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fast »industry news motoring@manilatimes.net TUESDAY December 14, 2010 Times


DANTE F. M. ANG 2ND PRESIDENT AND CEO BRIAN AFUANG EDITOR VERNON B. SARNE EDITORIAL CONSULTANT


THE MO T ORING SECTION OF The Manila Times


A NEW DAWN


Nissan Motor Phils. ups the luxury quotient of Teana sedan with introduction of 3.5L model


I


TS name was derived from the Native American


word for “dawn,” according to Nissan Motor Phils. Inc. (NMPI), with the company adding that it’s only appropriate as the arrival of this new top model truly “marks the dawn of modern luxury.” The carmaker is, of course, referring to its flagship Teana luxury sedan’s new variant, the 3.5L.


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■ Cabin of


Nissan Teana, like its


exterior, is understated yet elegant.


“The all-new Teana 3.5L is meant to reflect


NMPI’s continually strong and undeterred commitment to constantly offer high-quality products that maximize the pleasure of driving—and the pride of owning a Nissan,” NMPI President and Chief Executive Officer Allen Chen said.


An executive car cut in European design and features, the Teana 3.5L adds truly world-class performance to its portfolio as it packs Nissan’s VQ V6 engine, the only one making the Ward’s 10 Best Engines list for 14 years straight. Credentials rarely get more solid than that. Little wonder then that the VQ35DE is fitted on numerous Nissan models that range from the Pathfinder sport-ute to the Maxima sedan to the previous 350Z sports car, as well as on various Infiniti products. In the Teana 3.5L, this 3.5-liter power plant makes 250 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 335 Newton- meters of torque at 4,400rpm It is then mated to Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission that has the corporate Adaptive Shift Control. The result of such combination, NMPI said, is responsive acceleration and class-leading fuel economy figures, all without the annoying shift-shock


that afflicts lesser gearboxes. That’s at any speed, too, according to NMPI. It also noted that the Teana sits on


Nissan’s newly developed D-Platform, which means the car is among the best in its class when it comes to ride comfort, noise, vibration and harshness levels, and stability and handling. Independent struts in front and multilinks in the rear play a major part in this dynamism while copious amounts of sound-deadening materials blanketing the car insulate the occupants. Speaking of cocooning occupants, the


Teana 3.5L boasts a host of safety features like airbags, active front headrests, ABS with EBD and brake assist, a Vehicle Dynamics Control with traction control system, Xenon head- lights that automatically adjust focus levels and a body structure designed to absorb impact. The result of such equipment is a six- star rating—the highest possible—in the Japan New Car Assessment Program. Keeping the car’s passengers safe is one thing, pampering them is another, and so the Teana 3.5L is fitted with premium features like dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-CD, MP3 multimedia system with iPod connectivity and six speakers, a


computer with multi-information display, audio and cruise-control buttons on the steering wheel, a sunshade for backseat passengers, power-operated front seats that has an eight-way adjustment and ventilation for the driver’s and four-way for the passen- ger’s, Nissan’s smart i-Key, an Ottoman support for the front passenger, a panoramic sunroof, and mood lighting to further the cabin’s posh ambience.


NMPI called the car’s interior as “artistic,”


saying it has “wave-like design themes to further accentuate the modern luxurious appearance and stance with an emphasis on comfort, relaxation, and sensuality.” The carmaker pointed as a key feature in the Teana’s cabin a dashboard that “floats” above a wood panel that “creates a sense of being gently enveloped in high quality.” A curving floor console with wood-pattern panels, chrome trim and door handles that are also shaped like waves complete the theme, while double-stitched leather door trim add to the classy touches. The car is offered in White Pearl, Sapphire Black, Deep Amethyst Purple and Brilliant Silver—all of which evoke the “dawn of modern luxury” quite well.


BRIAN AFUANG


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