FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2 October 2008
ACCESSIBLE
GREEN URBAN DRIVING FROM NISSAN
Against
a backdrop of record oil prices, fears of a global recession and demand for
ever lower greenhouse gas emissions, buyers are looking for an inexpensive and
fuel-efficient car with a low CO2 output. They need look no further.
The new Nissan PIXO, a four-seater producing 103 g/km of CO2, will
offer genuinely environmentally-conscious motoring at an accessible price.
“Motorists all over
Carlos
Tavares, Executive Vice President, Nissan Motor Limited
At a glance
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Five doors, four seats
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3.56 metres long, 2.36
metres wheelbase
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1.0-litre three
cylinder petrol engine, delivering…
§
Manual and auto options
§
Full complement of
safety equipment
§
Built in India for
Nissan by Suzuki
Overview
With
oil prices fluctuating in a volatile global market and governments worldwide
agreeing to set ever lower targets for emissions from all sources, the arrival
of the PIXO underlines Nissan’s commitment to providing affordable, urban
transport which is efficient in terms of consumption and emissions. Its arrival
on the Nissan range complements the Micra and Note, giving the company a
strong, diverse selection of compact, spacious and efficient cars which are
well equipped for the reality of modern urban driving. And when it is launched
in Europe, the PIXO will wear the newly announced Pure Drive badge, which will
help car-buyers to identify the most efficient models in Nissan’s range.
Thanks
to exceptional fuel economy and with CO2 emissions that are among
the lowest in comparison with its competitors, PIXO makes
a strong case for itself.
And when
the price position is taken into account, this combination becomes very compelling.
It will compete head-to-head with popular small city-cars but at a price that
will bring eco-friendly motoring to an even wider audience given its accessible
price.
PIXO is a
five-door, four-seater with a roomy interior and generous luggage space thanks
to its efficient design and packaging.
It wants
for little in terms of standard equipment, also. There are two versions of PIXO
available: Visia and Acenta. Power steering, anti-lock brakes and dual front airbags
are standard on every model while keyless entry, power front windows, split
folding rear seats, side airbags and front fog lamps are standard on Acenta.
Options
include manual air conditioning, electronic stability control and curtain
airbags, while a four-speed automatic transmission is also available. And with
the Nissan badge on its nose, PIXO benefits from the company’s strong brand
image, which is backed by a comprehensive three-year warranty.
But
alongside these big car features, PIXO enjoys small car attributes. Thanks to
its lively three cylinder 1.0-litre engine and lightweight construction, it
produces just 103 g/km CO2 and delivers fuel economy of 4.6 l/100km (61.4 mpg) on the combined
cycle. These figures will position PIXO among the most affordable eco-cars in
the small city car category.
“There can be little
doubt that our attitudes to the car are changing. Thanks to the spiralling cost
of fuel we want better economy and we want to reduce our personal impact on the
environment as much as possible. But at the same we are unwilling to sacrifice
space, comfort and safety or forgo the trust we have in a brand such as
Nissan,” says Pierre Loing, Nissan’s
European Vice President of Product Planning.
“With PIXO, there need
be no sacrifices. It has many of the attributes of a larger car but with low
emissions and excellent economy all at an extremely competitive price.”
PIXO in detail
The birth of PIXO represents a collaboration with Suzuki Motor
Corporation, enabling Nissan to bring PIXO to market as quickly as possible.
Its arrival coincides with an ever-increasing demand for cleaner,
greener cars as a result of the volatility of oil prices and, as a result, the
global economy.
Built in state-of-the art facilities in Delhi, India, PIXO is a brand
new four-seater competing in the fast growing A-segment. Unlike some of its
immediate rivals, however, PIXO is far from a micro car. It has five doors to
ease ingress and egress to and from the rear seats but remains sufficiently
compact to be agile to be ideal for city driving.
PIXO is 3565 mm long, 1470 mm tall and 1600 mm wide. It has a wheelbase
of 2360 mm. It weighs about 855 kg (depending on grade and specification),
making it one of the lightest cars in its class, with resulting benefits in
performance, fuel consumption and emissions.
The result offers ample interior space for four adults and their
luggage. With the rear seats in place, load space is 129 litres (VDA).
Design
The PIXO’s unique design elements include the front end styling, which
features the Nissan family double-deck six slot grille either side of a centre
U-shaped section housing the Nissan roundel. Either side of that is a pair of
bold headlamps.
Following the lead set by Micra and NOTE, the top of the tall triangular-shaped
headlamps are slightly raised so they can be easily seen from the driving seat
to help the driver ‘place’ the car when parking. The light assemblies sit above
a full width bumper bar, coloured black in contrast with the body colour. The
bumper itself is located within a deep front spoiler incorporating an air
intake.
Giving
PIXO a visual dynamic edge, the beltline gently rises towards the rear of the
car, where it wraps around the upswept rear side window. This is further accentuated
by the lower swage line which links the extended wheel arches, underlining the
car’s wide footprint and long wheelbase.
The PIXO also has a distinctive downward sweep of the roofline towards
the rear of the vehicle from its highest point just ahead of the B-Pillar. The
large greenhouse helps outward visibility and ensures an airy interior.
