lanniao’ (蓝鸟), or Bluebird, a very important name in Nissan’s history.
Lone engine is a 1.6 liter four-cylinder petrol with 126hp and 154nm, mated to a CVT, sending horses to the front wheels. When launched, there were plans for more engines, including a 1.2 turbo and a 1.8, but this has never happened. Price starts at 125.900 yuan.
The oddness of the design is best visible from the site, with a big crease over the doors and a very wide C-D pillar with a sloping rear window and a short rear deck.
The interior looks less different than the exterior, but is has some cool details such as the red ‘carbon’ trim. But even for 2015 it didn’t look very modern inside, with a tiny screen, a giant gear lever, and an old-school manual handbrake.
The wide C-D pillar makes for a small and high rear door. Kids will get car sick! Leather seats look nice.
Large light units and black sections in bumper emphasize the Lannia’s daring lines.
This is the joint venture’s badge, Dongfeng Nissan. ‘Pure Drive’ is a PR phrase for the engine.
So many lines, so many angles, so many corners. The Nissan Lannia look extremely busy up front. It also looks a bit like an animal that lives on the edge of sea and shore.
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