Teana hopes to shed hulky image of Nissan
Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
For the Indonesian market, Nissan has been known for a long time as a tough brand, usually associated with its Nissan Patrol four- wheel-drive vehicle employed by Indonesian government agencies some three decades ago.
The Nissan Patrol of yesteryear was truly rugged compared with today's sports utility vehicles (SUVs). Nissan now seems to have continued its long history here by promoting a "No. 1 SUV" brand image, although it offers other products like sedans and multipurpose vehicles (MPV). Nissan even has its own roadster, the Nissan Fairlady.
After reintroducing the Nissan Serena MPV in July, PT Nissan Motor Indonesia (NMI) launched on Aug. 26 its Nissan Teana, a medium sedan powered by a V6, 2.3 liter engine with 24 valves and double overhead camshaft (DOHC) technology.
The VQ23DE engine, which also uses continuous variable-valve timing control (CVTC) and electronic throttle chamber (ETC) offering ample torque and fuel efficiency, can be revved up to reach 173 horsepower (hp) at 6,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) and maximum torque of 219 Newton-meter (Nm) at 4,400 rpm.
When asked why the company launched a sedan despite its strong SUV image, PT NMI president director Toru Hasegawa said the sedan was very useful to enhance Nissan's brand image.
"We want to enhance our brand image and it is very effective to use a high class sedan," he announced publicly at the launching ceremony.
"It does not mean we want to shift our focus from SUVs to sedans. We just want to remind people that we also have other models," he added.
Hasegawa gave the example of Mercedes-Benz, known for its sedans, but which also has SUVs, or Porsche, which is almost entirely defined by its high-performance sports cars, but has also developed its own SUV.
The Mercedes Benz SUV is the G-Class and M-Class while Porsche developed the fastest SUV ever, the Cayenne.
In Indonesia, PT NMI relies on Nissan Terrano and Nissan X- Trail SUVs as its flag carriers to boost sales.
The Nissan Teana, which means 'dawn', comes with four-speed automatic transmission and uses an intelligent card key to start the engine, lock and unlock all doors, including the trunk. The locks can sense the intelligent key's presence from up to 80 centimeters away.
First introduced in Japan in 2003, Nissan Teana received the U-LEV certificate for its low emissions, reducing harmful chemical levels by up to 75 percent less than the maximum levels permitted.
As for competition, the Nissan Teana will have to fight market leaders like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which Hasegawa admitted would be a tough challenge.
"Despite the competition, the Nissan Teana has everything to offer compared to its competitors. We would like to invite prospective buyers to come to our showrooms and have a test drive.
"I am sure customers will choose the Nissan Teana for its leading features," he added.
Interested buyers can choose from three color options of black, champagne gold and diamond silver, and it is priced at Rp 355 million (US$38,500).
"The basic price is the same, at Rp 355 million nationwide, but for other cities in Indonesia there is a transportation cost," said Hasegawa.
He also said that the company's distribution arm would start delivery in September.