Nissan Pulsar making a comeback

A few years when Nissan decided to drop the Pulsar name, everybody told them they were making a mistake. But they did it anyway.

What followed next was the Nissan Tiida which made its debut at the 2005 Sydney show. And, ho hum, wasn't/isn't it boring...the one thing Tiida had going for it was plenty of room inside which made it popular as a rental.

“Tiida offers a giant leap forward for Nissan customers with its modern design, premium finishes and spacious interior,” we were told at the time. “The Tiida exterior features a dynamic look with the emphasis on attention to detail. The body form and long roofline suggest both Tiida's performance capabilities and the roominess inside.” (they must have been talking about some other car).

Fast forward and Nissan Australia CEO, Bill Peffer, said the new Pulsar will add a powerful dimension to Nissan's rapidly improving passenger car portfolio. He said Pulsar sedan has the looks, packaging and expected value to make it the leading choice in the booming small car segment.

Unveiled to the world in Beijing, we'll get the sedan first in Australia followed later by a hatch variant. Nissan have even alluded to a replacement for the oft-lamented Pulsar SSS sports model which was always so popular with young buyers.

Powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, the emphasis however is expected to be on ride and handling, rather than outright performance. All will be revealed soon. Details, including technical specifications for Australia, will be available at a later date.