Link:
http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=13435
DETROIT -- Nissan North America Inc. will expand its U.S. lineup next year with a small hatchback and sedan named Versa. The automaker is spending $800 million to upgrade its plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico, to build the cars for North America.
The Versa uses the platform from the Nissan Tiida sold in Japan. Nissan will use the Tiida name on cars sold in Mexico.
The Versa, which is smaller than the Sentra, is expected to have a base price of about $12,000. It will be equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine rated at about 120 hp. Mated to an optional continuously variable transmission, Nissan says the powertrain should deliver a combined city-highway fuel economy rating of 38 mpg.
The hatchback will go on sale in early summer 2006 as a 2007 model, Nissan said. Sales of the sedan will begin in late 2006.
The addition of the Versa will give Nissan a vehicle to compete in the growing B-car segment in the United States. That segment includes the Scion models from Toyota Motor Corp. and the upcoming small car from Honda Motor Co., based on the Fit and Jazz models sold in Japan and Europe. The Honda car is expected to go on sale in the spring, about the same time as the Nissan Versa hatchback.
Nissan said it also will deliver a redesigned Sentra and Altima and restyled Maxima for the 2007 model year. The Sentra also is built in the Aguascalientes plant. The Altima and Maxima are built in Smyrna, Tenn. Some Altimas also are built in Nissan's plant in Canton, Miss.
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