At
the rear, similar treatment to the front end sees a wide black-coloured bumper
bar stretching the full width of the vehicle to give protection from bumps and
scrapes. As with the front, one of the most striking styling features is the
bold treatment of the light assemblies, helping to give PIXO a distinctive
character. The entire bumper and lower valence section is unique to the Nissan
version of the car.
The
exterior story is completed by the split-spoke styling of the wheel covers on
the standard 14 inch wheels, which are designed to make the wheels look like
alloys… alloy wheels are available as an option, however.
Interior
With its roomy interior, PIXO is spacious, practical and comfortable.
The instrument panel is comparatively simple in its layout, the two-tone
grey/black treatment and modern styling match the air of sophistication of the
car.
A
single dial faces the driver and incorporates an easy-to-read conventional
circular speedometer with digital read-outs for fuel level plus overall and
trip mileages. The dashboard also incorporates a centre stack with integrated
single DIN audio system and heating and ventilation (HVAC) controls. Fresh air
vents can be found in the centre of the dash with two further vents at either
end. When fitted, the air conditioning system comes with a pollen filter.
There’s
ample storage space, with an upper box ahead of the front seat passenger and a
box and cup holder in the centre of the console ahead of the gear lever. There
is a further practical cubbyhole – this time illuminated – in the middle of the
stack above the HVAC controls.
Great
attention has been paid to ensuring passenger comfort. The fabric-covered seats
are wider than usually to be found in this class of car, and benefit from
thicker seat cushions. The front seats have long slide bars making them easier
to adjust and are covered with a subtle contrasting stripe pattern for their
centre sections.
Grades and equipment
There will be two versions of PIXO available when sales start in the
second quarter of 2009: Visia and Acenta. The entry grade Visia includes power
steering, anti-lock brakes, driver and passenger airbags, ISOFIX child seat
fixings and a rear wiper. Other standard features include a rear parcel shelf,
tilt adjustable steering column and no fewer than four cup holders – two in the
front and two in the rear.
Move up to Acenta grade and standard equipment also encompasses keyless
entry with power locking, an MP3 compatible CD player, electric front windows,
split folding rear seats, front fog lamps, and body coloured door handles and
mirrors. The safety story is enhanced further by the inclusion of side airbags
as standard.
Principal
options include electronic stability control (ESP), manual air conditioning,
curtain airbags, alloy wheels and metallic or pearlescent paint.
Drivetrain
There is just one engine option available for PIXO. It’s powered by a compact
1.0-litre three-cylinder all-alloy 12-valve petrol unit developing 65 PS (48
kW) at 6,000rpm and 90 Nm at 4,000rpm.
More significant, however, are the exceptionally low fuel consumption
and emissions figures. The five-speed manual version uses 4.6 l/100km on the
combined cycle, 4.3 l/100km on the extra urban cycle and only 5.1 l/100km on
the urban cycle. Equivalent figures for urban, extra urban and combined cycles
are 55.4, 65.7 and 61.4 mpg. CO2 emissions are just 103 g/km.
Unusually in this class, PIXO is also available with a full four-speed
automatic, reinforcing its suitability as a town car that’s perfectly capable
of longer journeys when needed.
Chassis layout is a combination of tried and trusted components that
provide stable handling with good ride comfort characteristics, especially when
linked with a long wheelbase and 14 inch wheels. The front suspension uses
MacPherson strut while at the rear, a three link isolated trailing link
arrangement can be found.
Power assisted rack and pinion steering is standard, while the braking
system has front discs and rear drums with the latest anti-lock software.
Electronic stability control (ESP) is an option.
Market
PIXO marks Nissan’s first venture into the A-segment of the European market
and its arrival coincides with a huge increase in sales. In France, for
example, sales of
A-segment cars sales jumped 36 per cent from January to June this year compared
to the same period in 2007. Overall, the European market saw a rise of 30 per cent
between 2005 and 2007. This was partly due to new models stimulating showroom
traffic, but also can be linked to rising fuel prices and environmental
concerns.
More than half of the cars sold in the segment produce between 60-70
PS. PIXO develops 65 PS, right in the heartland of the sector. And while the
vast majority of the sales are of cars with manual transmission, that is more
down to the lack of availability of an automatic than a lack of demand. With
the option of a ‘real’ torque converter automatic, PIXO is perfectly placed to
dominate a potentially lucrative niche within the sector. At launch, PIXO is
expected to be Europe’s most affordable automatic.
More importantly, however, are PIXO’s low CO2 emissions. At
just 103 g/km, PIXO is currently among the most efficient petrol-powered cars
in the segment.
“PIXO makes a strong
environmental statement but also represents an affordable, city car. It will
play a key role as part of a wider Nissan strategy to offer a broad selection
of cars which are fuel efficient and low emitters,” says Simon Thomas, Nissan’s Senior Vice President for European Sales
and Marketing.
ends…
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
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Terry Steeden |
Product
Communications Manager |
01923 899938 |
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Email |
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Gloria Maydew |
Press
Communications Manager |
01923 899937 |
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Email |
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Linda Robinson |
Press
Communications Manager |
01923 899932 |
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Email |
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Gabi Whitfield |
Communications
Director |
01923 899933 |
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Email |
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